The family of Opral Benson, the Iya Oge of Lagos, has raised the alarm over her disappearance, saying her whereabouts have been unknown for more than 48 hours. In a public notice issued on Sunday, the family disclosed that Benson was last seen on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, and has not returned home since then. Describing the situation as urgent, the family appealed to members of the public to assist with any information that could help locate her. “The family reports that Mama Opral Benson has been missing since Tuesday, January 13, 2026. She has not returned home, and her…
Author: Elvis Eromosele
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is championing Satellite Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity as a solution to persistent network coverage gaps affecting an estimated 23.3 million Nigerians who remain underserved by conventional mobile networks. This position is outlined in a consultation paper published on the Commission’s website, where the regulator explained the rationale for embracing satellite-enabled mobile connectivity as part of Nigeria’s broader universal access strategy. According to the NCC, national connectivity assessments, rapid advances in satellite technology, and the limitations of relying solely on terrestrial infrastructure have made D2D services increasingly relevant. The paper notes that recent developments in non-terrestrial…
Still on our country’s broken Health Sector and System, are other people as worried as I am at how flippantly and frequently people would say- “The Lab or the Doctor said, ‘I have typhoid and malaria’”? We recently lost a loved one who was diagnosed and treated in the hospital several times for “typhoid and malaria”. Worried at the frequency, we compelled a deeper investigation, which discovered that his real ailment was not typhoid and malaria but liver and kidney failure. Devastated at the scary but accurate diagnosis, we trusted God and worked with his family to give him everything…
African technology investor and entrepreneur, Victor Asemota, has warned that the biggest risk facing tech investments on the continent today is no longer regulation or market uncertainty, but founder integrity, as easy capital, hype, and artificial intelligence tools reshape the startup landscape. In a reflective commentary on Africa’s investment cycles on X, Asemota said early-stage fintech investing a decade ago was less risky than many believed, largely because it addressed clear market gaps. “There was pent-up demand for better products in a market with mediocre products and adversarial regulation,” he said. “My only regret is not investing much more.” According…
By Akin Adeoya Our paths first crossed in the now-legendary newsrooms of Thisday around 1996. He spoke with a distinct Ekiti accent, much like my own, and exuded a calm, elder’s wisdom. Despite a slight limp, he projected unbounded energy. He was, in every sense, a tireless reporter. It was Isichei Osamgbi, then the energy desk penman, who first arranged a substantial collaboration between John and me. John was on the daily news desk when management decided to spring a surprise: he was to launch a new marketing section on Mondays. Though a tested reporter who had earned his spurs…
Bolt has begun 2026 on a high note by rewarding loyal riders with premium gifts, thanking them for their consistent use of the platform throughout 2025. The ride-hailing company recently presented select riders with high-value items, including AirPods Pro, an iPhone 17 Pro, and specially curated gift hampers. According to Bolt, recipients were chosen strictly based on frequency and regularity of rides, not through competitions, raffles, or public nominations. The gesture builds on Bolt’s “12 Rides of Cheer” campaign, which ran briefly at the end of 2025. During that period, riders who booked trips as usual were randomly rewarded with…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a 90 per cent surge in commercial revenue from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), describing the Morocco-hosted tournament as the most commercially successful in the competition’s history. The disclosure was made in a CAF statement and corroborated by a Reuters report dated January 16, 2026. CAF attributed the sharp increase to stronger media rights deals, a growing sponsor base, and expansion into new international markets, particularly Asia, signalling AFCON’s rising global appeal. According to CAF, the number of commercial partners has grown steadily over recent editions of the tournament: Nine Sponsors…
Eterna Plc has announced a ₦10 billion rights issue, offering existing shareholders the opportunity to deepen their stake at a significant discount as the company moves to strengthen its balance sheet and fund growth. Under the offer, Eterna will issue 978.1 million new ordinary shares at ₦22.00 per share, on the basis of three new shares for every four shares held as of November 27, 2025. The rights issue opened on January 12, 2026, and will close on February 18, 2026. Key terms at a glance Qualification date price: ₦35.50 Current market price: ₦32.00 Rights issue price: ₦22.00 Discount to…
Yemi Kale, Nigeria’s former Statistician-General, has cautioned that the recent overhaul of Nigeria’s inflation data may be masking the true severity of the country’s cost-of-living crisis, raising concerns about the credibility of official figures. Kale, now Group Chief Economist at Afreximbank and the architect of Nigeria’s landmark 2014 GDP rebasing, made the remarks during the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Economic Outlook in Lagos. He suggested that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) may have rushed the transition to a new Consumer Price Index (CPI) framework, warning that key statistical principles may not have been fully observed. The…
Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has unveiled a sweeping overhaul of capital requirements for capital market operators, significantly raising the financial thresholds for brokers, fund managers, issuing houses, fintechs and digital asset firms. The changes were announced in a circular issued on January 16, 2026, which replaces the existing 2015 capital regime and gives operators until June 30, 2027, to comply. According to the SEC, the revised framework is designed to strengthen market resilience, eliminate undercapitalised operators and promote stronger governance across Nigeria’s capital market. Under the new rules, brokers’ minimum capital has been raised from ₦200 million to…