The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms. According to the charge sheet, Malami is accused of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by allegedly refusing to prosecute suspected financiers whose case files were forwarded to his office while he served as AGF and Minister of Justice. Both defendants are also accused of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition at their residence in Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External, 52 days after the conclusion of the final paper. The Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, disclosed that 96,979 candidates registered for the examination across 16 subjects, while 95,160 candidates eventually sat for the papers nationwide. According to the performance analysis, 71.63 per cent of the candidates obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. Subject-by-subject results show that 78.32 per cent of candidates earned credit passes in English Language, while 91.35 per cent recorded credit…
Zamani Telecom, a major mobile network operator in Niger Republic, has partnered Hayo, a global digital solutions provider, to deploy Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS monetisation and SMS firewall solutions aimed at curbing fraud and boosting revenue. Under the agreement, Hayo will serve as Zamani’s exclusive partner for A2P monetisation, deploying its SMS Firewall solution to test, identify and block fraudulent traffic across the operator’s network. The move is expected to improve profitability, sustainability and trust in Zamani’s A2P SMS business. The SMS Firewall solution detects and blocks A2P traffic terminated through grey routes, ensuring all messages are delivered via authorised, whitelisted…
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced plans to deport at least 79 Nigerians who have been placed on its “worst-of-the-worst” criminal register. This announcement was made on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s official website. This move is part of renewed efforts by U.S. immigration authorities to prioritize the deportation of foreign nationals with serious criminal convictions. According to the DHS, the individuals listed are convicted criminal aliens who were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and are being prioritized for deportation. “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is highlighting the worst of the…
The naira appreciated against the United States dollar on the first trading day of February 2026, closing at N1,384.5/$ at the official foreign exchange market. Data published on Monday on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) website showed the local currency strengthening modestly from N1,391/$ recorded on the final trading day of January 2026, signalling a firmer start to the new month. Year-on-year, the naira also traded significantly stronger than on the first trading day of February 2025, when it closed at about N1,500/$ at the official market amid heightened volatility. ALSO READ Naira ends January at N1,391/$ as FX…
The National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, has released 13,710 long-pending certificates for graduates of its Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes. In a statement issued Monday in Kaduna, Yusha’u Ahmed, Head of NTI’s Public Relations and Protocol Unit, said affected graduates should visit NTI offices in their respective states with the required documents and follow approved procedures for collection. He added that certificates for Bachelor’s Degree Programmes (BDPs) will be available from next week. A breakdown from the Institute’s Academic Records Division shows that 6,954 PGDE certificates for the 2013–2016 sessions, in affiliation with…
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched its first investment in Nigeria—and its first in the sub-Saharan African financial sector—by extending a $100 million (€85 million) trade finance facility to Access Bank. The facility, provided under the EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), is designed to support Access Bank’s trade finance operations, diversify its correspondent banking relationships, and strengthen trade links between Nigeria and other EBRD countries of operation. The trade finance limit will be used to issue guarantees in favour of foreign commercial banks and provide cash advances for trade-related loans to local companies, covering pre-export, post-import…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has called for a shift from crisis-driven private sector donations to structured, long-term co-investment to strengthen Nigeria’s health security. NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, said recurring outbreaks such as Lassa fever, cholera, diphtheria and mpox expose vulnerabilities that disrupt productivity, supply chains and investor confidence, making health security an economic imperative. He noted that government and donors alone can no longer sustainably fund preparedness, especially amid shrinking aid and rising disease risks linked to urbanisation, climate shocks and mobility. With the private sector contributing nearly 90 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP,…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released a comprehensive report assessing the nation’s fintech landscape, highlighting key priorities to sustain innovation, strengthen system integrity, and drive the next phase of digital financial growth. According to a statement made available to ASHENEWS on Monday, the report evaluates the scale and maturity of Nigeria’s fintech ecosystem, noting the country’s leadership in real-time payments and the structural factors behind recent growth. It also positions fintech as a complementary force within the financial system, expanding access, efficiency, and reach while safeguarding stability and resilience. ALSO READ Naira ends January at N1,391/$ as FX…
Former Justice Minister and AGF, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside an interim forfeiture order on three of his 57 properties listed by the EFCC for alleged unlawful acquisition. The properties include: Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a bedroom duplex and boys’ quarters at No. 12, Yalinga Street, Wuse II, Abuja; and the ADC Kadi Malami Foundation Building, held in trust for his late father’s estate. Malami, represented by Joseph Daudu, SAN, said the EFCC obtained the order through misrepresentation and suppression of facts. He argued the assets were lawfully…