Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed that Abuja will serve as the host city for the 2026 RegTech Africa Conference & Expo (RACE 2026), featuring the prestigious Global Startup World Cup (GSWC) regional qualifiers. Scheduled for May 20–22, 2026, at the State House Banquet Hall in the Presidential Villa, the event is organized under the patronage of the Office of the Vice President in partnership with the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI). The conference, themed “Building Trust, Infrastructure, Inclusion, and Policy for a Borderless Economy,” aims to position Africa as a global hub…

INEC to unveil details of new political parties soon The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would conduct a thorough clean-up of the country’s register of voters with a view to further sanitising and strengthening the integrity of the register. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said this during the commission’s quarterly consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations on Wednesday in Abuja. Amupitan said that a credible register of voters remained the bedrock of free, fair and transparent elections, stressing “no electoral process can command public confidence without trust in the integrity of its voters’ register”. He noted…

Founder’s Day: LASUSTECH champions industry collaboration for tech growth LASUSTECH champions industry collaboration, grants, and STI funding to accelerate Nigeria’s technological development. Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) marked its 4th Founder’s Day in Lagos on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, with a call for deeper industry collaboration, enhanced grant acquisition, and dedicated government funding for Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) to drive Nigeria’s technological advancement. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya highlighted LASUSTECH’s rapid expansion, noting a student population exceeding 12,600 and that 39 of 41 academic programmes have been submitted for accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).…

Actor Bolanle Ninalowo campaigns for Tinubu, bold move into politics Bolanle Ninalowo has been appointed Atlanta coordinator for a pro-presidency advocate. A move to consolidate political support for the Tinubu administration at home and abroad. Popular Nollywood actor Bolanle Ninalowo has formally entered Nigeria’s political space, joining campaign efforts in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through a new diaspora coordination role in the United States. Bolanle Ninalowo announced on Tuesday that he has been appointed Atlanta coordinator for Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria, a prominent advocacy group aligned with the President’s administration. The actor disclosed the appointment in…

Manny Ita – The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has declared that traditional rulers do not require constitutional provisions to exercise their roles as advisors to political leaders. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Wednesday, the monarch argued that traditional institutions are fundamental pillars of good governance and nation-building. Addressing the ongoing debate regarding the formal inclusion of traditional rulers in the Nigerian Constitution, Sanusi asserted that his authority to counsel the President or state governors is derived from his position as a leader of the people rather than a legal document. “Do I need…

Manny Ita  – The United States House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Africa is scheduled to hold a high-stakes hearing today, February 5, 2026, to investigate escalating reports of systematic violence and alleged genocide in Nigeria. The session follows a surge in petitions from international human rights organizations and Nigerian diaspora groups regarding targeted killings in the North-Central and North-West regions. Lawmakers are expected to review evidence of what some advocacy groups describe as a “silent genocide” targeting specific ethnic and religious communities. “The international community cannot remain a bystander while the scale of violence reaches a tipping point that threatens…

Manny Ita – Stakeholders in the creative and diplomatic sectors have called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to strategically deploy the nation’s rich cultural assets as a primary tool for enhancing its global reputation and soft power. Speaking at a national symposium on “Culture and Diplomacy” held in Abuja on February 4, 2026, industry leaders argued that while Nigeria’s economic and security challenges often dominate international headlines, its music, film, fashion, and arts offer an untapped pathway to reshaping the country’s narrative. The experts emphasized that a “culture-first” foreign policy would not only attract foreign direct investment but also…

Manny Ita  – The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has updated its travel advisory for Nigeria, warning its citizens against traveling to 26 states across the federation due to heightened risks of terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime. In the advisory released on February 5, 2026, the Australian government categorized these regions under its “Do Not Travel” and “Reconsider Your Need to Travel” lists, citing an “extremely volatile” security situation. The warning specifically targets almost all states in the North-East, North-West, and several regions in the South-South and North-Central zones, noting that the capacity of the Australian High…

Manny Ita  – CardinalStone Asset Management Limited has finalized the Series 1 offer of the CardinalStone Infrastructure Debt Fund (CIDF), successfully raising ₦12.63 billion from institutional and high-net-worth investors. The successful close, announced on February 4, 2026, marks the first tranche of the firm’s broader ₦500 billion Umbrella Infrastructure Fund, a structure recently authorized by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to provide flexible investment strategies in the Nigerian market. The debt sub-fund is specifically designed to provide long-term, “patient” capital through various instruments, including senior and subordinated debt, targeting critical sectors such as power, gas infrastructure, telecommunications, and social…

Manny Ita  – Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing the Cross River South Senatorial District, has provided financial empowerment to 1,032 students through a cash award of ₦110,000 each to assist with their academic expenses. The disbursement took place during an education support ceremony in Calabar on February 4, 2026, drawing a diverse group of undergraduate and postgraduate beneficiaries from federal and state universities, colleges of education, and various health and nursing institutions. While the program was originally structured to provide ₦100,000 per student, the lawmaker announced an additional ₦10,000 as “lunch support,” bringing the total individual grant to ₦110,000 and the…