Author: Gbenga Oluranti Olaleye

Bitcoin and several major cryptocurrencies saw significant losses on Tuesday, March 11, as mounting concerns over the US economy and rising trade tensions sent shockwaves through global markets. Bitcoin fell by 3.2%, dipping to $79,937 after reaching a low of $76,624. Ethereum also suffered a sharp drop, down 7.5% to $1,911. The global cryptocurrency market cap declined by 4.3%, bringing it to $2.6 trillion, according to The Economist. Other prominent cryptocurrencies, including Solana, XRP, Cardano, and Dogecoin, also experienced losses. Dogecoin, in particular, plunged 8.5%. The decline in the crypto market followed comments by US President Donald Trump, who spoke…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has expressed concern over the low number of female students accessing its educational loans compared to their male counterparts. The revelation was made on Monday, March 10, during a ceremony marking the International Women’s Day in Abuja. Speaking at the event, NELFUND’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, represented by Oluwatosin Sanusi, Head of Investments and Funds Management, highlighted that only one in five loan applicants is female—a ratio that he described as “not encouraging.” “The NELFUND initiative is designed to assist students in tertiary institutions with loans to pay their fees and cater to their…

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has commended the pivotal role of public-private collaboration in ensuring safer buildings across the state, as he officially launched the Certified Accreditors’ Programme on Monday. The event, held at the White Stone Event Centre in Ikeja, marks a significant initiative by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) to enhance building safety and regulatory standards. In his keynote address, Governor Sanwo-Olu highlighted the importance of the programme in promoting safer, more sustainable buildings in Lagos, particularly in light of the tragic events of the Ikoyi building collapse in November 2021, which shook the city and…

Arsenal are preparing to part ways with four key players this summer as they look to strengthen their attacking options and make a bid for Napoli’s prolific striker, Victor Osimhen. With the Gunners set to finish second in the Premier League for the third consecutive season, manager Mikel Arteta is under increasing pressure to address the team’s lack of a clinical striker — a factor many believe has prevented Arsenal from securing the league title. The North London club has been strongly linked with a number of top-tier strikers, including Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres, and of course, Osimhen.…

Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, is set to unveil his final 23-man squad this week ahead of Nigeria’s critical 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month. The Malian tactician, who named an expanded provisional squad of 39 players last week, has left Nigerian football fans eagerly awaiting his selection for what will be his debut matches in charge of the Super Eagles. Chelle’s appointment has come at a pivotal moment for Nigerian football. The Super Eagles’ hopes of qualifying for the World Cup are hanging by a thread following a disastrous start to their campaign,…

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), a critical initiative aimed at boosting Nigeria’s maritime sector. This disclosure was made by Edun during a meeting with the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, who led a delegation to his office. The CVFF was established under the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act of 2003, designed to develop indigenous ship acquisition capacity and provide financial assistance to Nigerian operators…

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has officially joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), marking a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape. His defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was confirmed on Monday, March 10, and his move is seen as a strategic alignment ahead of the 2027 general elections. The announcement was celebrated by Adewole Adebayo, the SDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, who welcomed El-Rufai with open arms. Adebayo described the former governor’s entrance as a “moment of renewed hope for Nigeria,” declaring it a key step in the SDP’s mission to restore good governance and tackle issues…

Nottingham Forest have failed in their appeal against a £750,000 ($968,000) fine imposed for a social media post last season that criticised Premier League match official Stuart Attwell. The post, published in April 2024 after a 2-0 defeat to Everton, accused Attwell, the video assistant referee for the match, of favouring Forest’s relegation rivals, Luton. The club felt they had been denied three clear penalties during the game and expressed frustration with the refereeing decisions, stating, “Our patience has been tested multiple times.” In response to the post, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the referees’ governing body, was…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that a record-breaking 2,030,627 candidates have registered for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), marking the highest number of applications the board has ever received in its history. This milestone was revealed in JAMB’s weekly bulletin, released on Monday in Abuja. The board noted that registration for the examination closed on March 8, 2025. The number of registrations this year surpasses the previous record set in 2024, where over 1.9 million candidates applied for the UTME. JAMB clarified that this total does not include candidates who registered for foreign centres.…

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed deep sorrow following the passing of Dr Doyin Okupe, the former spokesperson to Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. The renowned physician and political strategist died at the age of 72, a loss described by Governor Sanwo-Olu as a “great loss to Nigeria,” particularly to the people of Ogun State. In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, Governor Sanwo-Olu highlighted Okupe’s significant contributions to Nigerian politics and his lasting impact on the national landscape. The Governor acknowledged that Okupe was well-known for his bold…