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Super Eagles Impressive in Narrow Defeat by World Cup-bound Portugal in Leiria

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The Super Eagles showed great form, confidence and praiseworthy fighting spirit despite losing 1-2 to FIFA World Cup-bound Portugal in an explosive friendly match in Leiria on Wednesday night.

Just before kick-off, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko and NFF Executive Committee member Sharif Rabiu Inuwa presented a special framed shirt to midfielder Alexander Iwobi to mark the occasion of his 100th appearance for the Super Eagles.

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest individuals to have played the game, led the Seleção das Quinas out onto the turf of the Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa, but the home team and crowd soon realized that the three-time African champions were not in any mood to simply turn up and be dazzled.

Ronaldo missed with only goalkeeper Maduka Okoye to beat in the 9th minute, but at the other end, Akor Adams also missed as he dragged his shot a little too wide to the left.

In the 23rd minute, Pedro Neto steered Portugal in front as he fired a grounder past Okoye from close range, after a pass by Diogo Dalot as das Quinas broke forward again.

Ten minutes later, Okoye spectacularly saved a fierce shot by Bruno Fernandes, and just a minute after, Ronaldo missed narrowly with a glancing header from Fernandes’ corner.

Nigeria kept probing. The fit-fight Akor contested an aerial ball close to the centre circle and tipped the ball away from two Portuguese defenders, ran to his left to await delivery by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and blasted past Diogo Costa for Nigeria’s leveller with 37 minutes gone.

In the second half, Okoye made a double save from João Félix, in the 48th and 49th minutes. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo also continued his search for a goal, but he failed to connect well from a cross in the 50th minute.

On the hour, Coach Éric Chelle made a number of changes, bringing in Abdullahi Bewene, Zaidu Sanusi, Terem Moffi, Raphael Onyedika and Frank Onyeka.

This appeared to rejuvenate Nigeria’s game, and they were once more pushing forward with elan, as Ronaldo exited in the 65th minute without the goal he wanted so much.

With 15 minutes left, Francisco Çonceicao got the winner for the das Quinas, firing home after cutting in from the right and with Okoye’s sight somewhat impaired.

Félix’s efforts to get on the scoresheet was again scuttled in the 84th minute by Okoye, who pushed away another fierce delivery by the forward.

The loss was only the second in regulation time for Coach Chelle after leading the Super Eagles in 25 matches over the past 15 months.

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2027: Atiku, Obi, others should back Tinubu, opposition dead – Abubakar, Fasola

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A former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Armayau Abubakar, has said that Nigeria should have no opposition at this point in time.

He called on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and the rest of the opposition political leaders in the country to support the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, APC, administration.

The Federal Character Commission Commissioner, who spoke in Abuja on Tuesday, said the opposition was disjointed, adding that the APC government had already gone far enough to be measured with the other political parties.

“My message to the opposition is that it is high time at this moment in time to join the winning party, the APC.

“Tinubu’s achievements are very glaring. What can the opposition say against Mr President? I believe there’s nothing. So it is up to them to join the moving trend, the canoe of Noah, so that we can together move and reach the promised land. 

“What I’m trying to tell you is that even the blind man knows that APC has taken over the country. We have almost all the governors together with us, members of the National Assembly all with us. 

“You know, we have members of the State Houses of Assembly. They are with us. These are people. These are major stakeholders, and these are parameters that will show you that APC is already blessed by the entire Nigerians, and therefore I don’t see any reason why Mr President will not come back for the second time. 

“Of course, what impact would the opposition make? It is very clear. Where are the parameters? Where would they start? We have already gone far, hundreds of miles away from them. APC is just like an ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and other oceans put together, and you are talking of River Benue for the opposition.”

Similarly, Dayo Fasola, a women advocate in the APC and National Women Leader of the Renewed Hope People Advocacy, maintained that there is no opposition to Tinubu.

She claimed the work and campaign on returning President Tinubu to office had been made very easy due to the lack of opposition in the country.

“Sincerely, I feel this game is not going to be fair because the opposition is more or less non-existent. They are not giving us a good run for the money. 

“They are not coordinated. The coordination is non-existent, and it’s a pity. But then, when God wants to complete your mission, He makes it easy. There’s zero opposition,” she stated.

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31 firms win 37 oil, gas blocks in Nigeria’s 2025 Licensing Round

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Thirty-one companies have emerged winners of 37 oil and gas blocks in Nigeria’s 2025 Licensing Round following the conclusion of the commercial bid conference held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The bidding process, held at the Transcorp Event Centre, attracted 143 companies, which submitted about 200 bids for 37 of the 50 oil and gas blocks offered by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The blocks span multiple terrains, including the Niger Delta onshore, shallow water and deep offshore areas, as well as the Benin, Anambra and Chad basins and the Benue Trough.

While 37 blocks received bids, the remaining 13 attracted no offers.

The NUPRC described the outcome as significant, noting that it is the first time Nigeria’s frontier basins—including the Benue Trough, Chad Basin, Anambra Basin and Benin Basin—have attracted such strong investor interest.

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Among the successful bidders are SSonic Petroleum Limited, CFP Pipeline and Flowlines, Dutchford E&P Limited, Attabanson Global Company Limited, Rosem Energy Limited, Pivot-GIS Limited, Network E&P, Asharami, LexOil, BVOF, Gupsco Energy Limited, Saratoga, Volante, Concept-Reel Petroleum Services Limited, Clinton Oil Field, Nuway Oaklane Limited, Ramec, Italia, Blueridge E&P, Up Energies Limited, AYM Shafa, Blackrock Holdings Limited, Funtay Integrated Business Limited, Riparian Development and Production Limited, Nikstallis, Stardeep Petroleum, Dakoda & U Limited, Southborne Oil and Gas Limited, Lanaka Petroleum, Highban Resources Limited and Eyre Energy Limited.

READ ALSO: PHOTO STORY: Firms begin commercial bidding for Nigeria’s deep offshore, shallow water oil assets

The commission said the companies will receive final awards only after paying the required signature bonuses and obtaining the approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

Speaking after the exercise, the NUPRC Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, thanked President Bola Tinubu for supporting the successful conduct of the licensing round.

She congratulated the successful bidders and urged them to promptly pay their signature bonuses and develop the awarded assets, warning that undeveloped assets could be withdrawn under the commission’s “drill or drop” policy.

The commercial bid conference was monitored by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and other stakeholders to ensure transparency and compliance with applicable laws.


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