Airtel Africa Plc says mobile money transactions exceeded 210 billion dollars on an annualized basis for the nine months ended Dec. 31, 2025, highlighting the rapid growth of digital financial services across its markets. The company disclosed this in its nine-month financial report released on Friday. Airtel Africa said its mobile money subscriber base grew by 17.3 per cent to 52 million, surpassing the 50-million milestone. It added that annualized total processed value (TPV) rose by 36 per cent to over 210 billion dollars in the third quarter of 2026. According to the report, revenue increased by 28.3 per cent…
Author: Newsdesk
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, on Friday said religious leaders should not only preach environmental conservation but also emphasize that exploitation of nature violates divine trust. Kukah said this in Lagos, noting that religious leaders were not spectators in the environmental crisis but custodians of moral clarity. He spoke at the 24th Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture, organized by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). The lecture had the theme: “To Have and to Hold: Faith and Care of the Environment.” According to Kukah, a state forfeits moral authority when ecological funds are diverted,…
The Bauchi State Government has introduced the Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplement (SQ-LNS) to curb undernutrition among children. Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board (BSPHCB), disclosed this on Friday in Bauchi. Mohammed identified malnutrition as a major public health challenge in the state, largely driven by high poverty levels and limited access to nutritious food. According to him, SQ-LNS will help address micronutrient deficiencies and reduce stunting by supplementing nutrients lacking in children’s diets, thereby promoting healthy growth and development. “Although SQ-LNS is relatively new, it is more affordable than Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food…
Kogi State has recorded a major milestone in the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) with the successful completion of Transmission Assessment Survey 1 (TAS 1) for Lymphatic Filariasis. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adeiza Abdulazeez, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Friday in Lokoja, as part of activities to commemorate World NTD Day. According to him, the achievement—made possible through collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Sightsavers—has led to the cessation of mass drug administration for Lymphatic Filariasis in the state. Abdulazeez described the development as a testament to sustained efforts…
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Friday held a strategic retreat to appreciate emergency responders and strengthen preparedness for emergencies in 2026. Speaking to journalists at the retreat, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the event was organized to thank first responders for their sacrifices since the current administration assumed office in 2019. Oke-Osanyintolu noted that Lagos had faced several emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, fires and building collapses, all of which were effectively managed under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Chief Incident Commander. He said the agency was being repositioned to rebuild…
The Taraba Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has intercepted a human trafficker with 10 children in Jalingo. The statement issued in Jalingo on Friday by Mr Bako Amos, State Commandant of the agency, said that the arrest was made following a tip off of intelligence. “Following a tip off of intelligence today, Jan. 30, 2026, NAPTIP Taraba Command, in conjunction with the Special Adviser to the Governor of Taraba on Human Trafficking, Mrs Sarah Ishaya at about 11.00am, intercepted a suspected human trafficker with 10 children. “We got them at the Kurmi Park,…
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has flagged-off the free distribution of farm inputs to 40 cooperatives and commodities associations in Yobe. Ashenews gathered through NAN reports that the inputs included farm machinery, water pumps, knapsack sprayers, power tillers, herbicides, insecticides, organic liquid fertiliser and certified seeds. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, who inaugurated the exercises on Friday in Damaturu, said that the free inputs distribution aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Represented by Hajiya Zara Kachallah, the Ministry’s Director, Special Duties, Kyari reiterated the commitment of President Bola Ahmed…
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) said it will, from February 1, 2026, roll out a self-service online platform that allows Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders to update their personal records without visiting their Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs). A statement issued by the Commission on Friday, said the platform, known as the Data Recapture Self-Service Platform (PENCAP), is aimed at clearing long-standing data gaps in the pension system and speeding up access to retirement benefits. PenCom said the initiative targets RSA holders who joined the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) on or before July 1, 2019 and are yet to complete the…
The Katsina State Government says a 3,750-unit housing project combined with aquaculture initiatives in Kankia and Radda towns will be financed by COSMOS Residential City Nigeria Limited. The project is set to be executed through a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) arrangement, the State Head of Civil Service (HoS) and Chairman of the Implementation Committee, Falalu Bawale, disclosed at a press briefing on Friday in Katsina. “A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed between the State Government and the company. Katsina State will only provide land for the project. It is not a contract and will not cost…
Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu has signed the 2026 Sokoto State Appropriation Bill into law, approving a total budget of ₦758,700,527,537. Speaking shortly after assenting to the bill, Governor Aliyu described the 2026 budget as a “People’s Budget,” noting that it incorporates inputs from town hall meetings across the state, where citizens shared their views and priorities ahead of the budget presentation. The Governor highlighted that the 2026 budget places less emphasis on recurrent expenditure, which accounts for only 19 percent of the total allocation. “This aligns with the policy introduced by our leader, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, during his…