The United States is set to record its smallest wheat planting area since official records began more than a century ago, following a sharp downward revision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). According to the USDA’s latest Acreage report, total wheat planted area for the 2026 season is estimated at 42.74 million acres, a decline of about 2.4 per cent from the March planting intentions and six per cent lower than the 45.33 million acres planted in 2025. The figure is also significantly below market expectations and marks the lowest planted wheat area since record-keeping began in 1919. The…
Author: Editor
In recent years, Egypt and Turkey have moved from sharp disagreements—particularly over the Muslim Brotherhood and developments in Egypt—to a more pragmatic alignment driven by shared strategic interests, especially in the Horn of Africa. One of the clearest examples of this convergence is Sudan. Both Cairo and Ankara have backed the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in their conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Turkey has reportedly supplied military equipment, including drones, that have contributed significantly to the SAF’s recent battlefield advances. Egypt has also maintained steadfast support for the Sudanese military, partly because of concerns that its regional rival,…
Multiple award-winning broadcaster Channels Television (ChannelsTV) has received another industry recognition after emerging as the recipient of the Media Leadership Prize at the 2026 Lagos Enterprise and Excellence Awards. The honour was presented at the awards ceremony held in Lagos, where the organisers celebrated individuals and organisations that have demonstrated excellence, innovation and leadership across various sectors of the Nigerian economy. Channels Television’s News Editor, Melinda Akinlami, received the award on behalf of the station. According to the organisers, the award recognises the sustained commitment of ChannelsTV to credible journalism, professional broadcasting and its contribution to the development of Nigeria’s…
The World Bank has approved a $1.25 billion Development Policy Financing (DPF) loan for Nigeria, moving ahead with the facility despite widespread public concerns over the country’s growing debt burden. The approval, announced on Wednesday, forms part of the World Bank’s new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Nigeria covering the 2026–2032 period. The framework is designed to support private sector-led economic growth, job creation and long-term development. According to the World Bank, the financing—known as the Nigeria Actions for Investment and Jobs Acceleration (NAIJA) Development Policy Financing operation—will back reforms aimed at strengthening economic competitiveness and encouraging greater private investment.…
If all wars end in dialogue, why begin with bloodshed? On June 18, 2026, after nearly four months of escalating hostilities that threatened to ignite a wider war in the Middle East, representatives of the United States and Iran signed what is now known as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Brokered largely through Pakistani mediation and backed by a coalition of international actors, the agreement brought a fragile halt to a conflict that had drawn in Israel, shaken global markets, disrupted energy supplies, and left thousands of people dead across several countries. At that meeting in Islamabad, diplomats smiled cautiously…
Public service, particularly at the highest levels of government, often comes with intense scrutiny, criticism, and, at times, outright accusations. While accountability remains a cornerstone of democratic governance, it is equally important that public discourse is guided by facts, evidence, and due process rather than speculation or political grandstanding. Recent allegations and public statements targeted at the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, over issues relating to the Presidential Fiscal and Investment Policy Commission (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) have once again brought to the fore the need for caution and…
This is the concluding part of this write-up, originally published on April 25, 2022. Following the publication of parts one and two over the past two weeks, I have revisited this article because its message remains as relevant and timely today as it was when it was first published. Only that it is now: “No one is safe”, not only “Nowhere”, with generals being killed on the roads (read General Alkali), abducted from their fortified homes. “When that is not the case, the victim’s faith in his country gets punctured. With the country’s might demystified in his eyes, he can…
I think the mood of the nation is that Nigeria needs to establish police services at the state level to address the massive growth of insecurity in the country. After decades of agitation, the Senate on Wednesday passed the bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria. The legislation seeks to establish a state policing structure that would operate concurrently with the existing federal police system. Clause 17 of the bill, which deals with appointment, command, direction and tenure, provides that while the Federal Police Service shall be headed by the Inspector-General of Police, the State Police Service shall be…
Introduction: Across the drylands and savannah landscapes of Nigeria, millions of Neem trees stand as one of the country’s most overlooked economic assets. For decades, Neem (Azadirachta indica) has been valued primarily for its medicinal, environmental and agricultural benefits, particularly among rural communities that have relied on the tree for traditional healthcare, shade and natural pest control (National Research Council, 1992). However, as global markets increasingly shift toward sustainable agriculture, green manufacturing, natural products and climate-smart solutions, Neem is emerging as a strategic bioeconomy resource with significant commercial potential (FAO, 2023; UNEP, 2023). Around the world, demand for biological pesticides,…
Healthcare professionals who leave their home countries to serve abroad often make significant contributions to their host communities. One such individual is Dr. Bello Mode Dange, a Nigerian physician whose dedication and leadership have revitalized pediatric healthcare in the Bulgarian town of Kavarna. In this interview with Bulgarian journalist Aida Panikyan, Dr. Dange reflects on his journey from Sokoto State, Nigeria, to Bulgaria, his professional experiences, and his commitment to improving child healthcare. “I am happy here”: The Nigerian doctor revitalizing pediatric care in Kavarna, says. From the historic city of Sokoto in northern Nigeria to Bulgaria’s picturesque Black Sea…