FCMB Group Plc says the annual Ojude Oba Festival has evolved beyond a cultural celebration into one of Africa’s leading platforms for tourism, enterprise, and cultural commerce. The bank stated that the festival, which attracts thousands of visitors to Ijebu-Ode every year, is increasingly creating economic opportunities across hospitality, transportation, fashion, entertainment, food services, photography, and small businesses. Originally established as a traditional homage-paying gathering before the Awujale of Ijebuland, Ojude Oba has grown into a globally recognised cultural event attracting tourists, investors, creatives, diaspora communities, and international media attention. Speaking ahead of the 2026 edition scheduled for May 29,…
Author: Elvis Eromosele
The Federal Government has approved the establishment of a Nigerian aircraft leasing company aimed at helping local airlines acquire aircraft more easily, reduce flight disruptions, and lower airfares. Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, disclosed the development in Abuja during a meeting with representatives of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON). Keyamo also revealed that the African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed a $7 billion funding package to support its integrated African aviation programme, with Nigeria selected as one of the pilot countries. According to Keyamo, the new leasing company is designed to address one of the biggest…
Fidson Healthcare Plc will allot all 600 million shares offered under its N21 billion Rights Issue after the offer closed oversubscribed by 117.3 per cent, reflecting strong investor demand for the pharmaceutical company’s shares. The company disclosed that investors applied for 704.19 million ordinary shares valued at N24.65 billion, significantly higher than the 600 million shares worth N21 billion available under the offer. The development was contained in the basis of allotment approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Due to the oversubscription, Fidson said applications for additional shares would be scaled down, with about N3.65 billion expected to…
By Elvis Eromosele “The Stone Age did not end because the world ran out of stones, and the Oil Age will not end because we run out of oil.” The quote, widely attributed to former Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ahmed Zaki Yamani, captures a truth Nigeria has grappled with for decades. Successive governments have long recognised the need to diversify the economy away from oil dependence. Increasingly, experts have pointed to the digital economy as Nigeria’s most promising path to sustainable growth. The sector has already demonstrated enormous potential, and current developments suggest that its biggest gains may still lie ahead.…
Moniepoint Inc. has announced a N3 billion investment to establish innovation hubs in three federal universities as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s technology talent pipeline. The initiative will see the creation of Moniepoint Innovation Hubs at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) over the next three years. The company said the selected institutions were chosen to ensure a broader geographic spread of tech opportunities across Nigeria’s regions, rather than concentrating innovation resources in major cities alone. According to Moniepoint, each innovation hub will serve as a dedicated training centre for students…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has scheduled Saturday, June 13, 2026, for the conduct of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) mop-up exercise for affected candidates nationwide. The announcement was made in a statement issued on Monday by Fabian Benjamin, JAMB;s spokesperson. According to the Board, the mop-up examination is meant for candidates who were successfully biometrically verified during the main UTME but could not sit for the examination due to technical issues, biometric verification problems, or withdrawn results linked to examination infractions. JAMB said the exercise represents the final stage of the 2026 UTME process and…
Nigeria has cancelled $717.7 million in undisbursed funding under the World Bank-backed Power Sector Recovery Operation (PSRO), dealing a fresh blow to efforts aimed at stabilising the country’s troubled electricity sector. The cancellation comes amid worsening tariff shortfalls, foreign exchange pressures, weak revenue collection, and persistent operational challenges across the power industry. According to a restructuring document obtained from the World Bank, the Federal Government formally requested the cancellation on March 26, 2026, as part of a joint decision to discontinue financing under the programme and redirect support to alternative interventions. The document revealed that the programme’s closing date has…
The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) has officially opened online voting for the 2026 edition of the awards, marking the commencement of the final public participation phase ahead of this year’s highly anticipated award ceremony. Following an extensive nomination and screening process conducted by the NHEA Jury, several outstanding healthcare institutions, professionals, healthcare technology companies, diagnostics providers, pharmaceutical organisations, HMOs, and media organisations have emerged as nominees across various categories. Widely regarded as the premier recognition platform for excellence within Nigeria’s healthcare sector, the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award continues to spotlight organisations and individuals making exceptional contributions toward improving healthcare…
© 2026 By Ogbo Awoke Ogbo “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.” ~Ecclesiastes 3: 11 BSB “Sir, please, I just need to talk to someone before I take my life.” “Sir, if you see this message, I’m currently one of the most confused persons right now.” “Sir, I am a young man who needs guidance at this point of my life. Please sir, just a few minutes of your time over the phone will…
The board of IHS Holding Limited has unanimously endorsed MTN Group’s proposed $2.2 billion all-cash acquisition of the telecom infrastructure giant, clearing a major hurdle in the move to take the company private. In a filing submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 19, IHS disclosed that its board determined the transaction is in the best interests of both the company and its shareholders. The board also concluded that MTN’s offer of $8.50 per share represents fair value for ordinary shareholders. The deal, first announced in February 2026, will see MTN acquire all outstanding shares of…