The Federal Ministry of Works has announced the full closure of the First Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra State, for two weeks to allow emergency maintenance and rehabilitation works. The bridge will be closed to traffic from Monday, September 7, to Monday, September 21, 2026, according to the Acting Federal Controller of Works in Anambra State, Timothy Emenike. Emenike made the disclosure on Friday, September 4, urging motorists and other road users to take note of the closure and make alternative travel arrangements. The Federal Government said the emergency intervention became necessary because of the deteriorating condition of the bridge,…
Author: Elvis Eromosele
The Federal Government has opened applications for the second cohort of its Student Venture Capital Grant, offering up to N50 million in equity-free funding to 50 outstanding student-led ventures across Nigeria. Adebayo Onigbanjo, the National Coordinator of the Special Programme Operations and Implementation Unit (SPOI) at the Federal Ministry of Education, announced the opening of applications at a news conference in Abuja on Friday. The programme, also known as the Next Moonshot Initiative, is designed to support student entrepreneurs with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-based business ideas. Applications for the second cohort will close on September 30, 2026. Onigbanjo…
The Afrinvest Foundation has unveiled a 35-seater Information and Communication Technology centre at the Palace of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. The centre, powered by a 15-kilowatt solar system and internet connectivity, is aimed at providing digital education and learning opportunities for young Nigerians. Prince Ike Chioke, Group Managing Director of Afrinvest (West Africa), disclosed this on Thursday in Kano at a stakeholders’ symposium on ‘Wealth, Faith and Legacy’. Chioke said the project was part of the company’s commitment to supporting communities and building lasting relationships through initiatives that promote education and digital inclusion. He said the palace…
The United States has struck a major oil agreement with Venezuela that gives a US-led company 100-year concessions over 17 oilfields containing an estimated 65 billion barrels of crude, triggering controversy over the terms and the future of Venezuela’s most valuable natural resource. The deal, signed in Caracas on Wednesday, represents a dramatic shift in US-Venezuela relations following Washington’s intervention in Venezuela and the removal of Nicolás Maduro from power in January. US President Donald Trump described the agreement as “the biggest oil deal in world history”, while Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodríguez, called it “historic”. Rodríguez said the agreement…
Range Rover has unveiled its first fully electric vehicle, marking a major milestone in Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) electrification strategy after a year-long delay to the model’s planned launch. The Range Rover Electric will be built at JLR’s Solihull plant in the West Midlands, where the company has invested heavily in upgrading production facilities and training workers for the shift to electric vehicles. The launch comes at a challenging time for JLR, which is battling falling profits, supply-chain disruptions and the financial impact of a major cyber attack that disrupted production for more than a month. JLR reported profits of…
The Los Angeles Clippers have been fined a record $30 million by the NBA for violating salary-cap rules in an alleged effort to secure millions of dollars in off-court income for star player Kawhi Leonard. The punishment is the largest fine in NBA history and follows a month-long league investigation into the Clippers’ dealings with Leonard and his sponsorship arrangements. In addition to the fine, the Clippers will forfeit five first-round draft picks between 2029 and 2033. Team owner Steve Ballmer has also been suspended from all NBA and Clippers activities for 12 months over his involvement in matters relating to Leonard’s sponsorship contracts. The NBA…
When Uber launched in Lagos in 2014, it was hailed as a poster child for Africa’s tech renaissance. The Silicon Valley giant brought seamless technology, global prestige, and the promise of flexible income to thousands of drivers. Twelve years later, that high-tech dream has reached a quiet end. With its official announcement to wind down all local operations effective September 2, 2026, Uber joins a growing list of multinational tech firms forced to concede that scale and global capital are no match for Nigeria’s unforgiving macroeconomic realities. While the company framed its retreat as the result of a thorough internal…
Global ride-hailing giant Uber has officially announced its exit from Nigeria, winding down all local operations effective September 2, 2026. The company confirmed the decision in a statement issued on Wednesday, expressing gratitude to its users while acknowledging the impact of its departure. “We are writing to share some difficult news. After a thorough review of our business, we have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Nigeria, effective 2 September 2026,” the company said. “Since we first launched in Lagos in 2014, it has been an absolute privilege to be a part of your daily life…
The Rise Up & Sparkle Initiative (RUSI), founded by Mrs. Funmilola Omojola, FNCS, FIIM, Founder/CEO, has successfully concluded the SPARKHER Digital Bootcamp 2026, a three-day intensive programme that brought together 120 teenagers; boys and girls, alongside facilitators and volunteers. Held at RCCG True Vine Parish, Ikorodu, Lagos, the bootcamp was more than just a technology training. It gave young people a practical space to learn, experiment, work together and discover what they can create with technology. Over the three days, participants were introduced to a wide range of digital and creative skills, including Generative AI, AI image and video creation,…
By Elvis Eromosele Africa is urbanising faster than almost anywhere else on earth. Yet one basic need keeps slipping further out of reach for millions of people: a decent home they can actually afford. Walk through Lagos, Nairobi, Kigali, Accra, Johannesburg or Cairo and the pattern is the same. Gleaming luxury apartments and gated estates keep rising, while teachers, nurses, artisans, civil servants and young professionals struggle to find somewhere they can live without spending half their income on rent. Informal settlements expand. Home ownership feels like a distant dream for most. The problem is no longer just about building…