Category: News

Elon Musk’s SPACE X and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Battles for Supremacy

Is it a coincidence that the two wealthiest individuals on the planet are both nursing space transport dreams? Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are both front runners in the two foremost and advanced space programs on the planet at the moment.

 

 

 

Although their motive, which is to kickstart some sort of backup civilization for human beings, align, both billionaires disagree on how to go about it. Before we dive into the disparity in Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’ space visions, let us quickly examine their space programs.

 

Space Exploration Technology Corps (SPACE X) 

Space X was founded by Elon Musk in 2002 and is headquartered at Hawthorn California. The goal of the company is to make Space travel affordable to ordinary people. It hopes to kickstart human colonization and inhabitation of planet Mars.

Space X manufactures two of its foremost space vessels the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles. It also manufactures other components that make space travel easy and affordable.

Space X is by far the more advanced of the two space programs. It has already put 700 Starlink satellites in space with over 120 being manufactured every month.

According to Business Insider, Space X is worth $33bn dollars

Blue Origin 

Blue origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington DC. Blue Origin aims to make access to space cheaper and more reliable through reusable launch vehicles. It believes it can put 1 trillion people in space making use of hanging colonies on space. Blue Origin is the less successful of the two programs having failed to launch a single satellite into space.

Elon Musk’s Vision 

Elon Musk envisions a life outside the planet Earth. He strongly believes human beings can inhabit Mars in Mega Cities and it can serve as a backup to earth should World War 3 or any major global disaster occur.

According to Business Insider, Elon Musk hopes to create the first sustainable city in Mars by 2050. The Company hopes to commence launching cargoes with building equipment in 2024 and hopefully, a permanent city would begin to take shape by the 2030s.

Elon Musk’s space company is valued at $33bn with its initial funding coming from his big payout from selling PayPal. He funds his SpaceX by getting contracts and investors for it.

Jeff Bezos’ Vision 

Jeff Bezos’ vision for his space program is slightly different from that of Elon Musk. Jeff Bezos does not agree with the Mass Inhabitation of Mars by Elon Musk. He rather believes his Blue Origin company can come up with “floating cities” on space that can house 1 trillion people. Jeff Bezos funds his Blue Origin project by allocating a certain percentage of his Amazon shares for it. Last year he allocated a whopping $3.1bn to his Blue Origin project.

 

Billionaires at play 

Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are the two richest individuals on the planet. Little wonder they can afford to pursue these ambitions. Elon Musk is clearly leading the space race with a more Robust SpaceX and cutting-edge drive, while Jeff Bezos, the older and richer of the duo seems to be taking his time. Jeff Bezos puts in more funds into his blue Origin Project while Elon Musk struggles a bit with funding Space X, relying on contracts and investors to get by.

 

Elon Musk is the younger of the two billionaires and exudes a youthful aura which sort of gives him an edge over Jeff Bezos. He is seen as the exciting youthful tech billionaire who was once smoking pot on live TV.

Both Space X and Blue Origin enjoy subtle help from NASA, America’s authoritative Space Body.

 

Culled Nairametric

Road Concession: FG to launch Procurement Portal to Ensure Competitiveness and Transparency

The Presidency has disclosed that the Highway Development Management Initiative, which is a scheme by the Federal Government to concession roads will launch a procurement portal on March 29th, 2021 to ensure competitiveness and to guarantee transparency.

 

 

 

The Presidency disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, stating that the HDMI would be live on hdmi.worksandhousing.gov.ng   on March 29th.

 

 

HDMI is an effort of the FG to mobilize private capacity, resources, and entrepreneurship into the Nigerian highway sector; and convert roads from just social assets into assets of commercial opportunities.

 

 

“To ensure competitiveness and to guarantee transparency, a procurement portal has been developed to serve as the interface with the public and manage the HDMI from Procurement to Implementation

“All transactions will be done through this portal. No personal inquiry will be entertained by any official or staff of Federal Ministry of Works and Housing,” FG stated.

