Author: Damilola

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam, has disclosed that Nigeria’s federation account has not been audited since 2021, raising concerns about transparency and investor confidence. Salam said the lack of recent audited financial statements makes it difficult for investors and stakeholders to obtain credible insights into the country’s fiscal position. “I want to tell you that the last time the account of the Federation of Nigeria was audited was 2021. That’s the report that you have. For the auditing of the federation account itself, the accountant-general for the federation will come up with…

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced an increase in the cost of issuing or replacing debit and credit cards, raising the fee from N1,000 to N1,500 as part of a broader revision of banking charges. The adjustment is contained in a new circular released on Thursday, titled ‘Guide to Charges by Banks and Other Financial Institutions’. According to the apex bank, the new fee will take effect from May 1 and applies to standard ATM cards issued by financial institutions across the country. Despite the increase, the regulator clarified that maintenance fees will not be charged on naira-denominated debit…

Kenyan President William Ruto has sparked debate across social media platforms after suggesting that Kenyans speak better English than Nigerians, a comment that has drawn mixed reactions from both countries. Speaking during an engagement with Kenyans living in Italy on Monday, Ruto praised his country’s education system and language proficiency, asserting that Kenyans rank highly in spoken English. “Kenyans, you know our education is good, our English is good. We speak some of the best English in the world… that is true,” he said. He went further to compare Kenya’s English with Nigeria’s, adding, “If you listen to a Nigerian speaking,…

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the federal government’s decision to secure a $516 million foreign loan for parts of the Sokoto–Badagry superhighway project, describing the move as fiscally imprudent. The president had approached the National Assembly with a request to approve a $516,333,007 loan facility to finance segments of the ambitious road project. The proposal, conveyed in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read during plenary, stated that the funds would be obtained through a syndicated arrangement led by Deutsche Bank. According to the request, the loan will cover sections 1, 1A, and…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) cannot impose fines on motorists for lack of third-party motor insurance without first obtaining a court order. Justice Hauwa Yilwa delivered the judgment in a suit instituted by Deji Adeyanju against the Inspector-General of police, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the FRSC. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/291/2025, sought judicial interpretation of the powers of law enforcement agencies in enforcing compliance with motor vehicle insurance regulations. In her decision, the judge clarified the limits of enforcement authority, drawing a clear line…

Former Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not endorsed any aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State. Adelabu, who resigned from his ministerial position earlier in the week, said the decision was taken to comply with electoral regulations and allow him to focus fully on his governorship ambition. He expressed appreciation to the president for the opportunity to serve, noting that his appointment allowed him to contribute to reforms in Nigeria’s power sector. Adelabu explained that his decision was driven by his desire to…

The government of Ghana has summoned South Africa’s envoy following a series of reported xenophobic incidents targeting foreign nationals, including Ghanaians. According to officials, one of the incidents involved a Ghanaian legal resident in KwaZulu-Natal who was allegedly confronted and told to return home and “fix his country.” South Africa, widely regarded as the continent’s most industrialised economy, has long attracted migrants from across Africa. However, with unemployment exceeding 30%, the country has experienced recurring waves of anti-migrant sentiment, protests, and occasional violence. Recent videos circulating online appear to show Ghanaians being harassed, raising fresh concerns about the safety of…

The Government of Norway has announced plans to introduce legislation that would ban children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms, placing responsibility for enforcement on technology companies. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said on Friday that the bill, expected later this year, is aimed at protecting children’s well-being in an increasingly digital world. “We are introducing this legislation because we want a childhood where children get to be children. Play, friendships, and everyday life must not be taken over by algorithms and screens,” he said. “This is an important measure to safeguard children’s digital lives.” Under…

Meta is planning to reduce its workforce by about 10% as it intensifies investment in artificial intelligence and seeks greater efficiency from its remaining staff. According to a source cited by AFP, the company is expected to lay off roughly 8,000 employees, while leaving several thousand roles unfilled in the coming month. The move reflects a broader strategy by co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg to prioritise the development of “superintelligence” amid fierce competition in the AI space. Meta is currently competing with major players such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI in what is shaping up as a costly race…

President Bola Tinubu has declined requests by Senate leaders seeking automatic return tickets for lawmakers ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that state governors retain control over candidate selection within the ruling party. The decision followed a closed-door meeting between Tinubu and the extended Senate leadership at the Presidential Villa, where lawmakers reportedly pushed for assurances. However, the President maintained that governors remain the party’s leaders at the state level. A source familiar with the meeting said, “The meeting was to plead for automatic tickets for senators, but President Tinubu insisted that the governor of each state has influence over…