Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has officially dissociated itself from a planned demonstration at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja today, Tuesday, January 20, 2026. In a sternly worded statement released by the National Working Committee (NWC), the party labeled the organizers of the protest as “impostors” and “political merchants” who are no longer recognized members of the organization. ​The controversy stems from a call by a splinter group for a mass march against INEC’s current leadership over the alleged refusal to update the party’s national officer database. However, the mainstream leadership…

Lagos budget 2026, ₦4.4tn signed into law by Sanwo-Olu File photo: Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.  Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday signed the ₦4.4 trillion 2026 budget into law. The signing ceremony took place at the Conference Room, Lagos House, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja. The Lagos State House of Assembly had earlier passed the budget, tagged “Budget of Shared Prosperity,” in January. The lawmakers approved a bill authorising the issuance and appropriation of ₦4,444,509,776,438 for the 2026 fiscal year. Present at the ceremony were the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; members of the State Executive Council; the Head of…

Makoko demolition: We’re after safety of lives, properties; declares palliatives support File photo: Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has defended the demolition of structures in Makoko. The waterfront community has faced recent demolitions since December 2025, an action the government said was necessary to remove structures on power-line setbacks. Speaking on Monday after signing the N4.4tn 2026 appropriation bill into law, the governor said the Makoko demolition was carried out to avert tragedy. The governor said, “The safety of lives and property is paramount and must be safeguarded. I just explained to you that…

Manny Ita In a major move to solidify Nigeria’s position as a global energy powerhouse, the Dangote Group has officially signed a contract valued at over $350 million with India’s state-owned Engineers India Limited (EIL). The agreement, announced today, January 19, 2026, marks the commencement of the “Train 2” expansion phase for the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in the Lekki Free Zone. ​Under the terms of the deal, EIL will serve as the Project Management Consultant (PMC) and the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM) consultant. This replicates the successful partnership during the first phase of the refinery, which…

Manny Ita Reality television star and entrepreneur Mercy Eke has sparked widespread conversation across the Nigerian media landscape today, January 19, 2026, after detailing the strategic choices that have sustained her celebrity status seven years after her initial rise to fame. In a comprehensive interview with media personality Odira Ndubuaku, the Big Brother Naija Season 4 winner dismissed the idea that her longevity was a product of luck, instead attributing it to a calculated work ethic and a “business-first” philosophy that prioritizes financial gain over social politics. ​Addressing her critics and fans alike, Eke emphasized that her background as a…

Manny Ita Nigeria’s food scene is undergoing a notable transformation in 2026, with traditional street foods such as akara, bole and suya increasingly finding their way onto high-end restaurant menus. Once associated primarily with roadside stalls and informal dining, these staples are now being reimagined through refined presentation, improved hygiene standards and premium sourcing, reflecting a broader shift in how local cuisine is consumed and commercialised. Across major cities including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, restaurants and contemporary food hubs are introducing what they describe as “elevated suya platters,” featuring carefully selected cuts of meat, house-made spice blends and curated…

By Manny Ita Recent social media scrutiny of the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), following the circulation of videos showing a lavish lifestyle that included private jet travel, has reignited a familiar national debate about public office ethics in Nigeria. While no court has established wrongdoing, the episode underscores a deeper and more persistent problem: a widening gap between public power and public responsibility, and a culture of weak accountability that has turned the nation’s collective resources into what many citizens describe as a “national cake.” At the heart of the controversy is not merely the optics of…

Manny Ita The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its economic growth forecast for Nigeria in 2026 to 4.4 per cent, citing improving macroeconomic conditions and the impact of ongoing reforms, a move that reflects growing confidence in the country’s medium-term prospects. The revised projection, published in the IMF’s January 2026 World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update, marks an upward revision from the 4.2 per cent forecast issued in October 2025, and positions the economy on a steadier expansion path amid broader regional recovery trends. In its outlook, the IMF said Nigeria’s improved forecast is consistent with gradual but widespread economic…

Manny Ita Fine art is increasingly being repositioned as an alternative asset class, as financial institutions and investors move to integrate cultural assets into formal investment and financing frameworks. Once viewed largely as a store of cultural value, art is now being assessed alongside real estate, commodities and other non-traditional assets for its potential to diversify portfolios and preserve long-term value. Industry analysts note that art’s relatively low correlation with public markets has made it attractive to high-net-worth individuals, family offices and institutional investors seeking hedges against volatility. This shift has accelerated the development of structured art finance products, including…