 

 

HDMI is made up of 2 categories namely the Value-added Concessions (VAC) and the Unbundled Assets Approvals (UAA), the UAA provides an opportunity for small businesses to take advantage of the commercial opportunities that are available along the Right-Of-Way. While under the VAC the road pavement and entire right of way is concessioned for development and management by the concessionaire.

The VAC will be rolled out in phases. The First Phase will involve twelve roads and cover the 6 geo-political zones. The Projected Capital Investment of N1,134,690,048,000.76 and employment potentials of over 50,000 direct jobs and 200,000 indirect jobs.

The FG also disclosed that 5.6% of the 35,000 km (1963.24 km) of the  Federal road network, would be offered for concession.

The roads are BENIN – ASABA (125KM); ABUJA – LOKOJA (193KM); KANO – KATSINA (150KM); ONITSHA – OWERRI – ABA (161KM); SHAGAMU – BENIN (258KM); ABUJA – KEFFI – AKWANGA (122KM); KANO – MAIDUGURI (lot 1 Kano-Shuari 100KM; lot 2 Potiskum-Damaturu 96.24KM) LOKOJA – BENIN (270KM); ENUGU – PORT HARCOURT (200KM); ILORIN – JEBBA (129KM); LAGOS – OTA – ABEOKUTA (80KM); and LAGOS – BADAGRY (79KM).

It was reported earlier this year that the FG received the Outline Business Case Certificate of Compliance for 12 pilot federal highways billed for concession.

Following the receipt of the Outline Business Case Certificate of Compliance, the FG stated that private individuals will be allowed to build, operate and maintain assets on some federal highways that are available for concession.

FG begins process for concession of 12 highways

The Federal Government on Tuesday issued a notice for the commencement of the procurement process for the 12 federal highways mapped for concession under the Highway Development Management Initiative.

 

 

 

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, issued the notice in Abuja and unveiled the portal that was developed to ensure that the procurement process was seamless.

 

 

The 12 highways so far mapped out for concession by the Federal Government have a combined length of about 1,963km and represents less than 5.6 per cent of Nigeria’s 35,000km federal highway network.

 

 

The 12 routes for concession under the pilot phase include Benin-Asaba, Abuja-Lokoja, Kano-Katsina, Onitsha-Owerri, Shagamu-Benin and Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga.

Others include Kano-Shuari and Potiskum-Damaturu, Lokoja-Benin, Enugu-Port Harcourt, Ilorin-Jebba, Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta, and Lagos-Badagry-Seme border.

Fashola said, “These 12 roads were carefully chosen to ensure that each of the six geopolitical zones are covered.

“The initial capital investments that we foresee is something in the order of N1.13tn and the employment potentials are an estimated 50,000+ direct jobs and 200,000+ indirect jobs.”

On the procurement portal, the minister said it was developed to ensure competitiveness and guarantee transparency, adding that it would serve as the interface with the public and manage the HDMI from procurement to implementation.

He explained that the portal would give access to relevant documents, news updates, videos, ensure the management of the public private partnership procurement process and the process of approvals and permits, among others.

“Therefore, to those writing letters of inquiry, making offers of interest on the HDMI, offering to provide services like tolling, weigh bridge, rest houses, etc, we are sorry we cannot respond to those letters in order to maintain the integrity of this process and to keep the playing field level,” Fashola stated.

He further noted that currently, the government was executing over 700 different contracts for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of over 13,000km of roads and bridges across all the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory.

He said the HDMI was an effort by government to mobilise private capacity, resources and entrepreneurship into the Nigerian highway sector.

Traditionalists Warns Kwara Govt, House of Rep over Hijab

The global head of Ifa priests, otherwise called the Araba Agbaye, Chief Owolabi Aworeni, on Tuesday cautioned the Kwara State Governor, Abdualrahman Abdulrazaq, against actions that might incite violence in the state.

 

 

Also, Aworeni urged the House of Representatives to halt a bill which sought to institutionalise the use of hijab in the country.

 

 

The issue of hijab has spurred heated reactions in Kwara State with Christian mission schools shut down in resistance against the move by the state government to enforce the use of hijab by Muslim students in the schools.

