Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Posthumous Tribute: Honouring The Enduring Legacy of Captain Hosa Okunbo @ 68 Late Captain Idahosa Wells Hosa Okunbo Today, as we commemorate what would have been the 68th birthday of Captain Idahosa Wells Hosa Okunbo , we pause to celebrate a remarkable life one defined by vision, resilience, generosity, and an extraordinary commitment to uplifting others. Captain Okunbo was more than a business magnate; he was a pioneer, a mentor, a humanitarian, and a nation builder whose influence continues to echo across Nigeria and beyond. Born on January 7, 1958, in Benin City, Edo State, Hosa Okunbo’s journey was a…

Birthday celebration in St. Vincent, Davido surprises mother-in-law Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has delivered a warming early birthday surprise to his mother-in-law during a luxury family vacation on Canouan Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He shared the intimate moment on Instagram on Tuesday, posting a video that captured him cheerfully walking in with a birthday cake for his wife’s mother, who appeared visibly shocked and delighted by the gesture. White Davido led the rendition of Happy Birthday, other family members — including his father and daughter, Hailey — joined in the celebration, turning the…

Senders responsible for N50 stamp duty payments now – GT Bank GTBank has reminded customers of the new stamp duty rules under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, which take effect from January 1, 2026. According to an email received by a GT Bank customer on Tuesday, under the new regulation, the ₦50 stamp duty on electronic transfers of ₦10,000 or more will now be paid by the sender, not the recipient. GTBank clarified that certain transactions will remain exempt from the charge. “Please be reminded that, in line with the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, which took effect from January 1,…

Electricity: Consumers pay N1.13tn bill despite blackouts File copy: National grid Electricity distribution companiesDisCos recorded a 4.63 pp increase in collection efficiency between 2025/Q2 and 2025/Q3. in Nigeria collected a total of N1.13tn in revenue from their customers over the six months spanning the second and third quarters of 2025 (April to September), according to detailed monthly performance data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. This is despite repeated complaints of low power supply among electricity consumers and incessant cases of blackouts in many locations nationwide. During the period under review, the national power grid suffered a total collapse,…

Ecobank completes early repayment of $300m Eurobond File photo: Ecobank Ecobank Nigeria Limited has fully repaid bondholders who validly tendered their notes ahead of the February 2026 maturity date. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the bank on Tuesday. Ecobank Nigeria had prepaid approximately $245m of its $300m Eurobond, representing more than 80 per cent of the total issuance. The 7.125 per cent Senior Note is due in February 2026. “On 27 November 2025, Ecobank Nigeria Limited launched a tender offer to eligible noteholders in respect of the outstanding $150 million on the bond, providing them with an…

Manny Ita The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has expanded its drug-awareness sensitization activities across educational institutions and youth centers as a core component of its strategy to prevent substance abuse among young Nigerians. These initiatives are being executed under the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) framework, a multi-dimensional approach that integrates education, prevention, counseling, and community engagement alongside traditional enforcement operations. ​In Katsina State, the NDLEA Command reported significant reach through its localized awareness drive. According to the State Commander, CN Samaila Danmallam, the command conducted 203 sensitization programs in schools and various social settings, reaching approximately 75,135…

Manny Ita Reality TV star Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has publicly expressed her willingness to reconcile with Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Davido, putting to rest years of online tension that have kept fans and followers speculating. The feud between the two high-profile figures dates back to October 2023, when Davido liked a social media post that described Phyna’s fans as “useless,” a move that many interpreted as dismissive and insulting. Phyna confronted the singer publicly, questioning why he would engage with such a post and whether she had done anything to warrant such treatment. Davido responded by claiming…

Manny Ita Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has officially announced that the second season of the Netflix series Anikulapo is scheduled to premiere on January 30, 2026. The director shared the release date through a social media post on January 4, 2026, concluding several months of public speculation regarding the return of the fantasy drama. ​The production serves as an extension of the cultural universe established in Afolayan’s 2022 feature film of the same name. By integrating elements of Yoruba folklore, traditional royalty, and mythology, the franchise has secured a significant following within Nigeria and across the international African diaspora. The…

Manny Ita  analyzes how poverty projections detailed in the newly released Nigeria Economic Outlook 2026: Turning Macroeconomic Stability into Sustainable Growth might impact specific sectors, such as retail or fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) A harrowing economic forecast has emerged for Nigeria’s most vulnerable citizens. Professional services firm PwC Nigeria has raised an alarm, projecting that the nation’s poverty headcount could surge to 141 million people by the close of 2026. ​The revelation, detailed in the newly released Nigeria Economic Outlook 2026: Turning Macroeconomic Stability into Sustainable Growth, suggests that while the government’s recent policy overhauls were intended to steady the ship,…

By Manny Ita For decades, the Nigerian story has been a monotonous dirge of squandered promise. To describe poor leadership as the singular bane of our development is no longer an opinion—it is a diagnosis of a deeply entrenched, almost terminal systemic rot. From the jackbooted plunderers of military rule who treated the national treasury as a spoils-of-war chest, to the agbada-clad civilians who have perfected state kleptocracy under the guise of democracy, Nigerians have remained unwilling spectators to their own impoverishment. What makes the present crisis more frightening is not merely its longevity, but its spread. The rot has…