Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has set up the presidential committee on climate action and green economic solutions.

The committee will be chaired by Tinubu, and its vice-chairman will be Environment Minister Balarabe Abbas.

Segun Imohiosen, the director of information in the secretary to the government of the federation’s office (AGF), stated in a statement on Sunday that Ajuri Ngelale was also named by the president as the special presidential envoy on climate action.

Ngelale serves as the president’s special media and publicity advisor.

The committee is expected to “coordinate and oversee all policies and programmes on climate action and green economic development”.

The statement added that the committee will also “identify, develop, and implement innovative non-oil & non-gas climate action initiatives”.

The committee will coordinate the activities of relevant federal government institutions towards the “attainment of all agreed climate action and green economic objectives and non-oil/non-gas ambitions”.

FULL LIST

(1)  President Bola Tinubu – Chairman

(2) Balarabe Abbas Lawal (Minister of Environment) – Vice-Chairman

(3) Ajuri Ngelale (Special Adviser) – Secretary/Special Presidential Envoy

(4) Lazarus Angbazo (CEO, InfraCorp) – Member

(5) Salisu Dahiru (CEO, NCCC) – Member

(6) Michael Ohiani (CEO, ICRC) – Member

(7) Aisha Rimi (CEO, NIPC) – Member

(8) Aminu Umar-Sadiq (CEO, NSIA) – Member

(9) Yusuf Maina-Bukar (CEO, NAGGW) – Member

(10) Abdullahi Mustapha (CEO, ECN) – Member

(11) Abba Abubakar Aliyu (CEO, REA) – Member

(12) Uzoma Nwagba (CEO, CrediCorp) – Member

(13) Khalil Halilu (CEO, NASENI) – Member

(14) Fatima Shinkafi (CEO, SMDF) – Member

(15) Bala Bello (Deputy Governor, CBN) – Member

(16) Lolade Abiola (UN SE4ALL) – Member

(17) Teni Majekodunmi (NCCC Adviser) – Member

(18) Representative, Federal Ministry of FCT – Member

(19) Representative, Federal Ministry of Finance – Member

(20) Representative, Federal Ministry of Power – Member

(21) Representative, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment – Member

(22) Representative, Federal Ministry of Water Resources – Member

(23) Representative, Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security – Member

(24) Representative, Federal Inland Revenue Service – Member

(25) Representative, Nigeria Customs Service – Member

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has been confirmed dead in a helicopter crash.

The helicopter, carrying the foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of East Azarbaijan province Malek Rahmati, and the leader of the Friday prayer in Tabriz, Hojjatoleslam Al Hashem, also crashed in the Varzaqan area on Sunday afternoon.

After searching the steep terrain all night long in the thick fog, search and rescue crews discovered the wreckage early on Monday. In 2021, Raisi, then sixty-three, was elected president a second time.

He was thought to be a possible replacement for Ayatollah Khamenei, the nation’s supreme leader, who has served in that capacity since 1989.

Raisi was appointed chief justice by Khamenei in 2019.

Raisi was also deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts — the 88-member clerical body responsible for electing the next supreme leader.

State media report that the Iranian government held an emergency meeting after the president and some members of the cabinet were confirmed dead on Monday.

Vice President Mohammad Mokhber led the emergency meeting.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has withdrawn the directive to banks and other financial institutions to charge cybersecurity levy on electronic transfers.

Recall that the apex bank, on May 6, directed all commercial, merchant, non-interest and payment service banks, mobile money operators and payment service providers to charge a 0.5 percent cybersecurity levy on electronic transfers.

As per the apex bank, the implementation of the Cybercrime (prohibition, prevention, etc.) Amendment Act of 2024 is the reason behind the deduction and collection of the cybersecurity levy.

According to CBN, the charges will be handled by the Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA) and sent to the National Cyber Security Fund.

However, CBN halted the move to charge the cybersecurity levy in a circular titled ‘Re: Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) (Amendment) Act 2024 – Implementation Guidance on the Collection and Remittance of the National Cybersecurity Levy,’ and dated May 17.

The circular made public on May 19 was signed by Chibuzo Efobi, director, payments system management department, and Haruna Mustafa, director, financial policy and regulation department.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria circular dated May 6, 2024 (Ref:PSMD/DIR/PUB/LAB/017/004) on the above subject refers,” CBN said.

“Further to this, please be advised that the above referenced circular is hereby withdrawn.

“Please be guided accordingly.”

CBN withdrew the directive after President Bola Tinubu suspended the cybersecurity levy on May 14.

Tinubu directed the apex bank to suspend the implementation and review the modalities for its implementation.

Criticism had trailed the levy, with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) condemning the directive and describing it as “another burden on the shoulders of hardworking Nigerians”.

Joe Ajaero, the president of NLC, on May 7, said such deductions directly affect the disposable income of workers and further diminish the purchasing power of the common citizen.

Ajaero said domestic manufacturers and other businesses were already suffering as a result of the stifling socio-economic environment.