By Ganiyu Mubarak
Copyright theeagleonline
Record winner of the Zenith Bank/NBBF Women Basketball League, First Bank, on Tuesday overcame early scare from Bayelsa Blue Whales in their first game of this season’s finals currently ongoing at the Indoor Sports hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Bayelsa started by taking up points off their illustrious opponent in the early minutes of the first quarter before the bankers showed their superiority as they finished the quarter 11-10.
They then went ahead to extend their lead in the second quarter to four points as the first half ended 24-20 points in their favour.
It was all First Bank from that moment after winning the third and fourth quarters with 17-7 and 12-9 points respectively to end the game with 53-36 points.
In the first game of the evening, it was a big heartbreak for Air Warriors as they lost with just two points against Royal Aces.
Despite taking seven points lead towards the end of the game, Royal Aces allowed their opponents gain momentum with the points evaporated with the game tied 52-52 with just a minute to go.
With the crowd inside the hall expecting extra time, Royal Aces came up with the winning basket to secure the victory 54-52 points.
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Meanwhile, there was good news for the eight teams participating in this year’s finals after the sponsor of the league, Zenith Bank PLC, announced a total sum of N15.5 million up for grabs for all the participating teams.
The champions will pocket N7.5 million, while the runners up go home with N5 million as the third place team will receive N3 million for its efforts.
Also, all the Atlantic and Savannah Conference winners are going to receive N1 money prize money while also individual award winners like the Most Valuable Player (MVP) will go home with N500,000 each.
Our CNG drivers have life Insurance, housing loans, earn three times the minimum wage — Dangote refinery
Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, on Monday revealed that his resolve to take thousands of Nigerians off the unemployment market remains intact, noting that his companies will continue to employ Nigerians and contribute to further reducing the country’s unemployment rate.
Speaking to the media in his Refinery complex on Monday, Dangote said his company respects trade unions, but that membership is a personal choice for each driver.
“We are not trying to take anybody out of the market. These trucks that we launched didn’t stop anybody from their work…You are saying there will be a loss of jobs, will our own tankers be driven by robots?… We have not displaced any jobs; we are creating many more…Our employees earn salaries three times the minimum wage. Our drivers receive a living wage, life insurance, health insurance covering themselves, their spouses, and up to four children, as well as a lifelong pension. We are not only employing drivers but also mechanics, fleet managers, and other professionals to support the CNG fleet.”
He further revealed that the company’s CNG truck drivers can apply for and get a housing loan after five years of working and not being involved in any accident, and that it is optional for them to join the Union.
Acknowledging the numerous challenges the refinery has faced since its inception, Dangote emphasised the company’s unwavering commitment to Nigeria and Africa.
“The journey has been challenging because we sought to transform the downstream sector in Nigeria. Some believed we were taking food from their tables, which simply isn’t true. What we have done is to make our country and continent proud. Previously, only two African countries were not importing petrol, but regrettably, they have since resumed imports. This is detrimental to Africa,” he added.
Reflecting on the challenges faced during the refinery’s development, Dangote disclosed that the project involved enormous risk. He received repeated warnings from industry experts, investors, local and foreign government officials, who argued that only sovereign nations undertake such large-scale refinery ventures. He admitted that had the project failed, he would have lost all his assets to lenders.
“The decision to build the refinery was not easy. If it had gone wrong, lenders would have taken our assets. But we believed in Nigeria and Africa,” he said.
Despite opposition and economic headwinds, the refinery has successfully reduced the price of petrol from nearly N1,100 before production began to N841 in the Southwest, Abuja, Delta, Rivers, Edo, and Kwara. With the gradual rollout of CNG-powered trucks, Dangote anticipates that this price reduction will soon be felt nationwide.
He noted that the refinery has sufficient capacity to meet Nigeria’s domestic demand while also generating foreign exchange through exports. He revealed that between June and the first week of September 2025, the facility had exported over 1.1 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), underscoring its capacity to meet domestic demand and contribute significantly to foreign exchange earnings.
He reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s industrialisation, describing it as essential for the continent’s development. Dangote emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to protect its local industries and discourage the dumping of cheap foreign goods, citing the collapse of the once-thriving textile sector as a cautionary example.
He noted that Nigeria’s path to sustainable economic growth lies in industrialisation, which not only boosts local productivity but also supports a circular economy.
“Other nations were not industrialised by outsiders. We must build and industrialise our own economies. Without this, how can others invest? That is why I believe the National Assembly should enact legislation to support the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy. My goal is to see Africa prosper, as we have the fastest-growing population in the world. Relying on imports means exporting jobs and importing poverty. Many individuals with greater financial resources than myself want to invest, but the challenges we face discourage them. Numerous sectors are still in urgent need of industrialisation,” he said
He reiterated that with the introduction of CNG trucks, the refinery can deliver products to consumers anywhere in Nigeria, mitigating all associated risks.
Dangote reiterated that the refinery remains open to partnerships and collaborations with other stakeholders in the downstream sector, stressing that the industry stands to gain more through collective effort and cooperation.
