Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – Buckingham Palace and the Nigerian Presidency confirmed today that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted an invitation to undertake a State Visit to the United Kingdom, scheduled for March 18 and 19, 2026. According to the confirmation, President Tinubu will be accompanied by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and will be formally hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle. The visit is expected to feature ceremonial engagements and high-level bilateral discussions. The Presidency described the trip as historically significant, noting that it will be the first official State Visit by a Nigerian…

Manny Ita  – Gunmen attacked the Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State in the early hours of today, raiding the residence of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church at about 3:20 a.m., residents and local sources said. The attackers reportedly met resistance from security personnel deployed in the area, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire. During the confrontation, three security operatives—two soldiers and one police officer—were killed while attempting to repel the assailants, according to accounts from the community. In the course of the raid, the gunmen abducted the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, along…

Airtel Nigeria To Lead Next Phase Of Telecoms Growth With Quality Of Service Advancements L-R: Director, Corporate Communications/CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Femi Adeniran; Chief Technology Officer, Harmanpreet Singh Dhillon; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh; Director, Airtel Business, Ogo Ofomata; Director of Marketing, Ismail Adesina; and the IT Director, Kemi Ariyo,during the Airtel media roundtable held in Lagos.  Airtel Nigeria has unveiled a robust update on a range of network, infrastructure and technology advancements that position the company at the forefront of quality of service leadership in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry. Announced at its first media roundtable of 2026, the…

Sterling HoldCo Sustains Profit Momentum With 99% PBT Growth … meets the recapitalisation requirements well ahead of the March 2026 deadline. Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc (“Sterling HoldCo” or “the Group”) has posted its interim, unaudited full-year financial results, showcasing a 99% year-over-year (YoY) increase in profit before tax (PBT) for the year ended December 31, 2025. A key driver of this performance was the Group’s substantial growth in both interest and non-interest income, with gross earnings rising by 46% to ₦476.5 billion. Interest income surged by 43% to ₦369.6 billion, reflecting growth in loans and advances to customers…

LG ELECTRONICS SHOWCASES AI-POWERED HOME SOLUTIONS TAILORED FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA LG Presents Region-Optimized Clothing Care, Kitchen and Cleaning Solutions at LG InnoFest 2026 MEA LG Electronics (LG) is introducing a comprehensive lineup of AI-powered home solutions tailored for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) at LG InnoFest 2026 MEA, taking place in Abu Dhabi from February 3-5. Under the theme “Innovation, Forward Together,” the exhibition highlights LG’s latest developments across clothing care, kitchen, built-in kitchen and total cleaning solutions, with a focus on user-centric design and regional relevance. Returning after a seven-year hiatus, LG InnoFest is…

Manny Ita  – The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced the delisting of no fewer than 400,000 inactive companies from Nigeria’s business register, describing the move as part of a broader regulatory effort to sanitize and strengthen the integrity of the national corporate database. The commission said the affected entities failed to comply with statutory requirements, including the filing of annual returns over prolonged periods, adding that their continued presence on the register undermined transparency and ease of doing business. A senior CAC official said the exercise was aimed at ensuring that “only active and compliant entities remain on the…

Manny Ita  – Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has officially confirmed her membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a development that has generated widespread political reactions across the country. Speaking while confirming the move, Iyabo Obasanjo described the ruling party as her “natural home,” signalling a clear departure from her previous political affiliations and aligning herself with the APC at a time of heightened political realignments. She said her decision was informed by reflection on her political journey and the direction of national politics, noting that her choice was made consciously and without coercion. According to…

Manny Ita  – Several Nigerian states, including Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Benue, Imo and Plateau, on Thursday marked their Golden Jubilee, commemorating 50 years since their creation in 1976 by the military administration of General Murtala Ramat Muhammed. The anniversary recalls the historic state creation exercise of February 3, 1976, widely regarded as one of the most significant administrative reforms in Nigeria’s history, which increased the number of states in the federation from 12 to 19. The move was intended to bring governance closer to the people, reduce regional imbalances and strengthen national unity. Across the states, commemorative activities featured thanksgiving…

Manny Ita  – Energy sector stakeholders and researchers have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement a more rigorous monitoring framework for oil contractors and producers to ensure the realization of Nigeria’s ambitious production goal of 3 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2030. During a plenary session at the recently concluded 2026 Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) in Abuja, experts emphasized that the current production levels—hovering around 1.6 million bpd—require a strategic and transparent “phase-by-phase” reporting mechanism to bridge the gap between policy intent and field execution. ​Dr. Adeola Yusuf, a prominent energy communication researcher and team lead…

Manny Ita  – The International Monetary Fund has projected that Nigeria will overtake Algeria to become Africa’s third-largest economy by the end of 2026, attributing the anticipated shift to the impact of ongoing fiscal and structural reforms. The projection was contained in the IMF’s latest economic outlook, which assessed medium-term growth trajectories across the continent. According to the report, Nigeria’s economic position is expected to improve as recent policy adjustments begin to yield results, particularly in public finance management and revenue mobilisation. The IMF noted that reforms targeting fuel subsidies, exchange rate unification, and tax administration are gradually reshaping macroeconomic…