The Nigerian stock market opened the week on a positive note, as market capitalisation rose by 0.44 per cent to N140.435 trillion from N139.826 trillion, reflecting a gain of N609 billion. Similarly, the All-Share Index advanced by 946.27 points, or 0.44 per cent, increasing from 217,167.57 to 218,113.84. The upbeat performance was driven by gains in mid- and large-cap stocks such as Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, Union Dicon Salt, Fidelity Bank, Trans-Nationwide Express, Access Corporation, and 31 others. Banking stocks were generally observed to have significantly driven the market. While the year-to-date return rose to 40.16 per cent, market breadth…
Author: Editor
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) hosted a strategic meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Mahmud Kambari. The high-level engagement was held on Monday at FAAN headquarters in Lagos to strengthen institutional synergy and accelerate aviation sector growth. FAAN Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, gave a detailed briefing on the authority’s operational environment and current priorities. She noted key pressures, including rising energy costs, pension obligations, financial reconciliations, and evolving aviation security demands. Kuku highlighted safety milestones, including the successful recertification of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.…
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has signed into law the Abia State Centre for the Rehabilitation of Survivors of Rape, Defilement, Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Bill, 2026. Speaking on Monday while assenting to the bill in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, Otti commended the State House of Assembly for granting it expedited consideration and passing it in record time. He also lauded his wife, Priscilla, for championing the legislation, as well as members of the executive council and the technical team that worked on the bill. Otti recalled the inauguration of the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre…
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD West Africa) has warned that misinformation, disinformation and hate speech pose serious threats to governance, public trust and democratic stability. The Director of CDD West Africa, Dr. Dauda Garuba, stated this on Monday in Abuja during a Project Impact Dissemination on Sustaining Information Literacy and Social Cohesion (StILASC) in Nigeria. Speaking at the end-of-project phase, Garuba said the growing spread of false information was no longer a peripheral issue but a core challenge undermining national stability. He called for sustained efforts to strengthen information literacy and adopt community-driven approaches to promote social cohesion…
The Chief Executive Officer of Innovative Biotech, Dr. Simon Agwale, has called for urgent policy reforms to reposition Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector for sustainable growth and global competitiveness. Speaking in an interview in Abuja on Monday, Agwale urged the Federal Government to move beyond rhetoric by adopting demand guarantees to stimulate local production and support indigenous manufacturers. “The most important solutions include the use of demand guarantees, not just slogans,” he said. He stressed that Nigeria must advance beyond basic drug formulation and packaging to upstream production, particularly Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and excipients. “Building full value-chain capacity is critical to…
Health leaders across West Africa have called for a unified, multi-sectoral and data-driven approach to eliminate malaria, warning that fragmented interventions and inefficient resource use continue to hinder progress. The call was made on Monday at the 27th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Health Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where stakeholders described malaria as the region’s leading cause of death. Despite decades of interventions, participants said the disease persists due to disjointed strategies and weak cross-sector coordination. Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health and Sanitation, Austin Demby, stressed that eliminating malaria…
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) has warned that long-term exposure to air pollution significantly increases both the risk of developing cancer and dying from it, underscoring the urgent need for stronger environmental and public health policies. The warning is contained in a new global report, “Clean Air in Cancer Control: An Overview of the Evidence,” released on Monday with support from the Clean Air Fund. According to the report, prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) raises the overall risk of developing cancer by 11 per cent and increases cancer-related mortality by 12 per cent. The sharpest increases…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to strengthen consumer protection and curb fraud across the financial and telecommunications sectors. The Governor of the CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, stated that the MoU would enhance coordination on regulatory approvals, standards, and innovation, including sandbox testing. Cardoso reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to building a safer, more resilient, and inclusive digital financial system. “Going forward, the Central Bank remains committed to working with the Commission to protect consumers and strengthen trust in the digital economy,” he said. The Vice Chairman of…
The US dollar climbed to a one-week high against major currencies on Monday, as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran dampened prospects for a Middle East peace deal and pushed investors toward safe-haven assets. According to Reuters, the uptick followed weekend developments in which the United States reportedly seized an Iranian cargo vessel, escalating geopolitical uncertainty and triggering cautious sentiment across global markets. The dollar strengthened against a basket of major currencies, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) rising to a one-week high of 98.47 before easing to around 98.34 in later trading. Despite the rebound, the index…
The President of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Prof. Peter Onwualu, has emphasised that commercialising research outputs is critical to driving Nigeria’s economic growth. Onwualu made this known in an interview on Thursday in Abuja, noting that the need to bridge the gap between research and industry informed the university’s decision to convene Summit X, scheduled to hold from April 22 to 24 in Abuja. According to him, Nigeria has a vast research ecosystem, comprising over 300 universities, more than 200 research institutes, as well as polytechnics, Colleges of Education, and large-scale industries where research and development…