Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a three-day ultimatum to waste management contractors operating in satellite towns to clear accumulated refuse heaps or face immediate termination of their contracts by Monday. The directive was issued following complaints over worsening sanitation conditions in several satellite towns, where refuse dumps have reportedly obstructed roads and posed health risks to residents. The minister warned that the administration would no longer tolerate negligence or failure to meet contractual obligations. Wike was quoted as saying that contractors who fail to restore cleanliness within the stipulated period would…

Nigeria’s energy gets a lift with first FLNG project Chief Executive Officer of UTM Offshore, Dr. Julius Rone Nigeria’s first Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) project is underway. Chief Executive Officer of UTM Offshore, Dr. Julius Rone, announced commencement of construction at an awards event in Lagos, after receiving the honour as Investor of the Year. Rone described the development as a defining moment for Nigeria’s energy sector. He attributed the project’s progress to an improved investment climate under President Bola Tinubu, noting incentives under Renewed Hope Agenda have unlocked private sector investments in gas. “This year, we are moving…

68th Grammy Awards: Three Nigerian Stars In Diaspora Shine Elegbede Abiodun At the 68th Grammy Awards, three Nigerian-heritage artists made their mark at the prestigious ceremony, demonstrating Nigeria’s expanding influence on global music. The winners—Shaboozey (Collins Obinna Chibueze), Cynthia Erivo (Chinasa Onyedinmanasu Ukaegbu Erivo), and Tyler Gregory Okonma—delivered standout performances at the ceremony held last Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Shaboozey claimed Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen” with Jelly Roll, dedicating his win to his immigrant mother and children of immigrants everywhere. British-American singer and actress Cynthia Erivo secured the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance award for…

Manny Ita  – The Senate has fixed March 17 as the target date for the passage of Nigeria’s ₦58.472 trillion 2026 federal budget, setting an accelerated timetable for legislative scrutiny of the spending plan submitted by the executive. Lawmakers commenced consideration of the proposal following its formal presentation, with the Appropriations Committee and relevant sectoral committees mandated to conduct detailed reviews and interface with ministries, departments and agencies. The leadership of the National Assembly indicated that the timeline is intended to ensure early enactment of the budget to support policy certainty and timely implementation. The size of the proposed budget…

Manny Ita – Airtel Nigeria has confirmed a massive acceleration of its network infrastructure rollout, announcing the addition of over 2,200 new sites and a 25 percent expansion of its fiber backbone to accommodate the country’s surging appetite for high-speed data. Speaking at a media roundtable in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, disclosed that the company has increased its total site count from approximately 15,000 to over 17,200 within the last 14 months, marking a significant 15.5 percent growth in its geographical footprint. This expansion is part of a broader “high-powered investment” strategy for 2026,…

Sports Crisis: Tinubu Pledges Full Budget Support from 2026 Elegbede Abiodun * This news got endorsement from the sports community and stakeholders. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced a comprehensive restructuring of Nigeria’s sports financing system, instructing federal ministries to guarantee that starting with the 2026 budget cycle, sufficient funding for sporting facilities, development programs, competitions, and international events will be allocated and disbursed without delay. The President’s declaration came as he celebrated Nigeria’s extraordinary sports performance in 2025, during which Nigerian athletes secured 373 medals across multiple sporting disciplines. The nation’s sporting triumphs ranged from individual track and…

Ecobank 2025 Profit Climbs Strongly on Rising Income Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) reported strong full-year financial results for the period ending 31 December 2025, driven by substantial growth in core revenue lines. The bank posted a profit before tax of N1.27 trillion in 2025, representing a significant increase compared with N986.6 billion in the prior year. This performance reflects solid operating and revenue momentum against a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. Interest income emerged as a primary contributor to the year’s results. Total interest income climbed to N3.1 trillion, up from N2.7 trillion in 2024, as the bank benefited from higher…

Trump reveals video depicting Obamas as monkeys U.S. President Donald Trump. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images via AFP) US President Donald Trump raised the dust on Friday after he posted a video depicting Barack Obama, the first Black president in American history, and his wife Michelle as monkeys. Top Democrats condemned the post as “racist,” even as the White House rejected what it called “fake outrage” and said the video posted late Thursday on Trump’s Truth Social account was from an “internet meme.” Near the end of the one-minute-long video promoting conspiracies about Republican Trump’s 2020 election loss,…

UAC of Nigeria PLC Lists ₦54.03 Billion Bond On FMDQ Exchange Platform, Thereby Expanding Access To Capital Elegbede Abiodun In furtherance of its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s debt capital markets and facilitating sustainable economic development, FMDQ Securities Exchange Limited (“FMDQ Exchange” or the “Exchange”) has approved the listing of UAC of Nigeria PLC’s ₦54.03 billion Series 1 7-Year 17.35% Fixed Rate Bond under its ₦150.00 billion Issuance Programme. This approval, granted by the Exchange’s Board Listings and Markets Committee, underscores the Exchange’s pivotal role in enabling corporate entities to access long-term capital through transparent and well-regulated debt instruments. UAC…

JOHESU cuts off 84-day old nationwide strike after agreement with FG Elegbede Abiodun • Noted federal government reportedly lost close to one trillion naira in revenue during the strike period. The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) on Friday announced the suspension of its 84-day nationwide strike following agreements reached with the Federal Government. This is contained in a communiqué jointly signed by JOHESU National Chairman, Mr Kabiru Ado-Minjibir, and National Secretary, Mr Martin Egbanubi, in Abuja. The union said the decision followed resolutions reached at an emergency expanded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. It said the meeting was convened…