Business

By Victor Osula, Abuja The Federal Government has declared Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20, 2026, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Fitr, urging Nigerians to embrace unity and peaceful coexistence. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the holidays on behalf of the Federal Government in a statement issued by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani, on …

Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc has reported a sharp increase in claims payments for the 2025 financial year, disbursing N6.05 billion to policyholders, a significant increase from N4.2 billion in 2024. This highlights increased use of insurance and growing exposure to risk across the country. The company’s new CEO/CEO, Lucas Durojaiye, said the performance reflects strong customer confidence as the company …

The CAF Board of Appeal has decided that, pursuant to Article 84 of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Regulations, the Senegal national team is declared lost in the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the match”), with the result of the match recorded as 3-0 in favor of the Fédération Royale …

Investors in the Nigerian equity market gained N696 billion in early trading on Tuesday. This follows a surge in the prices of shares such as Bua Cement, Premier Paints and Zenith Bank, among others, on the stock exchange floor. The benchmark All-Share Index (ASI) index increased to 202,559.41 points from 201,474.89 points recorded on the previous trading day. After five …

Babcock University has announced a ₦10 million hackathon as the highlight of its second Babcock Tech Week (BTW), scheduled for March 22-28, 2026. The week-long event, themed “Tethered — Connected Across Disciplines,” is organized by the Babcock University Computer Club in collaboration with the Finance Students Association, the Google Developer Groups on Campus, Babcock, and the Institute of Electrical and …

By Ayo Kehinde Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for his handling of Monday’s deadly blast in Maiduguri, Borno State, which killed 23 people and injured 108 others. President Tinubu, in a statement on Tuesday, condemned the attack and ordered the immediate deployment of all service chiefs to the Borno State capital to strengthen security operations …

Wike ally Senator Aduda finally leaves PDP for APC, promises support for Tinubu ahead of 2027 By Raphael Ekpang A key ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, former Senator Philip Aduda has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Aduda, who represented the FCT in the Senate, …

Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency is facing financial sanctions after the Federal Capital Territory High Court imposed a half-million naira fine for repeatedly postponing proceedings in a high-profile corruption case. Justice Hamza Muazu imposed the 500,000 naira fine against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, citing the agency’s failure to produce a key investigator for testimony. The …

The Pastor and Spiritual Head of the Celestial Church of Christ in the World, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa, has condemned the proliferation of unauthorized theological seminaries within the church, warning that certificates issued by such institutions would not be recognized. Oshoffa, in a note dated March 16, 2026 and addressed to all regions, districts, zones and ecclesial pastors, accused some …

The prime ministers and heads of government of Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland reached an agreement in Oslo on March 15 to deepen cooperation in the defense industry, economy and security in the Arctic. The meeting is part of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s strategy to build a new alliance of middle powers to reduce dependence on the …