Veteran journalist and one of the co-founders of Nigeria’s foremost investigative Newswatch magazine, Yakubu Mohammed, has died at the age of 75. Mohammed passed away on Tuesday in Lagos after a brief illness, bringing to an end a distinguished media career that spanned several decades and helped shape investigative journalism in Nigeria. He was among the founding team that established Newswatch magazine in 1984 alongside the late Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu and Dan Agbese. The weekly publication quickly rose to prominence and became a reference point for bold reporting, in-depth investigations and editorial independence during critical periods of Nigeria’s political…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
At least three Nigerian banks are likely to merge in early 2026 as pressure mounts on lenders to meet the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) new minimum capital requirements before the 31 March deadline. According to DataPro’s 2026 Banking Sector Prospects in Nigeria, most of the country’s big banks have already crossed the new capital threshold. Smaller banks, however, are running out of time and options, making mergers one of the most realistic survival paths. DataPro’s Enterprise Risk Management analyst, Idris Shittu, said the recapitalisation exercise has triggered intense behind-the-scenes negotiations across the sector.“ ALSO READ Nigerian govt explains N152trn…
The Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences (NSPS) has announced Dr. Bello Alhaji Buhari as the recipient of its 2026 PhD Thesis Prize in the Computer Science category. The Society followed a rigorous and transparent evaluation process, before confering the prestigious award on Dr. Buhari, a doctoral graduate of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, in recognition of the exceptional quality and scholarly significance of his doctoral research. Dr. Buhari was honoured for his PhD thesis titled “Web-based User Authentication and Access Control: An Enhanced Multi-Factor Biometric Cryptographic Scheme Based on Client File and S13 Quantum Key Distribution Protocol.” The adjudicating panel noted…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has projected that the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, is likely to hover around ₦905 per litre within the 2026 fiscal year. The projection is contained in the apex bank’s Macroeconomic Outlook, which outlines key assumptions guiding Nigeria’s economic performance over the medium term, including crude oil prices, foreign exchange stability and domestic production levels. According to the CBN, global crude oil prices are expected to moderate, with Brent crude projected to average about $60 per barrel towards the end of 2025 and decline further to around $55…
Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has filed a formal corruption petition against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Dangote Group and made available to ASHENEWS on Friday. According to the statement, the petition was submitted through Dangote’s legal team following the withdrawal of an earlier petition filed with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The withdrawal was described as a strategic move…
A.A. Rano Nigeria Limited, founded by oil magnate Auwalu Abdullahi Rano, has launched Nigeria’s first fully automated and unmanned fuel stations, offering 24-hour service, digital payments, and SmartPump technology. The initiative is being implemented in partnership with Petrosoft Limited, a Nigerian technology company that develops management and automation solutions for the oil and gas industry. Under the agreement, Petrosoft will deploy its automated station technology across A.A. Rano’s more than 200 retail outlets nationwide. In a statement issued on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, A.A. Rano said the first set of automated stations is expected to commence operations within the month,…
President Donald Trump is withdrawing the United States (US) from a foundational climate treaty as part of a sweeping exit from collective global action, the White House announced on Wednesday. A total of 66 global organisations and treaties — roughly half affiliated with the United Nations — were listed in a White House memorandum as “contrary to the interests of the United States.” Most notable among them is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the parent treaty underpinning all major international climate agreements. Trump, who has thrown the full weight of his domestic policy behind fossil fuels,…
Nigerians and travellers from 37 other countries applying for United States B1/B2 visas may now be required to post non-refundable visa bonds of up to $15,000, following a new directive by the US Department of State. The visa bond policy applies to applicants seeking business (B1) or tourism (B2) visas from countries classified by the US as high-risk. Visa bonds serve as financial guarantees and do not ensure automatic visa approval. The development further tightens US entry conditions, coming barely a week after Nigeria was placed under partial US travel restrictions. ALSO READ US drops 6 childhood vaccines from CDC…
A new review by the World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed that there is no evidence that childhood vaccines cause autism, following an assessment of more than 25 years of global scientific research. The review, conducted by the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS), found no causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including vaccines containing preservatives such as thimerosal or aluminium-based adjuvants. The findings, published on Thursday, come amid renewed debate in the United States after comments by US Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reviving long-debunked claims about a possible link…
The House of Representatives has released the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of four tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following public concerns over the circulation of unauthorised and allegedly altered versions. The release was directed by the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, in collaboration with Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, after discrepancies were identified in versions of the laws already in circulation. ASHENEWS gathered that the issue was first raised on the floor of the House by a member who drew attention to inconsistencies in the tax laws, prompting an internal verification exercise…