Author: News Room

Heirs Energies Ltd has sealed a 750 million dollar financing agreement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The agreement was signed by Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings, and George Elombi, president and chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, in Abuja on Saturday. It aims to boost the company’s drive for energy efficiency. Mr Elumelu described the agreement as a clear manifestation of Africa’s capital working for African businesses. He commended Afreximbank for supporting the growth of African businesses, describing it as the most impactful and catalytic financial institution on the continent. He urged African business leaders to…

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged the South-East governors to provide adequate security to checkmate terrorist elements within the zone during the Yuletide season. The organisation also appealed to the governors to provide free buses to convey Igbos from Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and other northern states due to exorbitant transportation costs. Ohanaeze stated that many people are unable to afford the journey home to reunite with their families, nothing that the pervasive atmosphere of insecurity, particularly within the South-East, further exacerbates the anxieties of those who might otherwise consider braving the financial strain to return. It noted…

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has released the timetable for its nationwide ward, local government, state and zonal congresses, as well as the national convention for the 2025/2026 cycle. The party stated that the activities will commence with a nationwide electronic membership registration, running from December 1, 2025, to January 30, 2026. Following the registration exercise, APC’s ward congresses are slated for Wednesday, February 18, 2026, with local government congresses scheduled for Friday, February 20, 2026. State congresses will take place on Saturday, March 7, 2026, while zonal congresses across the six geopolitical zones are set for Saturday, March…

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged Nigerians to unite for a country where every citizen is treated equally, irrespective of tribe or religion. He made the call while lauding South East residents for the recognition and respect they have continued to accord him amid diverse ethnic and political affiliations. Makinde spoke in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, during his 58th birthday celebration and book launch organised by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Chief Ali Odefa, on Saturday. According to the governor, true federalism and unity in diversity are the only vehicles through which every…

A rival faction of the New Nigeria People’s Party in Kano State has rejected the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Abuja, insisting that it cannot recognise the exercise as legal. Speaking with PUNCH Online on Sunday, the factional chairman of the NNPP in Kano, Senator Mas’ud Doguwa, described the convention organised by the Kwankwaso-led faction as illegitimate and lacking due process. Doguwa, a former senator, said his faction remained committed to the rule of law and would not endorse any party activity conducted in defiance of subsisting court processes. “I do not expect anybody to think that…

Morocco begin their quest for a second Africa Cup of Nations title against Comoros on Sunday (today) in Group A’s opener in Rabat, with the Atlas Lions seeking to become the 20th host nation to win the tournament’s opening match. There have been 19 host-nation wins to begin the continental showpiece, and Morocco hope to record a 20th such victory against the Coelacanths at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Walid Regragui’s men enter their 20th AFCON with the weight of expectation from supporters who want the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists to finally shed their tag of continental underachievers and claim…

Klarna, a Swedish fintech company known for its “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) service, has partnered with crypto exchange Coinbase to add stablecoins to its institutional funding toolkit.Under the arrangement, the global payments and digital banking firm plans to raise short-term funding from institutional investors denominated in USDC (USDC), using Coinbase’s crypto-native infrastructure, according to a Friday announcement.“This is an exciting first step into a new way to raise funding,” Klarna chief financial officer Niclas Neglén said. “Stablecoin connects us to an entirely new class of institutional investors, and gives us the potential to diversify our funding sources in ways…

Bowen Yang couldn’t quite hold it together for his final Saturday Night Live sketch — but he still got some TLC from Ariana Grande and Cher. Yang, 35, teared up during a holiday travel-themed sketch on Saturday, December 20, as Grande, 32, and Cher, 79, serenaded him with the festive classic “Please Come Home for Christmas.” The sketch referenced Yang’s real-life departure from Saturday Night Live as he played a Delta Sky Club employee joined by old friends on his last-ever shift. “I can’t believe you’re retiring,” Grande told him, with Yang explaining: “I just wanted to go out on…

The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) on Thursday disclosed plans to host a national summit on elite consensus in the first quarter of 2026. NILDS’s Director-General, Abubakar Sulaiman, made this known during the public presentation of the National Survey Report and Commissioned Papers on Elite Consensus Development in Nigeria. Mr Sulaiman, a professor, in his opening remarks, said the summit would allow the elites to dialogue on issues geared towards national development. He described the elite consensus project as a nationally strategic initiative, noting that it provided an evidence-based framework for aligning influential stakeholders around critical reforms…

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has commended Team Nigeria for its outstanding performance and exemplary conduct at the recently concluded African Youth Games. The NSC described the outing as a strong reflection of the nation’s vast grassroots talent and a promising future for Nigerian sports. Director General of the Commission, Bukola Olopade, praised the athletes, coaches, and support staff for their dedication and commitment, with special recognition given to the grassroots development team. “Let me first of all thank the entire team, but especially the grassroots team. This performance is a testament to the amazing pool of talent we have…