 

 

However, the Araba, represented by his deputy, the Araba Oluisese of Ibadan, Ifalere Odegbola, in an interview with journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday, said, “We are appealing to the Governor of Kwara State to caution against steps that are capable of turning Kwara State and the entire country into crises.

“Peace will reign supreme if religions generally are given pride of place. Let the Christian schools be, same for Muslim schools and schools for the traditional worshippers, without any religion lording it over the other.

“A traditional worshipper who decides to attend Christian school should imbibe the Christian practices and principles and ditto for a Christian child who chooses to attend a Muslim school. If he decides to attend the school, he has to abide by the practices.

“It is wrong for a child who belongs to another faith to want to force his way through. The governor should desist from acts that can incite violence or civil disorderliness. Academics should not continue to get interrupted as we have it at the moment.

“In the same vein, we are appealing to the National Assembly to drop the issue of use of hijab; we are warning that religious intolerance should not be allowed to polarise us as a people. Nigeria as a secular nation should be receptive to all religions and people should be free to practice their own faith without any interference.”

Heritage Bank joins in World Water Day with installation of borehole

Heritage Bank Plc has joined the rest of the globe to celebrate the World Water Day 2021 with plans to assist a community in dire need of clean water by installing a bore hole.

The theme for this year’s WWD 2021 is “Valuing Water,” which focuses on the importance of freshwater and presses for sustainable management of water resources. According to the United Nations, the day is aimed at raising awareness about 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water resources globally.

“The value of water is about much more than its price.” This day is celebrated keeping in line with Sustainable Development Goal number 6 which is aimed at achieving water and sanitation by all for 2030,” UN stated.

It further explained that global water demand is likely to rise by over 50 per cent by 2040.

To this effect, as part of efforts to implement the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) sustainable banking principle, Heritage Bank Plc has instituted a Corporate Social Responsibility’s (CSR) campaign project to assist a community in dire need of clean water by installing a bore hole.

This campaign project, according to the bank will be executed in two phases; the first involves nominations call for community that is in dire need of water will be put on its social platforms from 22nd March 2021, which will run for 30days.

The bank in a statement signed by the Divisional Head, Corporate Communications, Fela Ibidapo, disclosed that thorough research will be conducted on communities that put up for nominations and the most in need will be chosen.

In furtherance, the community leaders would be engaged, which will herald commencement of the project and handing over the borehole to the community.

Speaking on WWD 2021, the MD/CEO of the Bank, Ifie Sekibo said the adoption of the campaign project shows how Heritage Bank values water and making clean water accessible to the under-privilege, living in urban slums and rural areas.

According to him, to access safe water resources globally, higher value must be given to protecting the ecosystem in ensuring good quality water supply.

Sekibo, who further canvassed for the implementation of Sustainable Banking Principle, tasked stakeholders to continually promote the need for more productive value of water, which would bring about developmental impact to society, while protecting the communities and environment in which financial institutions and their clients operate.

Nigerian Made COVID-19 Vaccine Undergoing Clinical Trial – PT

The  Federal Government on Monday said Nigerian scientists have produced two local COVID – 19 vaccines and were awaiting clinical trials and certification.

The government also raised the alarm over reported racketeering of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines in some vaccination centres.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19, Boss Mustapha and Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said these during the press briefing Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 in Abuja.

The SGF said, “The disclosure that Nigerian Scientists have produced at least two local COVID – 19 vaccines which are awaiting clinical trials and certification is significant. I call on all relevant agencies to provide the required support and an enabling environment for smooth conduct of the remaining protocols for the certification of these vaccines with a view to encouraging and motivating other researchers.”

The PTF chairman recalled that one year ago on March 21 2020, a total lockdown was declared by the government in some parts of the country due to coronavirus pandemic that hit the nation.

He said, “In the past one year, the socio-economic impact on us cannot be underestimated. Many people lost their livelihood and many people lost loved ones.”

The SGF also said that on Sunday, Nigeria recorded the lowest number of cases so far this year.

