Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Elegbede Abiodun South Africa’s World Cup dreams hit the rock abruptly with Eustáquio’s goal while Canada advances to face the future. Canada booked their place in the World Cup last 16 in dramatic fashion after a stoppage-time winner from Stephen Eustáquio secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Africa. With the match seemingly destined for extra time, Eustáquio struck in the second minute of added time to break South African hearts and send the co-hosts into the Round of 16, sparking jubilant celebrations among the home supporters. Both sides produced an evenly contested first half, with South Africa’s disciplined defence…

FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has reassured of its commitment to strengthening small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) as a critical driver of economic growth, resilience and long-term competitiveness, as part of efforts to support sustainable business expansion across the country. The bank reiterated this commitment during its June webinar for small and micro enterprises, designed to equip business owners with practical insights and strategies for sustainable growth. Speaking at the webinar, the managing director and chief executive officer of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Olusegun Alebiosu, said the lender was intensifying its engagement with SMEs, describing the sector as central to…

L-R: Director, Communication, Policy and Advocacy, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Mr. Kunle Olawoyin; Conservation Educator, National Park Service, Mrs. Ilesanmi Zuliat Hussain; Director, Business Development and Partnership, NCF, Mr. Uchenna Achunine; Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Union Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Olufunmilola Aluko; Divisional Head, Corporate Affairs, FCMB, Mr. Diran Olojo; Director, Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Olabimpe Adenaike; and Partner, KENNA Legal Practitioners, Mr. Daze Nga at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation Symposium held on June 19, 2026 at the Lekki Conservation Centre, Lekki, Lagos for the commemoration of World Environment Day. Union…

Vice President Kashim Shettima represented by the Personal Assistant to President Tinubu on Subnational Infrastructure, Musaddiq Mustapha Adamu (6th from left); Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by the Director, General Services Office, Dr. Ibrahim Abdulkadir (8th from left); EVC/CEO of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu (7th from left); Kano State Governor, Abba Ibrahim represented by the Hon. Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Yusuf Ismaila Danmaraya (5th from left); Chairman, Nigerian Commodity Exchange (2nd from right); National Programme Manager, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, Alhajji Hamza Ibrahim Baba (3rd from right); Hon. Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr.…

Dangote refinery. Photo: Dangote Early this year, Bird said the refinery intended to increase the share of heavier crude grades in its feedstock mix The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has purchased two cargoes of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates, marking its first-ever procurement of Middle Eastern crude as it expands its feedstock sources amid persistent domestic supply constraints. According to a report by S&P Global Commodity Insights, the two cargoes will be the first sourced by the 700,000-barrels-per-day refinery from any Middle Eastern supplier, signalling a shift from its traditional reliance on Nigerian, African, and United States crude grades.…

Providus Bank and Unity Bank are set to commence operations as a single unified institution following the successful completion of their business combination and the conclusion of all required regulatory, shareholder, and judicial processes. A statement from the bank on Sunday stated that the newly formed entity, ProvidusUnity Bank, represents a consolidated banking institution positioned to strengthen capitalisation, expand national coverage, deepen financial inclusion, and support Nigeria’s long-term economic ambitions. The merger brings together Providus Bank’s innovation-driven, customer-centric service model and digital capabilities with Unity Bank’s extensive geographic reach and established market presence, creating a broader platform for retail, SME,…

File photo: Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun.  Ogun, Lagos Police Set Up Operation Kosaye Joint Security Initiative. Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has commended the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, for initiating the joint Ogun-Lagos security operation, codenamed Operation Kosaye, describing it as a proactive, intelligence-driven initiative that has significantly strengthened security across the two neighbouring states. The governor said the operation had recorded remarkable successes through coordinated security operations that combed forests and criminal hideouts along the Ogun-Lagos corridor, neutralised armed bandits, arrested suspected criminals and rescued kidnapped victims. Abiodun made the commendation in a statement issued…

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria. Photo: SMEDAN The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria has achieved a $12m commitment from the South Korean Government to establish a world-class Skills Acquisition Centre in Abuja as part of efforts to deepen entrepreneurship, tackle unemployment and strengthen Nigeria’s small business ecosystem. The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday to mark the 2026 World MSME Day, themed “Empowering MSMEs through Innovation and Sustainable Industrial Development.” Odii said the proposed centre would provide vocational and entrepreneurial training to thousands of…

Management of BUA Cement led by Director Health, Community Safety, Eng Alli Gummel, handing over the items to community leaders BUA Cement Plc on Saturday donated agricultural inputs worth N108 million to 211 resettled farmers in its host communities in Sokoto State to support food production during the 2026 wet farming season. The beneficiaries are farmers whose homes and farmlands were affected by the company’s expansion projects and who were subsequently resettled. The presentation, held at the company’s premises in Sokoto, was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders and beneficiaries. Speaking at the event, the Director of Health,…

Elegbede Abiodun … local smartphone production is one of the solutions to Nigeria’s growing device affordability challenge. The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Idris Olorunnimbe, has pledged to secure presidential incentives for investors willing to establish smartphone factories in the country. This is as he promised in a statement released on Saturday that Nigeria could soon see a new wave of smartphone manufacturing investments. The statement was from his speech at the Digital Africa Summit Roundtable in Shanghai, China, on June 24. Olorunnimbe said local smartphone production remains the most sustainable solution to Nigeria’s…