NEWS

Senate sets conditions for FG on 2018 budget

Published

8 years ago

October 5, 2017

FAB

The Senate on Thursday considered and adopted the report of its Joint Committee on Appropriation and Finance over its meeting on Tuesday with the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, on the implementation of the 2017 Appropriation Act.

Part of the recommendations of the panel, which was approved by the chamber, was that if Nigeria would have a January to December budget cycle in 2018, the Federal Government must not roll over 60 percent of capital projects in the 2017 budget as being proposed.

The upper chamber of the National Assembly also warned the Executive against the selective implementation of projects “under the guise of completing priority projects.”

As part of its findings, the committee said, “The Executive claimed it is awaiting the resolution of the National Assembly on external borrowing to enable them borrow externally to finance part of the capital component of the budget. This is because external debts have

“This is because external debts have longer tenures and lower interest rate.”

The panel said it was also observed that the Executive had decided to focus on completion of priority projects that were near completion instead of implementing the budget as passed.

Another observation by the panel was that efforts were being made to have the 2018 budget proposal laid before the National Assembly in October 2017, with the hope that the National Assembly would pass it in December for implementation to commence January 2018.

Some of the other observations were that “60 percent of the capital component of the 2017 budget may be rolled over to 2018, with the expectation that it will commence in January 2018.

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“The shortfall in personnel costs of some agencies are as a result of either error in the budget or unapproved employment of staff. This is being investigated by the Executive with a view to addressing the problem.

“There are revenue leakages of operating surpluses that Agencies are not remitting to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.”

The lawmaker, however, stepped down the first recommendation in the report, which read, “The committee wishes to recommend that the issue of external borrowing be resolved with the executive without further delay.”

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, stated there was no pending request for external borrowing with the chamber.

He said, “Let me also clarify this because I was involved by the Chairman of Appropriations; that when the Minister of Finance came, she suggested that there were some requests before us on external borrowing.

“I just want to make it clear that there is no request on external borrowing that has not been acted upon. It must be that the letters have not left the Executive to come to us.

“I think it is important that we don’t delay such an important issue. If you remember, at the end of the last session – on the last day, we treated requests from the states and those on the railways.

“There are no pending requests from Mr. President or, when he was away, from the Acting President on external loan.”

The Senate, however, approved other recommendations, including that “necessary steps be taken to ensure that the Executive does not embark on selective implementation under the guise of completing priority projects because it will offend the spirit of the Appropriation Act.”

Others read, “Much as there is the need to work with the Executive to return to a predictable January-December budget cycle, this should be done without sacrificing up to 60 percent of a full year capital budget in one full-swoop.

“The 2018 budget proposal (should) be passed expeditiously when brought to the National Assembly to allow for full implementation.

“We encourage the Executive to ensure that all MDAs are properly captured in IPPIS and all employments are properly approved and budgeted for.

“The use of operating surplus of Internally Generated Revenue of government-owned enterprises like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Ports Authority and others in funding the national budget should be properly explored.”

The Senate also approved that the Executive should be encouraged to block all leakages of operational surpluses of MDAs.

In his closing remarks, Saraki expressed fears over the proposal by the Federal Government to roll over about 50 percent of the capital projects for 2016 to 2018.

He said, “On the points that have been raised, the key point is to ensure that the Executive does carry out a level of implementation in line with what we proposed and then, they should address the issue of operational surpluses.

“The Executive should also fast track, if they have any requests at all, external borrowing and they should not adopt selective implementation.

“My only concern, which I think the Appropriations Committee needs to look at, is that if we are saying that we are going to do only 50 percent implementation of capital, that means that for next year, we are talking about a N10tn budget. Where is the capacity to implement

“Where is the capacity to implement that?”

– Punch

Related Topics:2018 Budget Bukola Saraki FG Senate

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BUSINESS

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series Sets The Standard Of AI Phones As A True AI Companion

Published

2 months ago

January 31, 2025

Adaeze Okechi

Samsung Galaxy S25 series sets the standard of AI phones as a true AI companion

…Pioneering the multimodal era with the most context-aware and personalized mobile experience

Lagos, Nigeria – January 23, 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has announced the Samsung Galaxy S25 series: Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25, setting a new standard as a true AI companion with the most natural and context-aware mobile experiences ever created. Introducing multimodal AI agents, the Galaxy S25 series is the first step in Samsung’s vision to change the way users interact with their phone – and with their world.

A first-of-its-kind customized Snapdragon® 8 Elite Mobile Platform for Galaxy chipset delivers greater on-device processing power for Galaxy AI and superior camera range and control with Galaxy’s next-gen ProVisual Engine.

