Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – The French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, has expressed admiration for Nigeria’s cultural diversity, describing it as a reflection of the country’s rich heritage and traditions. In an exclusive interview, Mr Fonbaustier said he is particularly drawn to Nigeria’s mix of cultures, artistic expressions, traditional attire and the hospitality of its people. The envoy recounted his visit to the Kaduna Museum, where he said he was impressed by the artworks displayed at the facility. “I visited the Kaduna Museum. I love the pieces of art that I saw. Some of them, for me, are really one of…

NSDC logo The National Sugar Development Council and the Bank of Industry have established the Sugar Project Acceleration Fund as part of efforts to support the emergence and advancement of greenfield projects across the country. The N10bn fund was introduced to provide financing and project development support to viable greenfield projects, with the aim of accelerating the development of a sustainable and competitive sugar industry in Nigeria. A statement from the NSDC on Sunday stated that the council hosted an interactive session during which NSDC and BOI educated greenfield promoters who are potential beneficiaries of the fund. Speaking at the…

Signature Bank Limited has raised its capital base to ₦52 billion, exceeding the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) prescribed minimum capital requirement of ₦50 billion for regional commercial banks. The increase followed the successful completion of a rights issue, positioning the Bank in full alignment with the regulatory expectations under the ongoing banking sector recapitalisation exercise. The rights issue formed part of the Bank’s broader strategy to strengthen capital adequacy, reinforce financial resilience, and support its long-term growth ambitions across its regional banking operations. By reinforcing its balance sheet through shareholder participation, Signature Bank enhanced its capacity to finance enterprises,…

NLC President Joe Ajaero. Photo: File … says these moves are all very questionable. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has alleged a plan by some officials operating a cabal within the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to spend nearly N20 billion for grid expansion. The NLC alleged that the plan to spend nearly N20 billion from TCN coffers under the guise of “emergency refurbishment” looked more like a contrivance to fleece a company that was already saddled with fiscal challenges. In a letter to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajearo, the Congress…

Sterling Bank Sterling Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) to accelerate access to affordable housing finance and deepen homeownership opportunities across Nigeria. Vice President of Consumer Banking at Sterling Bank, David Adebayo, signed on behalf of the bank at a ceremony held at the bank’s headquarters in Lagos, while Executive Director of ARM Investment Managers, Mounir Bouba, signed on behalf of ARM, the fund manager of MREIF. Under the partnership, eligible Nigerians will be able to access mortgage loans at a fixed interest rate of approximately 9.75…

Elegbede Abiodun Airtel Africa Foundation has inducted the first Nigerian cohort of the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship that offers fully paid scholarships for students pursuing undergraduate courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics across the continent. During a ceremony held at Airtel Nigeria headquarters in Lagos, Airtel Africa Foundation’s Chairman, Dr Segun Ogunsanya, alongside Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, presented the full-ride scholarship awards to 70 students from universities across Nigeria. The undergraduates studying technology courses, were drawn from the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, the University of Benin, Tai Solarin University of Education, the University of Ilorin, Ahmadu…

• Says all these efforts, on the budge, helped improve broadband penetration and key network quality indicators. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has defended its proposed ₦472 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year before the joint communications committees of the Senate of Nigeria and the House of Representatives of Nigeria in Abuja, outlining its spending plans, revenue projections, and key priorities for the telecommunications sector. Leading the presentation was the Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Aminu Maida, who explained that the proposed budget aligns with the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and covers recurrent expenditure, capital…

Speakers at the incoming UBA event This will feature women who have succeeded in various sectors thereby building resilient careers and redefining success in the modern workplace. United Bank for Africa, UBA, is set to host a special edition of its quarterly Business Series aimed at celebrating and empowering Africa’s evolving generation of female leaders as part of activities marking Women’s Month. The event, themed “Gen W – The Evolved Woman,” will hold on March 12, 2026, at UBA House in Lagos and will feature prominent female entrepreneurs and professionals who will share insights on leadership, innovation and personal growth…

Manny Ita  – Trading on the Nigerian Exchange Limited ended the first week of March on a positive note, with the market recording a steady advance driven largely by strong gains in oil and gas stocks. Data from the exchange shows that the All-Share Index rose by 4,141.37 points during the week ended March 6, closing at 196,968.15 points. The increase represents a 2.15 per cent gain compared with the previous week, despite a slowdown in overall trading activity. Market capitalization moved in tandem with the upward price movement, rising by 2.16 per cent to N126.4 trillion. However, trading volume…

Manny Ita  – Members of the Iran women’s national football team have reportedly been placed under house arrest after refusing to sing the national anthem associated with the ruling government, according to claims made by a commentator during a broadcast discussion. The allegations were highlighted by James Macpherson, a host on Sky News Australia, who said the players were facing restrictions after their protest during a football event drew criticism from state media figures in Iran. Speaking during a televised segment, Macpherson said the team’s decision not to sing the anthem had been interpreted by pro-government commentators as an act…