The perennial low capacity of local insurance underwriters currently accounts for Nigeria’s 90 per cent reliance on foreign insurance firms, which bill the aviation and maritime sector an estimated N500 billion yearly. Despite reforms in the insurance sector, estimates indicate that its penetration remains at 0.5 per cent – a far cry from Africa’s average […]

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed $500m World Bank loan, arguing that the Bola Tinubu administration should not enter into a fresh debt commitment shortly before the 2027 presidential handover. Atiku’s position followed reports that the Federal Government is seeking the World Bank facility […]

Nigeria’s active telecommunications subscriptions rose to 200.3 million in September, crossing the 200 million mark for the first time since the NIN-SIM enforcement exercise led to mass line disconnections in 2024. Latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, showed that active lines increased by about 2.9 million, from 197.4 million in August. The September […]

US President Donald Trump said on Monday there was momentum toward ending the war with Iran, as he declared that the country “militarily, is effectively over,” but kept open the possibility of new strikes. Trump met at the White House with Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani — a key mediator in […]

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) chief Dana White turned down President Donald Trump’s — apparently jovial — offer of a job as press secretary in a surprise appearance at the White House on Monday. Trump stunned the world by saying on social media on Saturday that he had asked White to take on the high-profile post […]

Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is seriously considering a challenge to Gianni Infantino for the presidency of FIFA. The 77-year-old Frenchman, who has worked as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development since 2019, has been urged by senior European football figures for several weeks to enter the race. As reported by BBC Sport on Tuesday, […]

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation has expressed concern over the refusal of some debtors of failed banks to repay outstanding loans, accusing them of deliberately frustrating recovery efforts through asset concealment, legal delays and intimidation. The corporation warned that such practices undermine efforts to recover funds belonging to depositors and delay the payment of outstanding […]

Israel’s new parliament will be sworn in Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set to lose his majority even as rival Gadi Eisenkot still works to form a new government. President Isaac Herzog will deliver a speech at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) for the swearing-in of the 120-seat parliament, in which neither Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc […]

Diego Simeone’s faith in Ademola Lookman appears to be wavering after the Atlético Madrid coach, who had publicly backed the Nigerian to rediscover his best form, left him on the bench throughout their defeat to Barcelona despite having another substitution available. Simeone had previously urged the forward not to become frustrated by his dip in […]

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is secretly investigating the 774 local government chairmen across the country over their management and spending of public funds since the councils gained financial autonomy. The investigation, which is being handled by the commission’s zonal directorates, is aimed at determining whether the councils have been accountable in the management […]

Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, son of former Kano State Governor and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has threatened to take legal action against the state’s Commissioner for Information, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, over comments allegedly made about him during a television programme. Mustapha has given the commissioner 48 hours to withdraw the alleged defamatory statements and issue […]

President Bola Tinubu has promised to recruit 28,000 additional military personnel and 50,000 police officers as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and tackle terrorism, banditry and kidnapping. According to the 109-page APC 2027 Presidential Election Manifesto, titled From Reform to Prosperity Agenda 2027–2031, obtained by The PUNCH, Tinubu plans to achieve six […]