Samsung Galaxy S25 series sets the standard of AI phones | fab.ng

Galaxy S25 Ultra

With One UI 7, the Galaxy S25 series is a true AI companion that understands the context of your needs and preferences and provides personalized AI experiences with privacy assured at every turn.

It’s the starting point of a shared vision with Google to imagine Android with AI at the core, bringing together developers and partners from around the world.

AI agents with multimodal capabilities enable Galaxy S25 to interpret text, speech, images and videos for interactions that feel natural. Upgrades to Google’s Circle to Search make searching your phone screen more helpful, fast and contextual. Circle to Search now quickly recognizes phone numbers, email and URLs on your screen, letting you call, email or visit a website with a single tap.

With Galaxy S25 series, you can also perform actionable searches with context-aware suggestions for next steps. Plus, Galaxy S25 makes it frictionless to switch between apps for quick follow-up actions, like sharing a GIF or saving event details.

Galaxy S25 represents a breakthrough in natural language understanding, making everyday interactions easier. Simply ask and intuitively find a specific photo in Samsung Gallery or adjust the size of display fonts in Settings.

In the era of AI, personalization goes hand in hand with privacy. On the Galaxy S25, the Personal Data Engine powers personalized AI features by safely analyzing your data on-device to deliver highly tailored experiences that reflect your preferences and usage patterns.

These insights enable tailored experiences, such as using natural language to search for an old photo in the Gallery or being guided through the day with Now Brief, which proactively offers suggestions accessible via Now Bar on the lock screen. Knox Vault keeps all personalized data private and secure.

Combined with enhanced on-device processing capabilities, this creates a powerful, protected AI experience that is unique to Galaxy.

Galaxy S25+

Galaxy’s Most Powerful Performance Ever

The Galaxy S25 series is powered by the Snapdragon® 8 Elite for Galaxy. With unique customizations by Galaxy, this is the most powerful processor ever on the Galaxy S series. Further delivering a performance boost of 40% in NPU, 37% in CPU and 30% in GPU. This is compared to the previous generation.

This power fuels the Galaxy S25 series’ ability to process more AI experiences on-device without compromise, including previously cloud-based AI tasks such as Generative Edit.

10-bit HDR recording is now applied by default, offering four times richer color expression compared to 8-bit. Galaxy S25 can thus capture details in any lighting conditions. Plus, low-light videos have never been clearer than with Galaxy S25.

Based on powerful processor, Galaxy S25 analyzes movement and time to reduce noise more effectively. This integration allows detecting both moving and static objects with greater precision, ensuring sharper, cleaner footage in any scenario.

Galaxy S25 also introduces a range of tools once limited to specialized software, making advanced editing accessible for all. Now anyone can be a pro at editing photos and videos. Audio Eraser simplifies the removal of unwanted noise in videos. By isolating categories of sounds – including voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and noise – you can control what to tone down or eliminate entirely.

Galaxy S25 Series

Durable Design Embracing a More Circular Approach

The Galaxy S25 series builds upon Galaxy’s ‘Essential Design’ grounded in ‘Simple, Impactful and Emotive’ elements.

Galaxy S25 Ultra refines this essence into the slimmest, lightest and most durable Galaxy S series yet. This is with a rounded edge for a comfortable grip that complements the series’ aesthetic identity.

Galaxy S25 Ultra features durable titanium and the new Corning® Gorilla® Armor 2, a first-of-its-kind material that is more durable than glass. It combines Corning’s glass-ceramic with a proprietary anti-reflective surface treatment. This helps to ensure advanced drop protection alongside anti-reflection surface treatment and scratch resistance.

Combined with seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, the Galaxy S25 series ensures a reliable and optimized performance over a longer lifespan.

For greater peace of mind, Samsung Care+ offers comprehensive coverage for accidental damage, repairs, and replacements, ensuring peace of mind for Galaxy users.

The Galaxy S25 series is available to order. Galaxy S25 Ultra will be available in Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver and Titanium Gray. Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ will be available in Navy, Silver Shadow, Icyblue and Mint.

For more information about the Galaxy S25 series, please visit: Samsung Newsroom, SamsungMobilePress.com or Samsung.com.

MOVIES

Nollywood Director, Kemi Adetiba Teases King Of Boys 3

Published

3 months ago

January 9, 2025

Reporter

Nollywood director Kemi Adetiba teases King of Boys 3 | fab.ng

Nollywood director Kemi Adetiba has revealed that another instalment of King of Boys will be released on December 25, 2025. She made this announcement on her birthday through an Instagram post.

