Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

For millions of Nigerians, homeownership has long felt like an ambition deferred. Squeezed by rising property prices, persistent double-digit inflation and high commercial lending rates, the dream of owning a home has remained just that – a dream. But that narrative is quietly changing. Thanks to FirstBank. The N1 Trillion Intervention Reshaping Access In partnership with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF), FirstBank has unveiled a mortgage opportunity that could redefine access to housing finance in Nigeria. Backed by the Federal Government’s N1trillion mortgage fund, the initiative is designed to empower Nigerians with affordable, long-term credit…

Dangote refinery has brought down the prices of petrol and diesel by N100. In the latest pricing template from the refinery, issued on March 10, 2026, the price of petrol at the gantry has been reduced by ₦100, bringing it down to ₦1,075 per litre from the earlier price of ₦1,175 per litre. The refinery has further stated that the price of PMS for coastal supply will now be set at ₦1,050 per litre, which accounts for a minor adjustment due to maritime distribution expenses. In a similar manner, the cost of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) has been lowered to…

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of ₦5.17 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, as exports rose faster than imports, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its latest Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics report. The report showed that the country’s total merchandise trade stood at ₦36.02 trillion in the period under review, representing an increase of 6.19 per cent compared with ₦33.93 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2024. However, it declined slightly by 1.58 per cent compared with ₦36.60 trillion recorded in the previous quarter. Total exports were valued at…

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has assured the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the Service’s readiness to provide nationwide airlift and comprehensive security support ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Air Chief boss made the pronouncement on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. He said the Air Force has consistently played a critical role in ensuring the timely delivery of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials across Nigeria. According to him, while some of the NAF C-130 aircraft are currently undergoing scheduled maintenance abroad, the force…

Having few days to the regulatory deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for banks to comply with the revised capital requirements, Globus Bank Limited has successfully crossed the N200 billion minimum capital threshold required for commercial banks operating with national licences. Banking industry sources had reported that the apex bank has completed the verification of the lender’s recent capital raise and subsequently issued a No-Objection Letter confirming that the bank’s paid-up capital now exceeds the regulatory benchmark. A banking official with knowledge of the development said the regulatory confirmation followed a review of the funds raised by…

Nigeria’s national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) recorded N2.571 trillion in revenue in January 2026, representing a 46.7 per cent decline from the N4.82 trillion reported in the previous month, even as both oil and gas sales rose during the period. The figures, contained in the NNPC Monthly Report Summary for January 2026 released yesterday showed a sharp contraction in monthly earnings despite relatively stable crude oil production, increased hydrocarbon sales volumes and strong pipeline availability across key upstream infrastructure. The N2.571 trillion revenue recorded in January reflected a N2.249 trillion decline compared to the…

The International Air Transport Association has revealed that Africa recorded the most aviation accident in the world in 2025, according to its Annual Safety Report, underscoring persistent challenges in runway safety, turboprop operations, and timely accident investigations. Following a Monday report on their website, seven accidents occurred in Africa, down from 11 in 2024, resulting in an all-accident rate of 7.86 per million flights, below the five-year regional average of 9.37. However, the continent’s “fatality risk increased sharply from zero in 2024 to 2.19 per million flights,” largely driven by turboprop incidents. IATA noted that “71% of accidents involving African…

AFP photo credit: Osimhen Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has moved to the top of the Player of the Match leaderboard in the UEFA Champions League following a series of impressive performances for Galatasaray S.K. this season. According to a post obtained from UEFA’s X handle on Tuesday, the Super Eagles forward currently leads the standings with four Man of the Match awards, the most by any player in the competition so far. Photo: UEFA; Player of the match award leaderboard His latest recognition came after a standout display against Juventus F.C., where he scored a crucial goal to help Galatasaray…

Dangote Petroleum CEO says fuel prices in Nigeria may stay high despite full refinery output, citing global oil market volatility and rising costs.  David Bird, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, has said that fuel prices in Nigeria are unlikely to fall despite the refinery operating at full capacity, citing extreme volatility in global oil markets. Bird spoke at a media chat on Monday, emphasising that the refinery is fully exposed to international commodity markets. “We purchase, even under the Crude for Naira programme, Nigerian crude at international benchmark-related prices. We then pay international freight and…

Manny Ita  – The Federal Government of Nigeria has signed the official host country agreement for the Intra-African Trade Fair 2027, paving the way for Lagos to host one of the continent’s largest trade and investment gatherings. The event is projected to attract more than 100,000 participants, including business leaders, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs from across Africa and beyond. The host agreement formalizes Nigeria’s commitment to organize the large-scale trade fair, which aims to promote intra-African trade, strengthen economic partnerships and provide a platform for African businesses to showcase their products and services to a global audience. The fair is…