He said, “We have also seen a decline in cases in the high burden countries around the African region. This does not call for us to lower our guards as the virus is still potent and virulent. This is the right time to adhere to the full compliance of the NPIs and be vaccinated.”

The SGF said on Sunday, March 21 2021, the PTF received 300,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from MTN Nigeria.

He commended the organisation and urged other partners to contribute towards the fight against COVID-19.

The PTF boss added that in the past few weeks there were discussions on the KLM and Emirates Airlines services in Nigeria.

He said, “Today, I will like to inform you that KLM has commenced full operations in and out of Nigeria since 15 March, 2021 while operations of the Emirates in and out of the country has been suspended with exemption of Cargo and Humanitarian flights.”

MoU: Institute for Advancement of Journalism Partners Nigeria Celebrity Journalist – Adeniyi Ifetayo Moses

IAJ has been equipping thousands of journalists across the continent of Africa! In a very recent development – IAJ is set again to increase its milage in the world’s most populous black country – NIGERIA.

 

Demonstrated through series of social media messages and pictures released by Adeniyi IFETAYO – the Publisher of Megastar Magazine; Senior Correspondent at BEN TV London, IAJ is consummating an ‘International Journalist Training Partnership and Professional Collaboration’ via an ‘MOU’ with Nigeria’s award-winning celebrity journalist – Adeniyi Ifetayo Moses.

 

Handing over the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the Project Coordinator – Dimakatso Mathe expressed deep belief that Africa is indeed set for another journalism boost through this fete with the 28year old institution – ‘IAJ’!

 

Recently at the institute’s headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa –
Niyi (as he’s fondly called by his numerous clients and admirers) was commissioned to promote the institution in Nigeria and coordinate the activities of other journalists, writers and communications experts who will like to sharpen their skills in journalism by exploring new strategies in Media, Publications and Journalism at the Institute for Advancement of Journalism in South Africa.

 

According to the 1st Secretary – Political of the South African Embassy Abuja – Boipelo Lefatshe, aside other undisclosed commitments of the collaboration – the bilateral relationship between the two biggest economies in Africa would definitely culminate into a unique professional integration of the two nations so soon. Through ‘SMS’ – Lefotshe said – ‘the MOU is a great news which will entrench deeper cooperation in the educational sectors of the two countries respectively. She also affirm that ‘both the beneficiaries and benefactors of this journalistic initiative would definitely be better for it very soon’

Petrol price now N212.61 per litre – PPPRA

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has revealed in a new monthly template that the price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, has reached N212.6 per litre.

 

 

According to the template which the PPPRA released on Thursday, petrol is expected to sell at a lower retail price of N209.61 and at an upper retail price of N212.61 which is usually followed by marketers.

The expected ex-depot price as seen in the template is N206.42, while the landing cost is N189.61.

The template, published on Thursday night, shows that the retail price of petrol will be between market band of N209.61 and N212.61. Nigerian marketers usually sell at the upper band.

 

 

With ex-depot price standing at N206.42 per litre, the March template shows that the landing cost for petrol per litre is N189.61.

This is despite the Nigerian Petroleum Corporation saying there won’t be any change in the price of PMS in the month of March.

 

 

The NNPC had promised that petrol price would remain static in March to allow smooth negotiations between the government and labour unions, but the PPPRA template follows the increasing price of crude at the international market as well as instability in exchange rate.

Details coming…

– Culled from Punch

Trader Duped of $36million in Turkey

A commodities trader was given painted stones instead of $36m (£26m) of copper from a Turkish supplier in a fraudulent deal last summer.

Geneva-based Mercuria Energy Group says it’s been the victim of cargo fraud following its purchase of 10,000 tons of copper blister.

When the cargoes started arriving in China, it found containers full of painted stones instead.

 

 

The bizarre case happened despite security and inspection controls.

Last year, Mercuria agreed to buy the copper blister, an impure form of the metal, for delivery to China. About 6,000 tonnes was loaded for shipment in more than 300 containers on eight vessels.

