Nigeria’s Consul-General in Johannesburg, Ms Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, has called for sustained promotion of African unity as a pathway to meaningful growth and development on the continent. Okey-Uche made the call in a message to mark Freedom Day celebrations held on Monday night in Johannesburg. She described the occasion as a reminder of the triumph of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring human spirit over oppression. “Africans, united by destiny and heritage, must rise above divisions and reject all forms of hate. The freedom we cherish must not be diminished by discord among ourselves,” she said. The envoy stressed that the call…
Author: Newsdesk
Some Nigerians on Tuesday urged the newly approved firms taking over airtime and data lending services from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to be transparent, flexible, and user-friendly. The subscribers, who spoke with reporters in separate interviews in Lagos, expressed cautious optimism that the change could improve service delivery if properly regulated. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) recently approved five firms to provide digital airtime and data lending services. This followed new regulatory requirements that led major operators like MTN and Airtel to suspend their own borrowing services, such as MTN Xtratime. The approved firms as of April…
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that the average retail price of a litre of petrol increased from N1,051.47 in February to N1,288.54 in March 2026. The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for March, released in Abuja on Tuesday. According to the report, the March price represents a 22.55 per cent increase compared to February. On a year-on-year basis, the average price rose by 2.13 per cent from N1,261.65 recorded in March 2025 to N1,288.54 in March 2026. At the state level, Anambra recorded the highest average retail price at N1,441.22 per…
Ghana has rejected a bilateral health agreement with the United States, dealing the latest setback to the Trump administration’s efforts to overhaul foreign aid, a source familiar with the negotiations has said. The source added that Ghanaian authorities balked at terms requiring the sharing of sensitive health data. In September, the Trump administration unveiled its “America First Global Health Strategy”, which urges poorer nations to take greater responsibility in fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and polio, and to gradually transition from aid dependency to self-reliance. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was dismantled earlier this year. Spokespeople for Ghana’s Ministry…
The naira depreciated to N1,369 per dollar on Monday, down from N1,361.5/$ recorded at the close of trading on Friday, as persistent pressures in the foreign exchange (FX) market outweighed supportive global trends. Data published by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) shows the latest close represents the currency’s weakest level since April 8, 2026, when it traded at the same rate—extending a steady depreciation trend in recent sessions. The naira has also declined from N1,349.67/$ recorded at the start of last week. The downturn comes amid concerns over declining external reserves and sustained FX demand, raising questions about the…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has continued to impose restrictions on Bureau De Change (BDC) operators’ access to the official foreign exchange (FX) market, citing persistent concerns over regulatory control and past abuses. Insights from forex traders and market operators indicate that the apex bank continues to favour a bank-led FX distribution model, driven by the need to strengthen compliance and ensure market stability. Concerns over practices such as arbitrage and round-tripping have also reinforced the regulator’s cautious stance toward the BDC segment. BDC operators have repeatedly expressed frustration over limited access to foreign exchange from the official window,…
The Acting Rector of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), Dr Lawson Sunday, has appealed to the striking workers of the institution to embrace dialogue and peace in the interest of the students. This appeal was contained in a statement issued by the institution’s Senior Assistant Registrar, Mr Olumide Olugosi, on Monday in Akure. Dr Sunday, a registered engineer, was appointed Acting Rector by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on April 25. The Acting Rector assured staff that all issues affecting the polytechnic would be given due attention through appropriate channels. He promised that matters relating to staff promotion would be addressed with…
Some commercial drivers in Bauchi have expressed concern over the recent hike in fuel prices amid declining patronage. Reporters observed on Tuesday in Bauchi that pump prices had increased by about 40 per cent in the last four weeks. A litre of petrol now sells for between N1,350 and N1,380, up from N870 previously. This has led to a corresponding rise in transport fares across motor parks. Mr Yunusa Kazim, a commercial driver, said the surge in petrol price has negatively affected his business. “I am now recording low patronage because many traders prefer sending goods through waybill services instead…
The Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Library Board, Mrs Sylvia Onwubuemeli, has called on young people, especially teenagers and Gen Z, to prioritise library use and reverse the declining reading culture. Onwubuemeli made the call on Monday in Enugu during an interview with reporters. She stressed that books remain essential for intellectual growth and deep concentration. “While digital devices offer convenience, they often come with distractions that hinder focus,” she said. “My advice to young people is that books are indispensable. Nothing enhances concentration like reading a physical book. When you read, your entire attention is fixed on it,…
The Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, has said that the digital transformation of health communication is reshaping how people access and trust medical information. She made the remark during a panel discussion at the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2026, which opened via webinar on Monday in Nairobi, Kenya. The session, themed “Trust in Science in the Age of Digital Health”, focused on how digital health, artificial intelligence, and technological innovations are transforming global health systems. The panel was convened by the Nature Medicine Commission on Quality Health Information for All, in partnership with Aga…