Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – Lebanon’s government on Monday banned the military and security activities of Hezbollah, marking an unprecedented move against the Iran-backed group as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs and multiple towns across the country. The decision came hours after Hezbollah announced it had launched rockets and drones toward Israel early Monday in response to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli attacks. Israel responded with extensive bombardments, vowing to make the group pay a “heavy price”. At least 52 people were killed and 154 wounded in the strikes, according to the Lebanese government. The Israeli…

Manny Ita  – Young people from across the globe are converging on New York for international competitions that spotlight excellence in sports and entrepreneurship under the banner of “World Challenge” events. One of the flagship gatherings is the Youth World Challenge, an international football tournament designed to bring together youth teams from different countries in a competitive and culturally enriching environment. The competition features age categories including Under-10 and Under-12, with matches played in a seven-a-side format to encourage fast-paced and inclusive participation. Organisers describe the tournament as a “global youth football experience,” with participating teams guaranteed at least six…

The Nigerian private sector returned to growth in February, following a muted start to 2026. A renewed rise in new orders fed through to an accelerated increase in business activity. Employment, input buying and inventories were also up midway through the opening quarter of the year. Meanwhile, an improvement in the strength of the currency helped lead to an easing of inflationary pressures, with both purchase costs and output prices rising at the slowest rates in just over six years. The headline figure derived from the survey is the Stanbic IBTC Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI®). Muyiwa Oni, Head of Equity…

In a landmark move to sanitize public finance and plug revenue leakages, Governor Dauda Lawal has ordered the immediate and total abolition of cash collections for all government revenues across Zamfara State. The directive marks a significant shift toward a fully digitized financial architecture, aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the state’s fiscal operations. The Governor announced the ban during a high-level town hall meeting convened in Gusau by the Zamfara State Internal Revenue Service (ZSIRS). The gathering was primarily organized to sensitize key stakeholders on the implications and opportunities presented by the Nigeria Tax Reform Acts 2025, which…

Acting IG, Olatunji Disu. Photo: Nigerian Police | X The National Police Council has unanimously agreed on the appointment of Olatunji Disu as substantive Inspector-General of Police. The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed this to our correspondent after the council’s meeting at the State House, Abuja, which lasted about 40 minutes. “Yes, they have unanimously endorsed Disu as IGP,” Onanuga said Monday’s gathering began at about 2:15 pm when Tinubu arrived at the Council Chamber. The meeting is in compliance with the provisions of the Police Act 2020, which requires the Police…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has extended its Student Loan Application Portal following a surge in nationwide interest generated by its ongoing awareness campaign. The extension comes after a reminder last week that the portal was set to close on February 27, 2026. In response to strong feedback from students and stakeholders, NELFUND announced additional days to allow eligible students sufficient time to complete their applications. The extension was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Strategic Communications, NELFUND, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Monday. The statement read in part, “The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has approved an extension of…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has officially commenced the sale of application documents for the 2026 Direct Entry programme. In an announcement posted on its official X account, JAMB stated that the registration “commenced today, Monday, 2nd March 2026 and will end by Saturday, 25th April 2026.” The board emphasised that the entire process, including the purchase of e-PINs and application document sales, is restricted exclusively to its accredited state and zonal offices across the country. Direct Entry allows candidates with relevant qualifications, such as National Diploma, National Certificate in Education, Interim Joint Matriculation Board, A-level certificates, or other…

Nigeria reports that the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA) has conferred its prestigious Fellowship on the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, Kayode Lawal, alongside other distinguished leaders across Nigeria’s financial and corporate landscape, at an investiture ceremony held at the Muson Centre, Lagos. Also honoured at the ceremony was the Managing Director/CEO of Union Bank, Yetunde Oni, in recognition of her contributions to institutional governance and financial sector advancement. Similarly, Mrs. Olushola Momoh, Vice Chairman of Channels Television, was conferred with the Professional Fellowship in recognition of her leadership contributions and professional impact. In addition, the Founder…

Photo illustration Elegbede Abiodun HIV prevention drug expected in Nigeria by March. Nigeria is preparing to introduce a new, long-acting HIV prevention drug, with the first shipments expected to arrive later this month. In a statement released on Monday, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) said it is finalising plans for the rollout of Lenacapavir, also known as LEN, as part of the country’s pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme. The agency noted that supplies of the drug are due in March 2026. Lenacapavir is an injectable HIV prevention treatment administered just twice a year. Clinical trials have shown…

File photo: Oluremi Tinubu Elegbede Abiodun Finally completing a 19-year old project of past administrations. President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Sunday unveiled the newly completed National Assembly Chapel, fulfilling a vision first conceived almost two decades ago by Christian lawmakers. This was disclosed in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday by Akpabio’s media aide, Jackson Udom. The ceremony marks the culmination of a 19-year journey that began in the Sixth Assembly with the idea of a Christian Legislators Fellowship, which, according to the Senate President, operated for years…