Author: Gbenga Oluranti Olaleye

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…

Nigeria will use the upcoming France Business Forum in Paris to highlight the economic strides made under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, according to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. The Minister’s remarks came on Friday during a courtesy visit by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, to the Minister’s office in Abuja. Idris was presented with an invitation to the forum, which is set to take place on April 10, 2025. In a statement signed by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister expressed confidence that the forum would serve as an ideal platform…

The Osun State Government has formally petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate former governor and current Minister of Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, over claims of misappropriation of a $20 million World Bank health grant. The petition, filed on March 7, 2025, accuses Oyetola of financial misconduct, money laundering, and violations of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) during his tenure as governor. According to the petition, the funds were intended to improve the state’s health sector, but they were allegedly diverted and misused. The Osun government claims that Oyetola, as the chair of a special Health Intervention…

President Bola Tinubu has rejected a N942 billion proposal from the National Population Commission (NPC) for the upcoming national housing and population census, insisting that significant cost-cutting measures be implemented. At a meeting with NPC officials at the State House, Tinubu stressed the need for the census to be conducted within the government’s current financial limitations. He proposed the deployment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to reduce personnel costs, while promising to set up a committee to reassess the census budget. The President expressed support for the census but noted that the proposed cost of nearly N1 trillion…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the formation of a caretaker committee to manage its affairs in the South-South zone, challenging the leadership of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. In a statement issued on Friday, March 7, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, explained that the decision was made by the National Working Committee (NWC) to prevent a leadership vacuum in the zone, which would occur after the expiration of the current zonal executive’s tenure on March 9, 2025. The move follows a legal setback in the Rivers State High Court, which had restrained the…