Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita The $5.1 billion Health Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Nigeria and the United States in late December 2025 has emerged as a major flashpoint for political and social debate this January, as opposition parties and civil society groups raise concerns over its conditions and the manner in which it was presented to the Nigerian public. The Federal Government has described the agreement as a landmark investment that will strengthen Nigeria’s health system over a five-year period from 2026 to 2030. The MoU is anchored on the United States’ “America First Global Health Strategy” and outlines a co-investment…

US announces priority visa for 2026 World Cup ticket holders File: An illustrative file photo of a visa The United States on Tuesday, said it opened a priority visa appointment system for holders of tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, allowing fans to seek earlier appointments ahead of the tournament. The scheme will enable ticket holders to access prioritised visa slots before the competition begins on June 11, the BBC has reported. The World Cup will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The US will host 78 of the 104 matches…

Manny Ita The Federal Government has pledged to collaborate with the Niger State Government to upgrade the historic Bida Bariki Festival (also known as Hawan Bariki) into a national cultural event with international recognition. The partnership was solidified on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, during a meeting in Abuja between the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, and a high-level delegation from Niger State led by Hon. Sa’idu Musa Abdullahi, representing the Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency. ​The proposal aims to reposition Bida—already recognized as Nigeria’s first UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts—as the…

Manny Ita The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) has officially unveiled plans to host the nation’s first-ever Conference on Cultural Diplomacy, scheduled for January 27 to January 28, 2026. Under the theme “Building Nations Through Cultural Diplomacy,” the landmark summit is designed to transition Nigeria’s vast creative and traditional heritage from mere aesthetic value into a strategic instrument for conflict prevention and international relations. Convener Zainab Mohammed noted that the initiative is a direct response to the “growing recognition of culture as an underutilized instrument for development,” emphasizing that the country’s soft power—ranging from its globally dominant music and…

Manny Ita The prosecution of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, reached a critical juncture today, Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama. During the proceedings, the third prosecution witness, Richard Agulu, provided a detailed account of how over ₦1.6 billion was allegedly disbursed in cash under Emefiele’s direct instructions. Agulu, a former employee of Zenith Bank currently serving with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), told Justice Yusuf Halilu that these transactions were facilitated through Emefiele’s personal assistant, Eric Ocheme, who acted as a primary liaison. The witness testified, “Mr.…

Manny Ita The Nigerian creative and digital landscape reached a historic fever pitch today, Wednesday, January 21, 2026, as celebrity chef Hilda Baci officially became a three-time Guinness World Record (GWR) holder. The confirmation arrived via an official correspondence from the GWR creative team, informing Baci that her monumental jollof rice cookout in September 2025 had simultaneously broken the record for the “World’s Largest Serving of Rice.” The dish, which weighed a staggering 8,780 kilograms (19,356 lbs), was prepared at Victoria Island in partnership with Gino Nigeria. While Baci had already been celebrated for the “Largest Serving of Nigerian-style Jollof…

Malami dismisses Terror Financing, rebuffs alarm over Media trial Malami in the midst … denies allegations linking him to terrorism or terror financing. The office of former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has dismissed as false reports alleging that arms, ammunition or terror-financing links were uncovered in connection with Malami, warning the media to stop what it described as a “trial by headlines.” In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, Malami’s office said no cache of weapons was found in any residence linked to him, describing such claims as “unsubstantiated…

Digital payment fraud reduces, N52.26bn to N25.85bn in 2025 — NIBSS File photo: NIBSS logo This decline was about 34 per cent in the last quarter of 2025. The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System has said that digital payment fraud declined by 51 per cent in Nigeria to N25.85 billion in 2025 from a high of N52.26 billion in the previous year. This was disclosed by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIBSS, Premier Oiwoh, on Wednesday at the 2026 Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum Technical Kickoff Session held in Lagos. At the event, held under the theme ‘Shrinking Fraud Losses With…

Manny Ita Nigeria is set to play a leading role in a month-long international cultural festival in Ontario, with organisers confirming that the country will anchor both the fashion and world music segments of the programme. The festival has been structured into dedicated thematic weeks, positioning Nigerian creatives at the centre of key global showcases. The event will officially open on June 1 with the “Journey Through Africa” immersive cultural experience, alongside the premiere of the AFROVISION X Anthem, marking the formal start of activities and setting the tone for a continent-wide creative celebration. Fashion activities will run from June…

Applications for 2026 PTDF-funded overseas scholarship open 2026 PTDF-funded Applicants must verify their National Identity Number (NIN) to apply. The Federal Government has opened applications for the 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Overseas Scholarship Scheme. The announcement in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, said the programme offers Nigerian postgraduate students the opportunity to study abroad. According to the post, successful applicants will pursue studies in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Malaysia under the fully funded scholarship scheme. “FG has announced the commencement…