Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West have declared their support for President Bola Tinubu’s reelection in 2027, describing him as the “father of the nation.” National Vice Chairman (South-West), Hon. Kamorudeen Ajisafe, made the announcement while presenting the party’s flag to Bolarinwa Oduwole, PDP’s candidate for the upcoming Remo federal constituency bye-election. Ajisafe said it was only fair for the region to back Tinubu, having supported Buhari for eight years. “This goes beyond party lines. It’s natural to support one of our own,” he stated. PDP’s 2023 Ogun governorship candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu,…

By Atoyebi Nike Germany has expanded its visa application network in Africa and the Middle East with the launch of four new German Visa Application Centres (VACs), including two in Nigeria, under a renewed seven-year partnership with visa outsourcing firm VFS Global. The new centres, located in Abuja and Lagos (Nigeria), Yaoundé (Cameroon), and Nicosia (Cyprus), are expected to ease congestion, increase appointment availability, and improve the visa application experience for travellers. Previously, Nigerian applicants had to submit Schengen visa applications directly to the German Consulate in Lagos or the Embassy in Abuja due to the absence of dedicated VACs…

By Atoyebi Nike MTN South Africa has introduced a nationwide biometric identity system using facial and fingerprint recognition to verify customers and reduce telecom fraud. The system, developed in partnership with global biometric firm Vigilate AI, follows a successful pilot in 20% of MTN stores. It now enables faster sign-ups and better fraud prevention, especially against SIM swap scams and identity theft, which cost the industry R5.3 billion in 2024, according to Comric. MTN is the first telco in South Africa to roll out biometric ID verification at scale. “This innovation makes onboarding faster and more secure without sacrificing convenience,”…

By Atoyebi Nike Rice farmers in Ebonyi State are warning of a poor harvest this year due to relentless rainfall and widespread flooding that have submerged large farmlands. Farmers in Izzi and surrounding areas say crops are already turning yellow, with many losing their nursery beds and struggling to transplant. “We may not expect a bountiful harvest this season,” said Emmanuel Nwali, a local farmer. Others, like Aloysius Njoku, fear food prices will surge. “Flooding has wiped out much of our farms. If this continues, rice will become scarce and expensive,” he warned. Ebonyi, a key rice-producing state, is one…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigerian naira recorded a minor drop against the US dollar on Tuesday, shedding value in both the official and parallel forex markets. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed that the official exchange rate closed at ₦1,533/$, slightly down from ₦1,531.95/$ on Monday. Meanwhile, traders in the black market saw the naira weaken by ₦5 to ₦1,565/$ from ₦1,560/$ the previous day. This decline comes despite positive fundamentals pointing to increased investor interest in Nigeria’s economy. On Monday, the naira had made gains, coinciding with a boost in the country’s external reserves, which rose to…

By Atoyebi Nike Foreign direct investment into Nigeria’s telecommunications sector fell sharply to $80.78 million in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 58% drop compared to the $191.57 million recorded in Q1 2024. This decline, reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its latest capital importation data, also represents a 41% fall quarter-on-quarter from the $136.86 million posted in Q4 2024. While Nigeria saw an overall improvement in capital inflows during the review period, the telecoms sector lagged significantly behind. Industry experts continue to attribute the downturn to systemic issues such as multiple taxation and the persistent…

By Atoyebi Nike Rwanda has agreed to accept up to 250 migrants deported from the United States under a resettlement deal signed in June. The agreement, a product of the Trump-era immigration crackdown, allows Kigali to vet deportees and offer approved individuals access to housing, healthcare, and job training. While Rwandan officials say their country’s history of displacement motivates the decision, human rights advocates have raised concerns about the ethics of third-country resettlement schemes. The U.S. will fund the programme through a grant, though the financial terms remain undisclosed. Only migrants without active criminal cases will be eligible, and participation…

By Atoyebi Nike Rwandan lawmakers have approved a new health law that allows teenagers aged 15 and above to access contraception without parental consent, in a major move aimed at reducing teenage pregnancy. The law, passed Monday, lowers the age of access from 18 to 15 and comes amid concern over rising rates of adolescent pregnancies, with over 22,000 cases recorded last year, according to government figures. Health officials say the previous legal limit hindered access to reproductive health services and contributed to high rates of school dropouts and unsafe abortions. In the last five years, 100,000 teenage girls in…

By Atoyebi Nike The Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Kamar Bakrin, has called on Nigerian farmers and private sector stakeholders to invest in the booming sugar industry, valued at over $2 billion locally and positioned within a $10 billion regional market. Speaking during a meeting with the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Bakrin said Nigeria must shift from dependence on sugar imports to becoming a production hub under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “The policy environment is right, the market is massive, and now is the time to act,” Bakrin declared. The…

By Atoyebi Nike The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has officially severed ties with the Church in Wales over its election of Bishop Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as Archbishop of Wales. In a statement dated August 3 and signed by its Primate, Most Rev. Henry C. Ndukuba, the Church declared it could no longer maintain communion with what it described as a body that has strayed from biblical teaching. “We do not recognise the so-called Archbishop of Wales and cannot share communion with a church that has departed from the teachings of the Bible,” Ndukuba stated. He described…