Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

US visa The US Mission in Nigeria has reminded Nigerians that routine visa services at the embassy in Abuja will end from August 1, 2026. The mission reiterated that applicants must henceforth process their visas at the Consulate General in Lagos, the newly designated regional hub. The US Mission in Nigeria issued the reminder in a fresh statement on its social media platforms on Friday, days after it first disclosed the policy as part of a broader realignment of visa operations across Africa. The mission again explained that the US Department of State was consolidating visa processing at select regional…

CAF members ready for inspection The delegation will also visit Lagos as part of its itinerary on Sunday.  A five-member delegation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has begun inspecting facilities in Nigeria as part of the country’s bid to host the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly and the CAF Awards. The delegation arrived in Abuja on Thursday to assess venues and supporting infrastructure for the two flagship events, following approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Nigeria to stage them. The approval came two months ago during the Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, after a request from CAF…

MTN’s data revenue climbed to ₦1.699 trillion during the reviewed period. Nigerians spent approximately ₦1.7 trillion on data services provided by MTN Nigeria in the first half of 2026, highlighting sustained demand for internet connectivity despite prevailing economic challenges. The telecom operator disclosed this in its unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2026, filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited. According to the results, MTN’s data revenue climbed to ₦1.699 trillion during the review period, compared with ₦1.229 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, representing a 38.3 per cent year-on-year increase. Data services remained the…

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc bucked a sector-wide pullback on Thursday, as its shares rose 6.67% to ₦8.00 to rank among the best performers on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX). In contrast, the NGX Banking Index shed 2.04% and the wider market fell for a second straight session. Financial Holdings Company Plc pushed higher on Thursday even as the financial stocks it sits alongside fell. Its shares gained 6.7% to ₦8.00 to place among the five best performers on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) while the NGX Banking Index dropped 2.04%. The gain ran counter to a market in retreat for a…

New JAMB registrar, Prof Segun Aina The newly appointed Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Prof. Segun Aina, on Friday promised to wage an uncompromising war against examination malpractice, warning fraud syndicates, impersonators, certificate forgers and corrupt operators that their “business is in the wrong institution.” While speaking during the formal handover ceremony at the JAMB National Headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, Prof. Aina vowed to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s tertiary admission process by deploying every lawful technological, administrative and investigative measure to detect, deter and prosecute offenders. He also promised to build a more transparent, customer-focused…

In recognition of five years of visionary leadership, unity, and transformation in Warri Kingdom, a series of events are planned for August 2026 in Koko, Delta State. “High-ranking and influential individuals will celebrate five years of visionary leadership, unity, and transformation with our revered King, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III. They will also enjoy an exciting day of golf, fellowship, and fun” a statement by the Chairman of Canaan Land Golf Course and Country Club, Hon. Felix Aganbi said Friday morning. The 5th anniversary of the coronation of His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, will be commemorated with a Special Kitty…

File: Education minister, Tunji Alausa The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council on Friday announced a final extension of the deadline for the submission of textbooks and other instructional materials for the “2026 Phase I assessment, reassessment and ranking exercise,” giving publishers, authors and other stakeholders until August 7, 2026, to complete their submissions. The council said the extension, approved under the Federal Ministry of Education, follows the earlier deadline of July 3, 2026, and is intended to encourage wider participation in the national textbook evaluation exercise while providing eligible stakeholders additional time to finalise and submit their materials. In…

Sachet alcohol The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reaffirmed that there is no going back on the ban on small-volume alcoholic drinks in the country. The NAFDAC Zonal Director, South East, Dr Festus Ukadike, made the vow in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Friday. Ukadike said the crackdown had already begun targeting manufacturers and distributors of small sachet alcoholic drinks. He said the next stage after the enforcement was to mop up the remaining alcoholic products currently in the market. He also said that businesses would not…

Theme: METAMORPHOSIS: Discover, Develop, Deploy CEDAR Impact Group has announced the Cedar Impact Conference 2026, a four day residential conference equipping young Nigerians with the leadership capacity, practical skills, mentorship, and strategic networks to drive sustainable societal transformation. The conference holds from 26th to 29th August 2026 at Redemption City, Ogun State, bringing together over 200 selected participants from diverse academic, professional, entrepreneurial, and creative backgrounds for an immersive leadership experience. Structured around the theme “METAMORPHOSIS: Discover, Develop and Deploy,” participants move through a clear three day transformation journey. Day one focuses on Discovery, bringing clarity of identity, potential, and…

South African music star Tyla. Photo: Vanguard South African Grammy-winning singer, Tyla, has dropped Lagos from the schedule of her APOP World Tour, days after her planned December 22 concert in Nigeria triggered calls for a boycott over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa. A check on Tyla’s official tour website on Friday showed that the Lagos stop, which was previously listed for December 22, had been removed from the itinerary. The updated schedule retains all previously announced dates across Europe, North America and South Africa, but no longer includes Nigeria. On Monday, Tyla unveiled the APOP World…