Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Detty December, Nigeria’s Tourism Cash Cow Nigeria’s tourism sector has found an unlikely champion in “Detty December“, the month-long festive frenzy that has transformed Lagos into Africa’s premier end-of-year destination. What began as organic street slang has evolved into a structured economic phenomenon that generated ₦111.5 billion ($71.6 million) in December 2024 alone, positioning Lagos as a serious contender in global cultural tourism. The numbers tell a compelling story. Lagos welcomed approximately 1.2 million visitors during the 2024/25 season, a remarkable achievement for a nation that has historically struggled to capitalise on its tourism potential. Hotels contributed ₦54 billion from…

Immigration service opens temporary online channels for passport, visa complaints Nigeria Immigration Service logo The Nigeria Immigration Service has announced the activation of temporary complaint-response channels on social media following the takedown of its support accounts. In a Tuesday public service announcement shared on X, NIS said the new channels were created to ensure uninterrupted engagement with applicants experiencing difficulties with passport and visa processes. “Following the recent takedown of our support complaints accounts (NIS RESPONSE), which have complemented our official handles (@nigimmigration), the Nigeria Immigration Service has activated temporary backup complaint-response channels to ensure uninterrupted feedback while restoration efforts…

Nigeria, Saudi Arabia collaborate, sign MoU to enhance defence ties Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Matawalle and representative from Saudi Arabia, sign deal. Photo credit: ARISE news Both Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have entered into a new five-year defence collaboration which targeted the broadening of military cooperation between the two countries. ARISE News on Tuesday reported that the pact was announced in a statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of State for Defence, Ahmed Dan Wudil. The statement said the agreement “will cover strategic collaboration across security, military training, intelligence sharing, defence production, and…

Messi gets MLS MVP award for second time consecutively, making history Lionel Messi holding the MLS MVP Award… Credit: @FabrizioRomano | X Lionel Messi, Argentine superstar, has been announced the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season, becoming the first player in league history to claim the award in back-to-back seasons. League commissioner Don Garber made this declaration on Tuesday. The declaration caps a remarkable year for the Inter Miami CF forward, who led his team to their first MLS Cup victory while delivering extraordinary individual performances. Messi scored 29 goals and provided 19 assists in…

Zulum Pledges N500,000 To Borno Refugees In Cameroon On Condition File photo: Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum. Zulum assures of his commitment to restoring the dignity of victims. Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has assured residents displaced by the Boko Haram crisis who have fled to Cameroon that the government is ready to provide each of them with N500,000 if they are willing to return home. The governor gave the assurance while addressing refugees at the Minawao camp in Cameroon’s Far North region on Monday. Zulum assured the refugees that adequate security arrangements had been put in place in…

Dangote Granite Mines Awards Bursaries To Students Of Host Communities In Ijebu Igbo, Ogun. L-R: Dangote Granite Mines Ltd, General Manager, Community Relations, Pastor Joseph Alabi; High Chief Ademola Ogunyale, a representative of His Royal Highness, Oba Dr. Mufutau Adesesan Yusuf, the Sopinlukale of Oke Sopin, Ijebu- Igbo and Baale of Idiomo, Chief Sikiru Karimu at the Dangote Granite Mines Ijebu-Igbo Annual Bursary Awards at the Ijebu Igbo, Ogun state.  Dangote was lauded for his unwavering commitment to the students. In a significant boost to educational development of its host communities, Dangote Granite Mines, a subsidiary of Dangote Industries Limited…

NNPC E&P achieves 355,000bpd, records highest output in 36 years The Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s upstream subsidiary, NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, has recorded its highest daily crude oil production in more than three decades, hitting 355,000 barrels per day on December 1, 2025. The milestone, confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by NNPC Limited’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, marks the company’s biggest output since 1989 and signals renewed momentum in Nigeria’s upstream recovery efforts. According to the statement, NNPC E&P Limited’s average daily output has increased by 52 per cent in two years, rising from 203,000…

LAGOS PRESENTS NEW DIASPORA HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS L-R: Coordinator Regulations, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Mr. Tosin Awosika; Head Business Development, LASHMA, Mr. Rotimi Olatunji; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Olarenwaju Bajulaiye; Permanent Secretary, LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Diaspora and Foreign Relations, Jermaine Sanwo-Olu and Head, Finance, LASHMA, Mrs. Aramide Ojo during the Official Launch of Ilera-Eko Diaspora Health Insurance Plans – Home Konnect and Waka-Well Plans at LASHMA’s Headquaters in Alausa-Ikeja today… …Waka-Well and Home Konnect packages now available for diasporans and visitors. The Lagos State…

Hustle and Bustle Returns to Cotonou After Coup Attempt Failed Traffic in the Benin capital of Cotonou resumed on Monday following an attempted coup that shook the country a day earlier. Life activities have since returned to Cotonou according to the information from one of our reliable sources who visited Benin’s administrative center (Cotonou) on Monday. The soldiers calling themselves the Committee for Refoundation stormed the national television station Sunday and announced the removal of President Patrice Talon, dissolution of the government and suspension of all state institutions. By Sunday afternoon, the coup was foiled by Benin’s military, supported by…

Guinea-Bissau Military Forms National Transitional Council One Week After Coup In one week of seizing power, Guinea-Bissau’s military says it has established a National Transitional Council. The Council’s duty will be to prepare the instruments of transition and oversee transitional governing bodies and their activities. The resolution, published on Thursday, didn’t specify how council members will be selected. The military coup came three days after a closely contested presidential election which the two main contenders both claim to have won. The army said it would also draft a Transitional Charter to restore constitutional legality in the country. The Charter dissolves…