Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Airtel Africa doubles profit to $586m in nine months Elegbede Abiodun Airtel Africa reported a nine-month profit of $586m, more than double the $248m recorded a year earlier, as mobile data and financial services demand surged across the continent, the telco said on Friday. The company, which operates in 14 African countries, said a $252m improvement in foreign-exchange and derivative results from a $153m loss to a $99m gain also boosted profits. According to the report, revenue rose to $4.67bn, representing a 24.6 per cent increase in constant currency and a 28.3 per cent rise in reported currency, as…

Monthly stipends for Imams, Pastors ~ Bauchi Council By Elegbede Abiodun … says payments will be made without discrimination. The Bauchi State Economic Council has approved the payment of monthly stipends to Imams and Pastors across the state. Governor Bala Mohammed presided over the council meeting which was held on Friday, with top officials from the finance and revenue sectors in attendance. Briefing journalists, the Head of Civil Service, Barri. Mohammed Sani Umar, said the approval covers Imams of Juma’at mosques and clerics of various Christian denominations, adding that the payments will be made without discrimination. He said the…

AGN honours Junior Pope with Nollywood City project By Elegbede Abiodun The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), under the leadership of outgoing President Emeka Rollas, has inaugurated a project to immortalise the late icon Junior Pope, who tragically passed away in April 2024 following a boat accident during a film shoot. In the announcement posted on Instagram, Rollas described the project as his “last legacy” before stepping down. The guild held the official groundbreaking ceremony for ‘Junior Pope Nollywood City’ in Ako Nike, Enugu State. This landmark development spans approximately 150 plots of land and is designed to honor…

Dangote Refinery Reaffirms Capacity To Supply PMS, Diesel, Jet Fuel Daily By Elegbede Abiodun Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reassured of its capacity to supply fuel volumes significantly more than Nigeria’s estimated domestic consumption. The refinery said it can supply 75 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily against an estimated national consumption of 50 million litres, alongside 25 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) compared with an estimated daily demand of 14 million litres. It also has the capacity to supply 20 million litres of aviation fuel daily, far above the estimated maximum domestic consumption of four…

Manny Ita ​Nigeria is set to host Uzbekistan in the World Group II play-offs of the 2026 Davis Cup on February 7–8 at the historic Lagos Lawn Tennis Club in Onikan. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) confirmed Nigeria’s hosting rights following the national team’s successful promotion from the African Group III tournament in Zimbabwe. Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) President, Victor Ochei, described the upcoming event as a major milestone, stating, “This hosting opportunity reflects Nigeria’s steady rise in international tennis following consistent performances in recent years.” He added that the choice of venue demonstrates the ITF’s confidence in the…

Manny Ita Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has threatened to forcefully access public facilities in Rivers State if his supporters are denied future use of state-owned venues. Speaking on Friday at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Agenda coordinators, Wike accused the state government of blocking his group’s request to use the Yakubu Gowon Stadium for a pro-Tinubu rally. “We applied to the state government for the use of the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. They refused us,” Wike stated. “Let me say this clearly: next time…

Manny Ita A major confrontation has emerged between the Federal Government and Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) over the financing and rollout of 3.4 million smart meters under the World Bank-funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP). The conflict intensified this week after the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, issued a stern directive that all meters under this initiative must be installed at no cost to the consumer. “It is an illegality. It is an offence for the officials of distribution companies across Nigeria to request a dime before installation,” Adelabu stated during an inspection in Lagos, further vowing to prosecute…

Manny Ita The Nigerian Senate has tentatively fixed Tuesday, March 17, 2026, for the final consideration and passage of the ₦58.47 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill. This timeline was established during a special session of the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Friday, following an appeal for an additional week of scrutiny beyond the leadership’s initial target of March 12. Committee Chairman Senator Solomon Adeola stated that the extension was necessary to ensure a thorough examination of the estimates, noting that “I know how tedious this job can be once we start.” Hard copies of the budget have already been distributed…

Manny Ita ​Wale Tinubu, the Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, called on Nigerians to end the habit of “condemning the country” and instead embrace a culture of building through setbacks. Speaking at the 56th Convocation Ceremony of the University of Lagos on Thursday, January 22, 2026, where he was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Business, Tinubu offered a candid reflection on his entrepreneurial journey and the necessity of national optimism. ​The business mogul described himself as a “professional failure,” revealing that approximately 90% of his business attempts did not succeed. He argued that these failures were essential…

Manny Ita The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared a total lockdown across Nigeria’s South-East region for Monday, February 2, 2026, in response to Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s decision to close and remodel the Onitsha Main Market. The escalating standoff began after Governor Soludo visited the market earlier this week and found it deserted due to the recurring Monday “sit-at-home” protests. Expressing frustration over the economic impact of the weekly shutdowns, Soludo asserted that the market has “literally died” as a result of years of poor planning and forced closures. He subsequently ordered the market sealed for a week,…