Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – Starlink has announced plans to launch a new generation of satellites capable of delivering full cellular connectivity, including 5G services, directly to smartphones without the need for traditional ground-based infrastructure. The satellite internet company, operated by SpaceX and founded by Elon Musk, said its upcoming Starlink Mobile V2 satellites are designed to power what it described as the highest-performing satellite-to-mobile network developed so far. According to the company, the system will allow smartphones to connect seamlessly to mobile networks from virtually any location, complementing terrestrial telecom infrastructure and helping to expand connectivity in underserved regions, including rural…

Manny Ita  – Suspected terrorists linked to Islamic State West Africa Province have attacked two Nigerian military bases in Borno State, reportedly killing a commanding officer and several soldiers. Security sources said the attacks targeted military formations in Goniri and Kukawa and were launched overnight on Monday. The exact number of casualties had not been independently verified as of the time of filing this report. According to the sources, the insurgents also destroyed several military operational vehicles during the assault. However, troops were said to have killed a number of the attackers during the clash at the Kukawa base. A…

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved the appointment of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anthony Placid, as the new Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force. Placid replaces the outgoing Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin. This was made public in a statement issued on Sunday by Hundeyin, who signed as the outgoing spokesperson at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. According to the statement, Placid is a seasoned police officer with extensive experience in administration, operations, intelligence, training and international peacekeeping. Born on December 2, 1970, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, he hails from Mbiokporo Nsit in…

Zacch Adelabu Adedeji. In a country like Nigeria where paying taxes is often viewed with suspicion, where government agencies are frequently seen as bureaucratic bottlenecks rather than service providers, one man is systematically dismantling decades of entrenched practicI deviating from the conventional norm. Dr Zacch Adelabu Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), formerly the Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS, is orchestrating what may be the most significant transformation in Nigeria’s fiscal history and he’s doing it by simply pampering taxpayers as customers rather than targets. Growing up in the quiet rural community of Iwo-Ate, Ogbomoso, in Oyo…

Manny Ita  – The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced that it has disbursed more than ₦206 billion in student loans to support tertiary education across the country, with over 1.1 million Nigerian students benefitting from the scheme since its rollout. The development marks one of the largest financial interventions in Nigeria’s education sector in recent years, as the government seeks to expand access to higher education and ease the financial burden on students and their families. According to officials of NELFUND, the loans were distributed to eligible students in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the federation.…

Manny Ita  – The Nigerian government has officially released a comprehensive list of emergency contact numbers for citizens residing in or traveling through the Middle East, as regional tensions continue to escalate. Issued through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the advisory aims to provide urgent consular support and safety guidance to Nigerians across several key nations, including Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and Iraq. The government has urged all affected citizens to register immediately with their nearest diplomatic mission and maintain regular communication to receive…

Manny Ita  – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a formal lawsuit against the Nigerian government at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, challenging the legality of mass phone-tapping regulations. The suit, registered as ECW/CCJ/APP/11/26, contests the “Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations, 2019,” which the organization contends creates a pervasive surveillance regime that threatens the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens to privacy and freedom of expression. In its filing, SERAP is seeking “a declaration that the failure of the government to withdraw the Interception of Communications Regulations is unlawful and a violation of Nigeria’s international…

Manny Ita  – FOR decades, Nigeria’s economic narrative has been defined by a fundamental structural irony: the paradox of a nation swimming in crude oil while perpetually starved of refined products. It was a cycle of dependency that drained the national treasury and stifled domestic manufacturing. However, as of March 2026, the tectonic plates of the Nigerian industrial landscape are shifting. With the Dangote Refinery fully operational and preparing for an anticipated listing on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) in mid-2026, the conversation has moved beyond mere fuel production. We are witnessing the birth of a sophisticated petrochemical ecosystem—a “Dangote Masterplan”—that…

Manny Ita  – French automobile manufacturers are actively pursuing strategic partnerships with prominent Nigerian conglomerates to facilitate a return to the domestic market, according to the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier. In an exclusive interview with Premium Times, the envoy detailed two primary collaborations intended to restore the presence of brands like Peugeot and Renault, which were once dominant in the Nigerian automotive landscape between the 1970s and 1990s. The first significant venture involves Dangote Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited (DPAN), a partnership between Dangote Industries Limited and the Stellantis Group. Operating a vehicle assembly plant in Kaduna State, the…

Manny Ita – In the glittering, high-octane world of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, the optics of success have rarely been more seductive. From the slick transition videos on TikTok to the curated luxury lifestyles displayed on Instagram, a new generation of Nigerians appears, at least on the surface, to have discovered a pathway to prosperity that bypasses the familiar constraints of a sluggish economy. Smartphones, ring lights and viral content now project an image of effortless wealth, suggesting that economic opportunity lies literally in the palm of one’s hand. Yet behind the choreography of viral dances and the glow of carefully…