President Donald Trump warned Friday that he may impose tariffs on countries opposing U.S. acquisition of Greenland, triggering European military deployments and bipartisan congressional resistance amid a deepening diplomatic standoff. Tariff warning escalates tensions Trump issued the threat during a White House roundtable, citing the importance of the national security of Greenland. The statement followed failed talks with Danish and Greenlandic officials, where no breakthrough occurred. European military show of force Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland deployed troops for Operation Arctic Endurance, a Danish-led exercise. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed units en route, while Armed Forces Minister…
Author: Editor
Twenty-four deposit money banks in Nigeria have successfully met the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) new recapitalisation requirements ahead of the March 31, 2026 deadline. This signals strong compliance and renewed confidence in the banking sector. The recapitalisation exercise, unveiled by the CBN in 2024, is aimed at strengthening the financial system, improving banks’ capacity to absorb shocks, and positioning them to better support economic growth. Under the framework, commercial banks with international authorisation are required to maintain a minimum paid-up capital of ₦500 billion, national banks ₦200 billion, and regional banks ₦50 billion, while non-interest banks are subject to…
Yesterday was Armed Forces Remembrance Day signalling the emergence of the military sixty years ago. On the 15th of January 1966, to be precise, a certain Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu addressed Nigerians through Radio Kaduna, announcing martial law and the takeover of power by the Supreme Council of the Revolution. The aim of their action, he said, was to “establish a strong, united and prosperous nation free of corruption and internal strife. Our method of achieving this is purely military”, he arrogantly said. By the end of the day, a significant part of the political class in the North and the…
Walking into a typical primary healthcare centre in Nigeria, one is often confronted by overworked health workers juggling long queues, limited diagnostic tools and incomplete patient records. By contrast, in better-equipped facilities, digital platforms powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) can already analyse symptoms, flag high-risk cases and support clinical decisions within seconds. This stark disparity captures Nigeria’s evolving relationship with AI in healthcare—a space marked by high expectations, but also deep concerns about readiness, regulation and public trust. Health experts say AI has moved beyond the realm of distant innovation to become a practical tool for healthcare delivery in Nigeria.…
Across Africa, MSMEs are producing high-quality products and services; yet, too many are confined to low-growth markets, constrained by logistics and compliance costs, and excluded from regional value chains. AfCFTA was designed to change that. The opportunity is not abstract; it is already taking shape through early trade under the Guided Trade Initiative, alongside parallel upgrades in payments and digital trade rules (International Trade Administration, 2024). At the same time, the global business environment remains volatile. Trade is growing, but projections indicate a future slowdown, while uncertainty surrounding tariffs and policy remains real (WTO, 2025). For African MSMEs, that reality…
WikkiTimes has launched the Femi Falana Legal Defenders Fellowship, a new initiative aimed at strengthening legal protection for journalists and civic actors facing increasing intimidation, harassment, and abuse of legal processes in Nigeria. The fellowship, announced in a statement signed by WikkiTimes Operational Manager, Nana Mohammed, is a one-year pilot programme designed to respond to the growing use of arrests, lawsuits, and other legal threats to silence investigative journalism and civic accountability work. WikkiTimes noted that Nigeria’s media environment has become increasingly hostile, with journalists frequently exposed to arbitrary detention, surveillance, physical attacks, and strategic lawsuits intended to discourage public-interest…
Hayo, a global innovator in digital solutions, has enhanced its National Mobile Registry (NMR) platform to help governments and mobile operators combat the rise in SIM swap fraud and mobile theft. The new platform modules provide authorities with more control over mobile identities and device activity, enabling the detection and prevention of attacks that threaten citizens, national revenues and digital trust. SIM swap scams are a major security concern worldwide, affecting an estimated 25% of mobile subscribers in some markets like Kenya, while surging by 1,055% in the UK last year according to Cifas. At the same time, illegal, stolen…
The Imole Progressive Network (IPN) has congratulated the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa, on the occasion of his 61st birthday, describing him as a people-centred leader whose administration has continued to promote stability and development in the state. In a congratulatory message issued on Monday and signed by its Secretary General, Olorunfemi Christopher Ibukun, the group praised the governor’s record of service, humility, and commitment to good governance, noting that his leadership has inspired confidence among the people of Ondo State. According to the statement, Ayedatiwa’s grassroots-driven approach to governance has helped sustain peace and unity while ensuring…
It has become imperative to respond decisively to a mischievous and intellectually dishonest article circulating under the headline, “The Manufactured Middle Belt: The Untold History, Foreign Backing and the Agenda to Fracture Northern Nigeria,” authored under the pseudonym Safyan Umar Yahaya. Far from being a work of history and of social concern, the piece is an alarmist pamphlet, animated by fear and bigotry, not facts, all aimed at delegitimising the rising social and political consciousness of the Middle Belt. The anxiety beneath the essay is unmistakable. For over a century, certain ruling blocs have exploited the Middle Belt economically, subordinated…
For years, trade conversations in Africa have revolved around tariffs. Negotiations are framed as victories or losses depending on percentage points gained or conceded. Announcements about zero-duty access dominate the headlines, especially under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. Yet, for most African businesses engaged in cross-border trade, tariffs are no longer the biggest challenge. The real obstacles are more practical and more costly. Weak markets, inefficient logistics and underdeveloped services now matter more than tariff rates in determining who trades successfully and who does not. Tariffs are falling, but trade remains difficult Across Africa, average applied tariffs…