Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Fuel Import Spending Drops 54%, from $14.58bn To $6.7bn CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso The data showed that Nigeria spent $11.38bn on refined petroleum product imports between January and September 2024. The amount spent on the importation of refined petroleum products has dropped sharply by 54 per cent in two years, falling from $14.58bn in the first nine months of 2023 to $6.71bn in the corresponding period of 2025, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Balance of Payments report. It declined from $14.58bn in the first nine months of 2023 to $11.38bn in the corresponding period of 2024,…

Manny Ita Nigeria’s electricity sector is facing a deepening fiscal crisis as the federal government incurred a staggering ₦1.98 trillion in subsidy obligations over a 12-month period. According to the latest reports from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) released this January, the financial strain is being compounded by massive energy losses and a significant debt overhang. Despite efforts to implement cost-reflective tariffs, such as the Band A adjustment in April 2024, the government continues to bridge the gap between consumer payments and the actual cost of power generation. NERC data reveals that between October 2024 and September 2025, the…

Manny Ita A Federal High Court sitting in Ota, Ogun State, has ordered the remand of controversial singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, following his arraignment on a nine-count criminal charge on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. The charges, filed by the Ogun State Police Command, encompass allegations of conspiracy, assault occasioning harm, resisting arrest, and the theft of a Mercedes-Benz E300 valued at N12 million. The prosecution alleged that the singer forcibly seized the vehicle from a dealer, Wally Dex Auto, after failing to complete the required payments. Furthermore, Portable is accused of assaulting his estranged partner, actress Akinyanju…

Manny Ita ​A significant breakthrough occurred in the ongoing trial regarding the June 5, 2022, massacre at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, as prosecution witnesses identified two of the five defendants in open court for the first time. During the proceedings on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, survivors provided detailed accounts of the assault that resulted in the deaths of over 40 worshippers and left more than 100 others injured. The trial, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, featured testimony from a witness identified by the pseudonym SSB, who pointed directly to Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris in the…

Manny Ita The Nigerian Super Eagles are scheduled to face tournament hosts Morocco in a high-stakes semi-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tonight, Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The match, slated for 9:00 PM Nigerian Time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, is being widely characterized as a “final before the final,” with both teams entering the fixture unbeaten. While the encounter marks the first AFCON meeting between the two sides in 22 years, Nigeria holds a historical edge, having defeated Morocco 1-0 in the 1980 semi-finals. Nigeria arrives at this stage with a record-breaking 14…

Manny Ita The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially released the comprehensive timeline and fee structure for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) registration, following a formal announcement on January 13, 2026. According to the board’s schedule, the sale of E-PINs will commence on Monday, January 19, and conclude on February 26, while the actual registration window for the UTME opens on Monday, January 26, and shuts on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Direct Entry candidates are expected to begin their application process on March 2, with a deadline set for April 25, 2026.…

Manny Ita The public dispute between Nollywood actress Regina Daniels and her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, has escalated into a complex legal and personal confrontation marked by allegations of domestic violence, substance abuse, theft and multiple arrests, as of January 13, 2026. What began as a marital separation in late 2025 has since unfolded into a series of competing claims aired in court filings, police actions and social media exchanges. The crisis first became public in October 2025 when Daniels reportedly moved out of the couple’s home, with allegations of domestic violence emerging shortly afterward. Her brother, Sammy West,…

Manny Ita MultiChoice Nigeria on January 13, 2026, announced the appointment of Kemi Omotosho as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking a historic transition as she becomes the first woman to lead the company’s Nigerian operations. Omotosho succeeds John Ugbe, who is retiring after 15 years at the helm, a period during which the pay-TV operator navigated major regulatory changes and the growing competition from digital streaming platforms. Omotosho brings more than 20 years of professional experience across Sub-Saharan Africa, with a career shaped by customer-focused strategies and operational leadership. A trained biochemist, she began her corporate career in the…

Manny Ita The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has declared 2026 as the “decisive year” for the Federal Government’s housing agenda, signaling a renewed push to address Nigeria’s housing deficit through accelerated project delivery. Speaking at an expanded management meeting on January 13, 2026, the minister said the government is adopting a “Completion-First” model that prioritizes finishing and handing over habitable homes rather than initiating new large-scale contracts. Dangiwa said the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates programme will be expanded geographically in 2026, with new city projects scheduled to be launched in Maiduguri, Enugu and…

Manny Ita Lagos will host the Investopia Global Investment Conference on February 2, 2026, following an announcement by President Bola Tinubu on January 13, 2026, during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, marking the first time the United Arab Emirates’ flagship investment platform will convene a major summit of this scale in Africa. The conference is scheduled to take place at the Eko Convention Centre, with satellite events planned for Eko Atlantic City, and will be jointly hosted by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Government of the UAE. The summit is intended to function as a strategic “bridge” between…