Author: Nnamdi Deborah

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned members of the public, businesses and financial institutions against rejecting the standard N100 banknote, stressing that it remains a valid legal tender across the country. The apex bank issued the clarification on Wednesday following reports that some Nigerians had refused to accept the standard N100 note due to uncertainty over its validity after the introduction of the commemorative N100 banknote. In a statement signed by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi Ali, the CBN said there should be no confusion over the status of either version of the currency, noting…

Independent petroleum marketers have projected that the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, could drop below N800 per litre as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to ensure lower fuel prices. The projection followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Federal Government in Abuja on Monday to address the gap between declining global crude oil prices and the relatively high cost of petrol in Nigeria. The meeting, held at the headquarters of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), brought together representatives of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria…

The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to 2,954, authorities confirmed on Saturday, as emergency responders begin scaling back search-and-rescue operations more than a week after the disaster. According to official figures, the number of fatalities increased by more than 300 since Friday, while over 16,000 people have sustained injuries in the aftermath of the June 24 earthquakes. Thousands of residents are still unaccounted for, raising fears that the death toll could continue to rise. The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, are among the deadliest natural disasters to hit Latin America…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark, dismissing a suit filed by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide challenging the party’s leadership structure. Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman held that the suit lacked merit and was not justiciable, ruling that it concerned the internal affairs of a political party, which are generally beyond the jurisdiction of the courts except where there is a clear violation of the law or a member’s legal rights. The court upheld the preliminary objections filed by the ADC,…

Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has announced a new feature that will allow users to connect without sharing their phone numbers, in a move aimed at improving privacy. The company said on Monday that users will soon be able to create unique usernames that can be shared instead of their phone numbers when chatting with friends, family, businesses, or new contacts. According to WhatsApp, the feature is designed to protect users’ privacy by preventing phone numbers from being automatically revealed in situations such as joining large group chats or messaging a person or business for the first time. Meta also noted…

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has directed petroleum marketers to immediately adjust the pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, and other petroleum products to reflect the recent decline in global crude oil prices. Lokpobiri gave the directive on Monday while speaking at the 2026 Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) General Counsel and Legal Advisers Forum in Abuja. The forum, themed “Beyond Compliance: Certainty and Investment Confidence in Nigeria’s Petroleum Sector,” focused on strengthening regulatory frameworks to attract investment into the country’s oil and gas industry. The minister…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a total and comprehensive two-week warning strike across all public universities in Nigeria. The National President of ASUU, Professor Chris Piwuna, announced the decision during a press conference held on Sunday at the University of Abuja. Piwuna explained that the strike followed the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government on September 28, 2025, without any tangible response to the union’s demands. He said all ASUU branches nationwide had been directed to commence a full withdrawal of services beginning at midnight on Monday, October 13, 2025. According to…

Two farmers have reportedly been shot and killed by suspected herdsmen in Ubulu-Okiti, a community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State. The victims, identified as Okwuoma and Isichei, were killed on Thursday evening during a violent encounter on their farmland. According to a reliable source, the incident began when herdsmen, who were grazing their cattle in the area, encroached on local farmlands, destroying crops including cassava and maize. An altercation reportedly ensued between the farmers and the herdsmen after repeated encroachments, including on the victims’ farmland. “In the process of trying to chase them away, one of…

Tunde Onakoya, renowned Nigerian chess champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, has embarked on his second ambitious quest to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon. The challenge kicked off on Thursday in the heart of New York City’s Times Square, where Onakoya is aiming to play chess non-stop for 70 hours—without suffering a single defeat. According to GWR guidelines, participants are allowed only a five-minute break per hour throughout the marathon. In a video shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Onakoya posted a countdown to the event, surrounded by an enthusiastic…