Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – The administration of Donald Trump has announced a major expansion of efforts to revoke the citizenship of some naturalized Americans accused of fraud, terrorism-related activities, or serious crimes. According to the CBS News report⁠�, the U.S. Justice Department filed denaturalization cases against about a dozen foreign-born U.S. citizens from countries including Nigeria, India, Somalia, Morocco, China and others. Officials allege the targeted individuals either: Obtained citizenship through fraud or false identities, Hid criminal backgrounds during immigration processes, Took part in sham marriages for immigration benefits, Or had links to extremist or terrorist organizations. Among those named were:…

Following a major procedural announcement for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, world football’s governing body has officially laid out the timeline and regulations for team squad submissions. All 48 nations set to compete in the historic tournament—co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—must finalize and submit their player rosters by June 2, 2026, the same day FIFA will publish the official lists for public viewing. While national football associations are allowed to unveil their squads ahead of the deadline, FIFA clarified that no roster will be considered official until it receives formal approval from the governing body. This…

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) Plc, has planned to tap international debt markets through the issuance of fixed rate reset Tier 2 nature Nlnotes under SEC Rule 144A and Regulation S to raise funds for its obligations. The Pan-African lender said proceeds will finance a tender offer for its $350 million 8.750 per cent Tier 2 notes due 2031 and fund eligible green assets under its Green Bond Framework. The company in a notice signed by its group executive director and CFO, Ayo Adepoju and released on the Nigerian Exchange Limited, the Ghana Stock Exchange and the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs…

AMVCA The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has made public the nominees for its 12th edition, with the main ceremony scheduled for May 9, 2026. Veteran actress Joke Silva was earlier appointed Head Judge, succeeding Femi Odugbemi. This year’s edition features 32 categories, comprising 18 jury-voted awards, 11 audience-voted categories, and three special recognition awards, including Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer honours. Notably, the AMVCA introduced two new categories: Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa) and Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa), aimed at strengthening the awards’ pan-African representation. The nominees were announced live on Africa Magic channels, hosted by…

As part of efforts to promote SMEs and strengthen support for operators in the informal sector, Unity Bank has continued to empower small-scale traders and shop owners across Nigeria through its initiative called Shop Collateralised Facility, SHOCOF. SHOCOF is an innovative loan product, and Unity Bank has disbursed over N500 million to beneficiaries, significantly improving access to financing, and further driving financial inclusion. Originally introduced as a targeted intervention for traders in Southeast Nigeria, SHOCOF quickly gained traction and broad acceptance for its flexibility and tailored structure, prompting the Bank to expand the product nationwide. Under the initiative, eligible customers…

The Nigeria Football Federation has made public the appointments of Abdu Maikaba and Eboboritse Uwejamomere as head coaches of the men’s national U-20 and the U-17 boys national team respectively. Maikaba and Uwejamomere’s appointments followed the reshuffling of the backroom of all age grade national football teams. “The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has endorsed the recommendation of the Federation’s Technical and Development Committee for the appointments of Abdu Maikaba and Eboboritse Uwejamomere as head coaches of the U20 and U17 Boys National Teams,” the NFF announced on Thursday. Maikaba, who has managed several of Nigeria’s prestigious clubs,…

Maltina drinks Maltina has expanded its nationwide Nourishment Tour to Ibadan as part of its efforts to deepen nutrition awareness among students through science-based learning activities. The latest activation was held at Maverick College, Ibadan, in partnership with brand ambassador Tomike Adeoye and STEM Africa. According to the organisers in a statement, the campaign has reached more than 227,000 students across Nigeria through school tours and pop-up activations. The initiative comes as Maltina marks its 50th anniversary, with the company seeking to increase engagement with young consumers through nutrition-focused educational programmes. At the Ibadan event, students participated in science experiments…

Elegbede Abiodun The first quarter of 2026 marked a definitive pivot for First HoldCo Plc, as the parent entity of Nigeria’s oldest commercial bank re-established itself as a financial powerhouse First Holdco Plc delivered a masterclass performance in its first-quarter 2026 financials, recording a 100% year-on-year profit before tax (PBT) growth. Profit before tax (PBT) jumped to N321.12 billion from N186.48 billion in the corresponding period of 2025, supported by steady interest-earning capacity and robust fee income generation. The first quarter of 2026 marked a definitive pivot for First HoldCo Plc, as the parent entity of Nigeria’s oldest commercial bank…

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to N10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth. The facility provides loans ranging from N500,000 to N5 million under a general category and N5 million to N10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50 per cent of an applicant’s average monthly turnover. At the centre of the offering is a zero per cent interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure. Repayment is structured over…

• South-East emerged as the most expensive zone for most staple foods. Prices of several key staple foods dropped significantly in March compared to the same period in 2025, the National Bureau of Statistics said in its latest Selected Food Price Watch report. The report showed that brown beans recorded the steepest decline, falling by 49.32 per cent year-on-year to N1,325.85 per kilogram from N2,616.26. White garri also dropped 41.19 per cent to N801.54 per kilogram. A crate of eggs declined by 20.12 per cent to N6,127.62. Onions also fell by 19.63 per cent, settling at N1,153.14 per kilogram. However,…