The World Bank has projected a 60 per cent surge in global urea prices in 2026, raising fresh concerns about fertilizer affordability, food inflation, and agricultural productivity, especially in developing economies like Nigeria. The forecast, contained in the World Bank’s April 2026 Commodity Markets Outlook, attributes the expected spike to tightening supply conditions, rising energy costs, and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Urea, one of the most widely used nitrogen-based fertilisers, plays a critical role in crop production, making its price movements a key factor for farmers and food systems. According to the report, urea prices could climb above $700 per metric…
Author: Elvis Eromosele
I write with a heavy heart, deep pain, and growing anger over the worsening insecurity in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. What was once a peaceful university town has, in recent months, become a theatre of fear, bloodshed, and helplessness. The recent wave of kidnappings and killings, some occurring within hours of each other, has shaken the very soul of the community. The tragic killing of a businessman who reportedly resisted abduction, alongside other incidents in areas such as GT Extension, Efe Block, and Ojo Street, underscores a frightening reality: nowhere is safe anymore. Homes are…
Uche Montana has scored another major digital success as her latest film, Monica 2, racked up over 4.3 million views on YouTube within 24 hours of release. Data shows the sequel generated about 4.4 million views within its first 15 hours, after premiering on May 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., underscoring strong audience demand and viral momentum. The performance surpasses the early traction of the first installment, Monica, and cements Montana’s growing influence in Nollywood’s fast-evolving digital distribution space. The producer had earlier celebrated hitting 1.3 million views within four hours of release, a signal of immediate audience engagement. The…
UEFA is on track to generate more than $5.9 billion (€5 billion) in annual revenue from 2027, following a fresh round of global television rights deals that underline the growing commercial power of European club football. The new agreements, covering the 2027–2031 cycle for the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, are expected to lift media-rights income by about 20% compared to the current cycle. Through its commercial joint venture UC3, UEFA has already secured major rights agreements across key global markets, including Europe’s top five leagues, UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Additional deals spanning 19 countries…
Nigeria is positioning itself to tap into a projected $1.9 billion data centre market by 2031, even as over 90 per cent of its data is currently hosted abroad, raising concerns over data sovereignty, security, and lost economic value. Industry leaders say stronger regulation, rising demand for digital services, and increased investment in local infrastructure could help the country reduce reliance on foreign data hosting and unlock growth in its digital economy. Speaking at the IoT West Africa Conference in Lagos, Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said policy remains the key driver of Nigeria’s…
Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday departed Abuja for a three-nation diplomatic tour covering France, Kenya, and Rwanda, as part of efforts to strengthen economic ties and attract investment. The President left the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport around noon, a day later than initially scheduled. According to his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the trip will begin with a stop in France before proceeding to Nairobi, Kenya, where Tinubu will participate in the Africa-France Summit. The summit, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto, will focus on key issues including energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, and climate action. Scheduled for May 11–12,…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Lagos State Council has called on the Lagos State Government to raise the state’s minimum wage from ₦85,000 to ₦225,000, citing rising inflation and worsening economic pressure on workers. The demand was made by the council’s chairperson, Funmi Sessi, during the 2026 International Workers’ Day celebration at Mobolaji Johnson Arena. According to the union, the current wage level has been overtaken by the rising cost of living, leaving workers struggling to meet basic needs such as food, housing, transportation, healthcare, and education. “Given the current economic hardship and the high cost of living in Lagos,…
Nigeria has been listed among countries where aviation taxes and charges exceed global averages, raising fresh concerns about high airfares and limited connectivity. The disclosure was made by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) at its Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa. According to IATA, aviation charges across Africa are about 15 per cent higher than the global average, with Nigeria identified alongside Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, and Kenya as key contributors to the continent’s elevated cost structure. “The cost of doing aviation business in Africa is high. Taxes and charges imposed by governments and infrastructure providers…
Sanusi Abubakar Yakubu, National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), has commended the peaceful and credible conduct of the Guild’s Edo State election, describing it as a benchmark for internal democracy. The poll, which held on May 1, saw Joel Opute re-elected unopposed in an exercise widely praised for its transparency and orderliness by the AGN Electoral Commission, industry observers, and the media. Yakubu said the outcome reflects his administration’s commitment to due process, fairness, and institutional integrity. “The peaceful, transparent, and credible election which was successfully conducted in Edo State, marks a key milestone within our first…
I am a legal practitioner. I am not a registered member of any political party in Nigeria. I am equally not an employee of any government. I owe no allegiance to anybody except the truth, justice and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was the lead counsel to Sen David Mark at the Supreme Court in the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court yesterday. When I checked INEC portal it was clear that INEC without prompting has restored to their portal the leadership of ADC. See INEC portal at:inecnigeria.org/political-part…. For me the restoration of the names of the leadership of…