Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has executed a major enforcement operation in Lagos, uncovering secret warehouses stockpiled with over 10 million doses of counterfeit antimalarial medications and a vast quantity of unwholesome cosmetics. The raid, which is being described as one of the most significant strikes against organized pharmaceutical crime this year, resulted in the confiscation of illicit goods with an estimated market value exceeding ₦3 billion. The operation targeted high-density trade zones and hidden storage facilities where “merchant of death” syndicates have allegedly been repackaging substandard chemical mixtures as globally…

Manny Ita  – Nigeria has officially reopened its land borders with the Benin and Niger Republics at the Kebbi axis, marking a significant shift in its cross-border trade policy and ending a prolonged closure that had disrupted regional commerce. The reopening was confirmed on Tuesday, with security and customs officials resuming full operations at the affected border posts. Reports from the area indicated that commercial activity picked up almost immediately, as more than 2,000 trucks that had been stranded for weeks began moving across the frontier. Drivers and traders were seen clearing backlogs of goods, particularly agricultural produce and essential…

Manny Ita  – President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday unveiled the Renewed Hope National Development Plan (2026–2030), a five-year policy blueprint aimed at accelerating economic growth, strengthening security and consolidating recent macroeconomic reforms. The plan was launched at the Second National Economic Council conference held in Abuja, with federal and state officials, development partners and private sector stakeholders in attendance. While presenting the document, the President declared what he described as a “decisive war” on terrorism and violent criminality, stating that insecurity remains one of the most critical obstacles to national development. He described banditry as an “alien” threat to Nigeria’s…

Manny Ita  – President Bola Tinubu late last night and into the early hours of today held a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in a renewed effort to resolve the prolonged political crisis in Rivers State. The meeting was attended by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, both central figures in the rift that has stalled governance in the oil-rich state for several months. Presidency sources confirmed that the talks, which stretched deep into the night, focused on restoring political stability and addressing the breakdown of trust between the…

Manny Ita  – The Abia State Government has issued a formal rebuttal to widespread social media reports and viral articles alleging that Governor Alex Otti has initiated legal action against the Federal Government at the International Court of Justice, commonly known as the World Court. The rumors, which gained significant traction over the last 48 hours, claimed that the state executive had filed a lawsuit over a dispute regarding the licensing and operational control of the proposed Abia State Cargo Airport. In a press briefing held today at the Government House in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey…

Africa privileged to $29.5tn mineral wealth – Report By Elegbede Abiodun … report reframes the mineral sector through an African development lens. A new study released by the Africa Finance Corporation has indicated that the continent holds an estimated $29.5tn in mine-site mineral value, representing about 20 per cent of global mineral wealth, yet captures only a fraction of the economic value embedded in this endowment. In a statement on Monday, the AFC, which supports infrastructural and industry investments on the continent, said that the report reframes the mineral sector through an African development lens, placing industrialisation, infrastructure, and…

Lagos prepares for establishment of W’Africa’s premier International Financial Centre Elegbede Abiodun The Lagos State government is prepared to establish the premier International Financial Centre in the West African regional bloc. In accordance to a statement from the British High Commission Communications Office on Monday, TheCityUK, in partnership with the UK Government, Lagos State Government, Lagos International Financial Centre Council, and EnterpriseNGR, unveiled a landmark report, ‘Establishing an International Financial Centre in Lagos, Nigeria’. The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the recently held Investopia Africa, declared that the state would soon be unveiling the Lagos International Financial Centre,…

Implementation Of New Tax-free Allowances For Varsities Commences ~ FG By Elegbede Abiodun The Federal Government has asked universities to begin the payment of the tax-free Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance across the country. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who disclosed this in a memo sent to all federal Universities, said it was in fulfillment of the agreement reached between the Federal Government and university lecturers recently. The allowance, which ranges from a little over N1million annually for graduate assistants and assistant lecturers to over N3million for professors, is expected to bump up the take-home pay of university teachers.…

Pad Me A Girl Empowerment Foundation, Access Bank Reach IDP Camps with “Access Pad Me A Girl 2.0” Outreach The Pad Me A Girl Empowerment Foundation, in partnership with Access Bank, has carried out a multi-location humanitarian outreach under the “Access Pad Me A Girl 2.0” initiative, reaching vulnerable girls and women across Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Abuja, Benue, and Nasarawa States from February 6th to 9th, 2026. The weekend outreach covered Area 1 IDP Camp, Durumi (Abuja), Ortese IDP Camp (Benue State), and Kadarko IDP Camp (Nasarawa State), with a focus on promoting menstrual dignity, education,…

Stanbic IBTC Insurance Triumphs At 2025 Risk Analyst Awards, Showcasing Institutional Excellence Elegbede Abiodun Stanbic IBTC Insurance, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, has been recognised as one of Nigeria’s top-performing insurers, winning the Life Insurance category at the 2025 Risk Analyst Insurance Brokers Performance Review Awards. The award is part of Risk Analyst Insurance Brokers Limited’s annual assessment of insurance underwriters, which evaluates partners based on key criteria including claims settlement efficiency, service delivery, responsiveness, and broker–underwriter collaboration. The initiative aims to promote accountability, raise service standards, and strengthen trust across Nigeria’s insurance ecosystem. Stanbic IBTC Insurance Ltd’s…