Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Elegbede Abiodun As new chapter begin for Lafarge Africa Plc, the company officially unveiled its new corporate identity and name – HBM Nigeria Plc. The transition marks a significant milestone in the company’s transformation journey and strategic alignment with its new shareholder structure. According to a Press release issued by Ginikanwa Frank-Durugbor, Head, Corporate Affairs of the company, made available to journalists in Bauchi yesterday, the change to HBM Nigeria Plc reflects the company’s continued evolution as one of Nigeria’s leading building solutions providers, combining strong local roots with enhanced global industrial collaboration. The release stated that, the company reaffirmed…

Bosnia beat Qatar to reach first-ever World Cup knockout rounds Bosnia-Herzegovina made it to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time after beating 2022 hosts Qatar 3-1 in their final Group B match on Wednesday. Bosnia ended on four points and hours after their game had completed, FIFA announced they will be one of the best eight third-placed teams to progress to the last 32. Qatar meanwhile exit at the group stage, just as they did four years ago, but return home with the meagre consolation of having garnered a point this time as opposed to…

South Africa Reach World Cup Knockout Stage Beating South Korea 1-0 to Make History South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history, an astonishing turnaround after a dismal opening defeat. The Bafana Bafana, playing in a World Cup for the first time since they hosted it in 2010, were widely written off after their 2-0 loss to Group A winners Mexico in the tournament’s curtainraiser. But they battled to a draw against the Czech Republic and came out on top of what was effectively a shootout…

Trump Declares US 250th National Anniversary Party Open with Rally-style Speech. US President Donald Trump opened 16 days of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary Wednesday with a rally-style speech — turning a national commemoration into a highly politicised showcase for his second-term agenda. The address, on Washington’s National Mall, underscored how Trump has reshaped the anniversary around his own brand of politics and showmanship, blurring the line between official celebration and campaign-style spectacle. The Republican leader eventually invoked the grand sweep of American history, but the first part of his address was largely indistinguishable from one of his political rallies…

CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso According to latest data released by the Central Bank of Nigeria, it reveals that credit to the Federal Government rose sharply over the 12 months ending in May 2026. The surge highlights an aggressive public sector appetite for borrowing despite the prevailing tight monetary conditions in the country. According to the CBN’s latest monetary and credit statistics on Wednesday, total credit to the government climbed to N40.38tn in May 2026, up from N22.99tn recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. This marks a year-on-year increase of N17.39tn (approximately N17.4tn), representing a massive 75.6 per cent rise…

The Federal Government has unveiled a 505-kilowatt interconnected solar mini-grid in Epe, Lagos State, and flagged off the development of an additional five-megawatt mini-grid project as part of efforts to expand electricity access and stimulate economic activities in the area. The project, located in Majoda communities in Eredo, Epe Local Government Area, covers Odogbawojo, Odoshiwola, Odoayan, Ora, and Ibowon and is expected to provide stable electricity for more than 8,000 residents. Speaking at the ceremony on Wednesday, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the project reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to deploying decentralised renewable energy solutions to improve livelihoods,…

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim. Credit: MWASD The Federal Government, in collaboration with the African Development Bank and UN Women, on Wednesday inaugurated the Nigeria Gender Profile and Roadmap to Equality 2030 to address gender disparities. The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said the document provides an evidence-based assessment of gender equality and a framework for achieving national targets by 2030. She said the profile serves two purposes: presenting an honest picture of the current state of gender equality in Nigeria and outlining practical steps towards achieving national commitments. Sulaiman-Ibrahim described gender…

Pastor Mike Bamiloye, the founder of Mount Zion Films. Photo Credit: File Gospel singer, Joshua Bamiloye has defended the faith-based film ministry founded by his father, Mike Bamiloye, insisting that Mount Zion Films does not demonise Yoruba culture or spirituality. Joshua made the remarks in a post on X on Wednesday after the announcement that Agbara Nla, one of Mount Zion’s most popular films, will return to cinemas 34 years after its original release. His response followed criticism by an X user, identified as Ìfẹ́ṣọlá (@kootujirian), who accused Mount Zion of portraying Yoruba spirituality as evil while promoting Christianity. In…

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria. Photo: SMEDAN The National Credit Guarantee Company Limited and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve access to finance for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises across the country. The agreement, signed at the NCGC headquarters in Abuja, seeks to strengthen financial inclusion, support enterprise development and stimulate economic growth by addressing one of the major constraints facing small businesses, access to affordable financing. According to a statement released on Wednesday by NCGC, the partnership will see both organisations collaborate on initiatives to…

Both Nigeria and United Kingdom security chiefs held the fourth security and defence partnership dialogue in Abuja on Tuesday to strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries. Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, joined top Nigerian security leaders at the meeting in the nation’s capital. The high-level meeting was attended by the national security adviser (NSA),Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede; Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu; Service Chiefs, and other senior security stakeholders. The dialogue, which focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in addressing emerging security challenges and advancing shared strategic interests between…