Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Eritrea’s exit raises Nigeria’s World Cup hopes, CAF adjusts criteria Super Eagles players  Eritrea’s exit raises Nigeria’s World Cup hopes, CAF adjusts criteria Nigeria has got a major intervention in their 2026 World Cup qualification hopes as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) revised the qualifying rules following Eritrea’s withdrawal from the competition. Eritrea’s exit has attracted a significant imbalance, leaving Group E with only five teams instead of six. CAF and FIFA are considering removing points earned against the bottom-placed team in each group when determining the best runners-up. In a circular dated March 14, 2025, and signed by…

Who New INEC Chairman-Designate Amupitan represents • National Council of State unanimously approved the appointment. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s nomination during the Council’s meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 to October 2025. According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga,on Thursday, October 9, Tinubu noted that Amupitan, a Professor of Law from Kogi State in the North-Central region, is the first person from the state to be nominated for the…

FIFA appointment: Pinnick lauds recognition of Nigeria’s football The Deputy Chair of the FIFA Men’s National Teams Competitions Committee, Amaju Pinnick The Deputy Chair of the FIFA Men’s National Teams Competitions Committee, Amaju Pinnick, has described his appointment as a recognition of Nigeria’s growing influence in global sports governance. In an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, Pinnick, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, expressed humility and pride at the opportunity to serve in one of FIFA’s most strategic committees. “The importance of this is a recognition of Nigeria, as well as global sports. First, I’m saying that…

CBN promotes adoption of alternative payment systems in Cross River CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso. Photo: CBN / X The Central Bank of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding financial inclusion and driving economic growth by promoting the adoption of alternative payment systems. The apex bank expressed this commitment at a sensitisation exercise known as the ‘CBN Fair,’ held at the Dome Event Centre in Calabar on Thursday. The event’s theme was “Promoting Alternative Payment Channels as Tools for Financial Inclusion, Growth and Accelerated Economic Development.” The fair brought together manufacturers, traders, microfinance banks, commercial banks, merchant banks, students, artisans,…

What you need to know about late elder statesman Christopher Kolade File photo: Late Dr Christopher Kolade • Kolade will be remembered as a leader of principle. Veteran broadcaster, business icon, and diplomat Christopher Kolade has died at the age of 93. According to the statement, the late former Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc died peacefully on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Below are the things to know about the elder statesman: Born on December 28, 1932, in Erin-Oke, Osun State, to an Anglican missionary father, Kolade’s early years were shaped by faith, discipline, and learning. He attended Government College, Ibadan,…

President Tinubu declares posthumous pardons for Macaulay, Vasta and 15 others President Bola Tinubu President Tinubu declares posthumous pardons for Macaulay, Vasta and 15 others. The presidency has confirmed that Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, Herbert Macaulay and 15 others were granted posthumous pardons on Thursday by President Bola Tinubu. Confirming this in a press release on Thursday night, was Bayo Onanuga the Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy). Onanuga said, “Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, sentenced to death over a treason charge in 1986, has received a posthumous pardon from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Vatsa, a poet,…

Tinubu Appoints Prof Amupitan As INEC New Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN … taking over after the expiration of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure. The National Council of State has ratified and approved the appointment of Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission by President Bola Tinubu. Amupitan, who had been rumoured for the job, was unanimously endorsed by the Council of State during her…

Arise TV staff’s death: FCT police unveil armed robbers behind scene Somtochukwu Maduagwu FCT police finally apprehend the armed robbers behind the scene of murder of Arise TV staff. Arrest of armed robbers in FCT has brought a major breakthrough in the investigation of the robbery and murder of Arise TV staff, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, at Gishiri village, Katampe District, Abuja. The arrests followed a directive from the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, to track down those responsible for the deadly robbery which occurred on 29 September 2025 around 3:30 a.m. Operatives of the…

UI now Nigeria’s best varsity for 2026 ratings University of Ibadan gate. Credit: UI University of Ibadan, Oyo State, has been rated Nigeria’s best university in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026. The ratings, published on THE’s website on Thursday, placed the Ibadan-based federal university between 801 and 1,000 globally and ahead of other leading Nigerian universities, a spot it last held in 2023. The surveyed 2,191 institutions from 115 countries and assessed them based on 18 performance indicators across five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook. UI has come from fourth position…

FG eliminates revenue collection, deductions, promises fiscal transparency A file photo of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun • Govt checking all forms of deductions to ensure that every naira collected is well administered. The Federal Government has announced plans to eliminate deductions for the cost of revenue collection paid to agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Nigerian Customs Service, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, among others. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking at…