But before its journey from a port near Istanbul, the copper was switched with paving stones, spray-painted to resemble the semi-refined metal.

 

Mercuria, one of the five-biggest oil traders in the world, is seeking redress in Turkish and UK courts against the copper supplier Bietsan Bakir.

Turkish police have taken a number people into custody in relation to the fake copper scheme.

“Suspects have been taken under custody who are thought to be involved in the various parts of this organised crime against Mercuria,” the company said in a statement while thanking the Istanbul Financial Crimes Department.

 

 

It appears the copper was initially loaded into the first shipment of containers, before being surveyed by an inspection company. Seals used to prevent fraud were fixed to the containers.

But the containers were opened and the copper replaced with paving stones, Istanbul law firm KYB told media. The fraudsters switched between fake and real container seals to avoid detection.

 

 

Once the vessels were at sea, Mercuria paid $36m over five installments.

The fraud wasn’t discovered until the ships began arriving in the Chinese port of Lianyungang later that month.

“There has been a criminal investigation petition by the buyer against the seller and two intermediaries,” Turkish police said in a statement. “It’s been determined that the incident is the outcome of fraud perpetrated in an organised manner.”

 

 

In cases of non-delivery a trader could make a claim against a cargo’s insurance policy. But Mercuria found that just one out of seven contracts used by the Turkish company to insure the cargo was real. The rest had been forged.

Bietsan Bakir, the Turkish firm which sold Mercuria the copper, did not respond to requests for comment when contacted by Reuters. More hearings on the case are expected this week.

Cameroon repatriates 5,000 Nigerian

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has announced that 5,000 Nigerians refugees have been repatriated to the state from Cameroon.

According to a statement on Zulum’s Facebook page, the handing over took place on Monday and was led by Cameroon’s Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, and other officials of his country.

 

 

The returnees were part of thousands of Nigerians, mostly from Borno, who since 2014, fled in batches to Minawao camp located in Mokolo, far north region of Cameroon, to escape Boko Haram’s killings.

The statement said, “Cameroonian officials, led by Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji have repatriated and handed over first batch of 5,000 Nigerian refugees to Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum.

 

 

“The hand over took place on Monday, at a brief ceremony in Amchiide, a border community between Nigeria and Cameroon, close to Banki in Bama local government area of Borno central.

“The returnees were part of thousands of Nigerians, mostly from Borno, who since 2014, fled in batches to Minawao camp located in Mokolo, far north region of Cameroon, to escape Boko Haram’s killings. Many Nigerians in uncertain numbers, some accounts saying more than 60,000, fled to the camp from parts of Borno and Adamawa but over the years, the number came down following isolated returns.

 

 

“The handover ceremony was attended by top officials from Cameroon, including Governor of the Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakary and officials of United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR.

“Cameroonian Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji Paul announced that President Paul Biya had approved a big relief package which included food items, mattresses, blankets and other non-food items for distribution to all 5,000 returnees as support.

 

 

“The Minister commended Governor Zulum for constructing homes where the refugees were to be resettled.

“Governor Zulum had approved funds and supervised the ongoing construction of over 6,000 urban and low-cost resettlement houses sited in Banki, Gwoza, Kondugu, Kaga and different others, with a substantial number already completed. The majority of them are used for resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons.”

 

 

Zulum appreciated the donation made by the Cameroonian President and thanked him and other officials and host communities for taking good care of the Nigerian refugees in the last six years.

“I wish to sincerely convey our deepest appreciation to the government of Cameroon under the distinguished leadership of President Paul Biya, for the enormous support to my fellow Nigerians who took refuge in the Minawao [refugee] camp. We remain eternally grateful,” Zulum said.

“The repatriation was to implement the outcome of a tripartite commission meeting held in Marwa, Cameroon, February 10, 2021, which was attended by officials from Cameroon, the UNHCR and a Nigerian delegation that comprised Governor Zulum and top officials from federal ministries of foreign affairs, humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs as well as Zulum’s special adviser on monitoring and evaluation, who chairs a technical committee on the repatriation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe.”

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