Lakurawa terrorists killed 30 people and abducted several others following a midnight attack on Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State. According to a report by Channels Television, the gunmen stormed the community around midnight on Thursday and operated until the early hours of Friday. Residents said the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, blocked major entry and exit routes into the village before opening fire indiscriminately and carrying out abductions. “After blocking all the roads, the bandits started shooting on sight, and villagers ran in different directions. After the attack, we realised that 30 people were…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
Terrorists have escalated fear in the Utono community in Ngaski Local Government Area (LGA) of Kebbi State, Nigeria, by sending a threatening letter demanding ₦100 million before they would be permitted to enter the town, according to local reports. The letter, allegedly delivered to community leaders in the early hours of Thursday, February 19 or 20, 2026, warned residents not to dismiss the message as a joke. It stated that the group intended to come to “preach,” but attached the steep financial demand as a condition for their entry. “This is not a joke. We are coming to preach. You…
Rwanda has raised its benchmark interest rate to a near three-year high, defying a broader wave of monetary easing across the continent as policymakers move to contain rising inflationary pressures. The National Bank of Rwanda’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) increased the key policy rate to 7.25 percent from 6.75 percent at its first meeting of 2026. The 50-basis-point hike marks the largest rate increase in almost three years and pushes borrowing costs to their highest level since August 2023. With the latest move, cumulative tightening now stands at 75 basis points since the central bank resumed rate hikes last year.…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that the rapid expansion of private digital payment platforms and stablecoins could undermine foreign exchange stability and intensify capital flow pressures in emerging markets. CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, raised the concern during a plenary session at the G-24 Technical Group Meetings held on Thursday in Abuja. Cardoso acknowledged that digital payment systems offer significant gains in financial inclusion and operational efficiency. However, he warned that they also introduce structural vulnerabilities requiring proactive and coordinated regulatory oversight. According to him, the growth of digital platforms and stablecoins presents both opportunities and systemic risks…
President Bola Tinubu has signed an executive order directing the direct remittance of oil and gas revenues to the Federation Account, in a move aimed at curbing leakages, eliminating duplications, and boosting earnings for the three tiers of government. The directive, issued under Section 5 of the Constitution, seeks to strengthen transparency and restore revenue entitlements of federal, state, and local governments under the framework of the Petroleum Industry Act. In a State House statement on Wednesday, the Presidency said the order addresses structural provisions that have allowed substantial deductions from Federation revenues, including retention arrangements by NNPC Limited under…
Africa must work together to grow its economies, create jobs, and protect its future from climate risks, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, has said. Speaking at the Egypt 30by30 Programme hosted by the Central Bank of Egypt and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Cardoso painted a picture of both urgency and opportunity for the continent. He said Africa faces the challenge of lifting millions out of poverty while industrialising and adapting to climate change — but also holds the resources and youthful energy to turn that challenge into progress. Cardoso described the initiative as a shared…
The Bank of Namibia kept its benchmark policy rate unchanged at 6.50% following its first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of 2026, signaling caution amid easing inflation and shifting regional trends. New Governor Ebson Uanguta chaired the session, extending the December hold as policymakers balance domestic price relief against South African influences and external risks. Namibia’s annual headline inflation eased to 2.9% in January from 3.2% a year earlier, per the Namibia Statistics Agency. Core inflation (excluding food and energy) ticked up slightly to 3.2%, indicating persistent underlying pressures. This divergence prompted the central bank to await firmer evidence of…
Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera has issued an executive order barring employees of public hospitals and state-run health facilities from owning, operating, or holding shares in private clinics or pharmacies. The measure aims to curb conflicts of interest and corruption in the health sector. Issued on Tuesday, February 17, the order also prohibits government health workers from soliciting, demanding, or accepting payments or monetary favors from patients as a condition for treatment. It follows recent remarks by Health Minister Madalitso Baloyi, who alleged that some medical practitioners were demanding large sums from patients and guardians in public hospitals in exchange for…
Mastercard and Ericsson have teamed up to streamline global money transfers and boost financial inclusion by integrating their digital payment platforms. Pavan Bachwal, Ericsson’s Head of Mobile Financial Services, announced the partnership in a Wednesday statement. It links Ericsson’s Fintech Platform—operating in 22 countries and serving over 120 million active users—with Mastercard Move, the company’s suite of money movement solutions. This will enable telecom operators, banks, and fintechs to enhance digital wallets and launch new payment services. The platform processes more than four billion transactions monthly across digital wallets, payments, remittances, lending, and loyalty services, backed by enterprise-grade security, pre-integrated…
The Naira strengthened against the US Dollar on Monday, closing at a two-year high of N1,347.78/$1 at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), appreciating by N7.64 or 0.56 per cent from the previous session’s N1,355.42/$1. The local currency also recorded gains against other major currencies in the official market. It appreciated by N5.41 against the Pound Sterling to trade at N1,839.18/£1, compared with N1,844.59/£1 recorded last Friday. Against the Euro, the Naira gained N9.78 to close at N1,598.06/€1 from the prior rate of N1,607.93/€1. However, performance was mixed across segments. At the GTBank forex counter, the Naira weakened marginally…