“KOB Army…. ARISE!!! It’s time…. We MOOOOOOOVE. Signed: Your General. #KOB3 #TheBeginningOfTheEnd #DettyDecember25 #KAV25,” she said.

Earlier in 2023, director Kemi Adetiba commenced pre-production for the next instalment of King of Boys.

Alongside this, she hinted at the upcoming releases of “To Kill A Monkey” and “Welcome to the Fourth.” This new King of Boys instalment, subtitled “The Beginning of the End,” will feature a blend of familiar faces and exciting new characters.

The feature-length film will make its debut in cinemas on December 25, 2025. This groundbreaking series centres around Alhaja Eniola Salami, a powerful businesswoman and philanthropist embroiled in a high-stakes power struggle.

The first film, released in 2018, captivated audiences with its compelling narrative and exceptional performances. Its sequel, “King of Boys: The Return of the King,” premiered on Netflix in 2021.

The original film boasted an ensemble cast, including the formidable Sola Sobowale as Eniola Salami, alongside Nse Ikpe-Etim, Jide Kosoko, Adesua Etomi, and Richard Mofe-Damijo.

Kemi Adetiba’s career began as a radio presenter at Rhythm 93.7 FM, where she hosted the popular shows “Soul’d Out” and “Sunday at the Seaside.”

During this time, she anonymously shared her remixes on platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud under the pseudonym “Hule.”

Transitioning to television, Adetiba became a prominent figure on Mnet, producing and hosting popular shows such as “Studio 53” and “Temptation Nigeria” alongside Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa.

She also hosted the Maltina Dance All reality show for three consecutive seasons.

After achieving on-screen success, Adetiba pursued her passion for filmmaking. She enrolled at the New York Film Academy to hone her filmmaking skills.

This decision led to international recognition for her work. Her short film, “Across a Bloodied Ocean,” was showcased at the 2009 Pan African Film Festival and the National Black Arts Festival.

Her directorial debut, “The Wedding Party,” a romantic comedy, premiered on September 8, 2016, as the opening film of the City-to-City Spotlight at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

MOVIES

“Everybody Loves Jenifa” Becomes Nollywood’s Highest-Grossing Film Of All Time

Published

3 months ago

January 8, 2025

Reporter

Everybody Loves Jenifa Nollywood’s highest-grossing film | fab.ng

Nollywood filmmaker Funke Akindele has achieved a historic milestone with her latest film, “Everybody Loves Jenifa.”

The film has officially broken box office records, surpassing the ₦1 billion mark to become the highest-grossing Nollywood movie of all time.

This groundbreaking achievement was announced by FilmOne, the film’s distributor, on their official Instagram page.

“Everybody Loves Jenifa” has officially hit a historic ₦1.466 billion and counting at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film of all time! A massive THANK YOU to our incredible audiences in Nigeria and Ghana for making this dream a reality. Your support is everything. On to even greater heights! Still showing in cinemas near you—experience the magic on the big screen,” the statement read.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FilmOne Entertainment (@filmoneng)

Akindele continues her reign as a dominant force in Nollywood with this latest triumph.

“Everybody Loves Jenifa” achieved this remarkable feat in less than two weeks, further solidifying her legacy of box office successes.

Last year, her film “A Tribe Called Judah” made history by becoming the first Nollywood film to surpass the ₦1 billion mark, firmly establishing her as the queen of Nigerian cinema.

In 2023, Akindele’s “Battle on Buka Street” also achieved record-breaking success, surpassing the previous record set by her own blockbuster, “Omo Ghetto: The Saga.”

The “Jenifa” franchise has transcended the realm of a mere movie series, evolving into a cultural phenomenon.

Akindele first introduced the iconic character “Jenifa” to audiences in the 2008 Yoruba-language film “Jenifa,” captivating viewers with her wit and charm.

The character’s popularity skyrocketed with the 2015 launch of “Jenifa’s Diary.” Interestingly, the series is a beloved television series that seamlessly blended humour with valuable life lessons.

With “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” Akindele elevates the character to new heights. She delivers a heartwarming and comedic story that resonates deeply with fans.

The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast, featuring Funke Akindele as Jenifa, Folarin “Falz” Falana as Sege.

Also, Jackie Appiah, Nancy Isime, Stan Nze, Bisola Aiyeola, Patience Ozokwor, Chimezie Imo, and Isaac Olayiwola (Layi Wasabi) brought life to the movie.

Check out more movie updates here.