The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has failed to make the latest list of the world’s highest income-grossing oil companies, both nationally-run and privately-owned.
The latest list of the world’s highest income-grossing oil companies showed that although a number of the 10 highest-earning oil and gas companies in 2021 lost billions in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and trade war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, big deals and discoveries were still made, further aided by recovering oil prices from the last quarter of last year.
The list showed that Sinopec, also known as China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, earned $323 billion in revenues in 2020, according to a compilation by offshore-technology.com, one of the leading entities covering the global offshore oil and gas industry.

Nigeria’s external reserves have risen to their highest level in 25 months to $42 billion presently due to the inflow of the recent Eurobond issued by the federal government.
The Debt Management Office had explained that the Order Book peaked at $12.2 billion, which enabled the Federal Government of Nigeria to raise $1 billion more than the $3 billion it initially announced.
DMO says this exceptional performance has been described as one of the biggest financial trades to come out of Africa in 2021 and an excellent outcome.
The DMO says bids for the Eurobonds were received from investors in Europe and America, as well as Asia.

President Muhammadu Buhari says improving security, the economy and fighting corruption are still the core priorities of his administration, six years after the triad of promises first won him the presidential election.
He says that this administration will continue to do everything within the ambit of the law to eliminate all forms of violent crimes that are creating fear and anxiety among the citizenry.
He added that they have received new equipment in the fight against any form of insecurity from friendly countries.

136 members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and G-20 Nations at the weekend agreed to a 15 per cent corporate tax rate effective from 2023, though Nigeria withheld its assent.
The signatories officially entered into the agreement on Friday under the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base erosion and profit shifting, leaving Nigeria, Kenya, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The signatories in their says the agreed to ensure that the MNEs pay a fair share of tax wherever they operate and generate profits.
The statement said major reform of the international tax system would ensure that Multinational Enterprises would be subject to a minimum 15 per cent tax rate from 2023.

Nobel Prize award body says Tanzanian author Abdulrazak Gurnah has won the 2021 Nobel Prize in literature.
The prestigious prize was awarded by the Swedish Academy, which cited Gurnah’s uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents.
He has published 10 novels and a number of short stories. He is best known for his 1994 novel “Paradise”, set in colonial East Africa during World War I, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction.

The Biden administration has called for an imminent return to talks in Vienna to revive the Iran nuclear deal but said a resumption of the negotiations is hinging on the Iranians.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that Washington is willing to continue the talks as soon as Tehran agrees to re-engage in the negotiations, stressing that the path to diplomacy is still open.
Price says they have made very clear that they are prepared, willing and able to return to Vienna as soon as we have a partner to negotiate with.

The Indian government says it will re-open for tourists from October 15 after being closed for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The country famous for the Taj Mahal, desert palaces, tiger reserves, elephants and beaches had barred all foreign tourists in March 2020 in a strict lockdown when the pandemic took off.
The home ministry in a statement says Tourist visas will be granted for foreigners arriving on charter flights from October 15, and on other flights from November 15,
It stressed that all Covid-19 protocols should be adhered to by the foreign tourists, carriers bringing them into India and all other stakeholders at landing stations.

The Premier League says the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United has been approved,
The Premier League in a statement says following the completion of the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ Test, the club has been sold to the consortium with immediate effect.
The deal went ahead despite warnings from Amnesty International that it represents sports washing of the Gulf kingdom’s human rights record.
It brings to an end Newcastle’s 14 years of ownership under Mike Ashley.

South Africa, Kenya, Brazil and Mexico have been taken off England's Covid travel red list, meaning travellers from these countries no longer have to quarantine in an approved hotel at their cost for 10 full days.
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says the changes begin on Monday and mark the next step in opening travel.
All arrivals will still complete a passenger locator form.
The UK government sets Covid travel rules for England. Devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will announce any changes to their rules in due course.

President Mnangagwa says Zimbabweans should buy locally manufactured products given the significant growth of the manufacturing sector that has seen an increase in capacity utilisation and ease of doing business anchored by the National Development Strategy.
He says the economy has registered significant growth in agriculture, mining, finance and other sectors, resulting in an upward growth trajectory buoyed by a good agricultural season, firm international mineral commodity pieces and stable inflation and exchange rates and containment of the Covid-19 pandemic.
President Mnangagwa urged industrialists to broaden their research and development towards increasing the range and variety of 'Made in Zimbabwe' products.