Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Global GDP contributors: IMF ranks Nigeria between top 1 and 10 Elegbede Abiodun • Economists say the ranking shows Nigeria’s ability to attract investment. Nigeria has been ranked among the top 10 contributors to global GDP growth in 2026, according to projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The country’s performance highlights its growing economic importance on the global stage and reinforces its position as one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies. According to a post obtained from the National Orientation Agency’s X handle on Monday, the IMF projects that Nigeria will contribute approximately 1.5% of global real GDP growth in…

CBN, NCC to end airtime transaction failures, unveil framework Elegbede Abiodun * The draft framework has been exposed to banks, other financial institutions. The Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission have unveiled a joint framework to tackle the growing problem of failed airtime and data transactions, which have left consumers frustrated after payments are processed without service delivery. The 20-page draft, published on the CBN’s website on Monday, was developed by the CBN’s Consumer Protection & Financial Inclusion Department and the telecom regulator, with input from banks, mobile operators, payment providers, and other stakeholders. The regulators…

UK bars eligible visitors except with ETA from February 25 By Elegbede Abiodun UK Visa ETA does not apply to Nigerians as they need a visa to enter the UK. The United Kingdom will begin full enforcement of its Electronic Travel Authorisation requirement for visa-exempt travellers from February 25, 2026, the UK government has said. With just over two weeks to the enforcement date, UK authorities have warned that eligible visitors who fail to obtain an ETA before travelling risk being denied boarding on flights, trains or ferries bound for the UK. The warning was issued in a statement posted…

With AI adoption, CAC records 10,000 business registrations daily By Elegbede Abiodun The adoption of AI had significantly boosted the commission’s capacity to process the growing volume of business registrations and customer inquiries nationwide. The Corporate Affairs Commission says it now records about 10,000 business registration requests daily following the deployment of artificial intelligence across its service delivery platforms. The Registrar-General of the CAC, Hussaini Magaji, disclosed this during an anniversary lecture marking the commission’s 35th anniversary on Monday in Abuja. Magaji said the adoption of AI had significantly enhanced the commission’s capacity to process the growing volume of…

Access Bank remembers late CEO Herbert Wigwe two years after Elegbede Abiodun Wigwe was 57 years old when he died. Access Bank has honored the memory of its late Group Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe, marking two years since the tragic helicopter crash that claimed his life. In a tribute posted on Instagram Monday, the financial institution reflected on the enduring impact of Wigwe’s absence within the organization. “Two years on, the absence of Dr. Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, CFR, remains deeply felt,” the bank stated. Access Bank highlighted Wigwe’s pivotal role in shaping the institution’s trajectory and establishing its…

Ikorodu climb top as Remo drop to 19th on NPFL Elegbede Abiodun The Sky Blue Stars sit 19th on 26 points, just one point above bottom-placed Kun Khalifat. Ikorodu City moved to the top of the Nigeria Premier Football League table after a composed 2–0 home victory over Niger Tornadoes on matchday 25, while defending champions Remo Stars slipped to 19th following another damaging defeat. At the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Sunday, Ikorodu underlined their title credentials with a disciplined and controlled performance that extended their strong recent form and turned the stadium into what has increasingly…

Manny Ita  – Cambridge University has formally transferred the legal ownership of 116 Benin artefacts to the Federal Government of Nigeria, marking one of the most significant acts of cultural restitution in the institution’s history. The collection, which comprises a diverse array of prized bronzes and intricate ivories, was originally seized by British forces during the 1897 punitive expedition against the Kingdom of Benin. The transfer was solidified during a high-profile ceremony held at the university’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, attended by Nigerian diplomats and traditional representatives from the Royal Court of Benin. Director-General of the National Commission for…

Nedbank Steps Ahead to Take Over NCBA with KSh110 Billion Partial Acquisition Offer Elegbede Abiodun South Africa’s Nedbank Group Limited has formally declared a multibillion-shilling bid to acquire a controlling stake in NCBA Group Plc, a move that could significantly reshape Kenya’s banking landscape if approved by regulators and shareholders. In a notice to shareholders and the investing public on Monday, February 9, NCBA confirmed that it had received an Offeror’s Statement from Nedbank detailing the structure, conditions, and strategic intent behind the proposed transaction. The deal places the value of the targeted stake at approximately KSh110 billion and…

Manny Ita  – Veteran Nollywood actress and filmmaker Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has disclosed that the 2020 #EndSARS protests marked a permanent turning point in her approach to activism, citing “intense” death threats directed at her children as the primary reason for her retreat from street demonstrations. Speaking as a guest on Rubbin’ Minds on Channels Television this Sunday, the screen icon revealed that while she has long been accustomed to personal intimidation throughout her three-decade career, the level of hostility during the anti-police brutality movement reached an unprecedented and “weird” peak. “I am used to death threats; I have received them…

Manny Ita  – US-based conservative commentator and television host Tony Perkins has said he declined to grant Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, access to his media platform, alleging that her appearance would have been used to “cover up Christian genocide” in Nigeria. Perkins, who is also the president of the Family Research Council, made the claim while speaking about security challenges in Nigeria and what he described as the persecution of Christians, particularly in parts of the Middle Belt and northern regions. He stated that the decision to deny the First Lady airtime was deliberate and rooted in his…