Author: News Room

The National Pension Commission has moved the pension industry recapitalisation deadline to June 2027, extending it from December 2026. This was disclosed by the Director-General of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, during the 2025 PenCom Media Conference on Thursday in Lagos, as she dismissed speculations that the recapitalisation exercise had been suspended. The PUNCH in September reported that licensed pension fund operators had 15 months to meet the revised minimum capital requirement issued by PenCom. In the circular announcing the new MCR, PenCom said, “The timeline for compliance with the revised capital requirements for both licensed PFAs and PFCs shall be…

A range of blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes drugs could help shift the trajectory of the global obesity epidemic, which affects over one billion people worldwide, the World Health Organisation said on Monday. A new generation of appetite-suppressing drugs called GLP-1 agonists, which includes blockbuster brands Ozempic and Mounjaro, has become massively popular in recent years. On Monday, the United Nations health agency issued its first guidelines on how such drugs could be used as a key tool for treating obesity in adults as a chronic, relapsing disease. More than 3.7 million people died from illnesses related to being overweight or…

The Africa Cup of Nations is a tournament famed for its drama and cruelty, often denying even the greatest stars their ultimate continental reward. As AFCON 2025 unfolds in Morocco this December, OLAMIDE ABE reflects on ten legendary players who defined eras yet never lifted Africa’s most coveted trophy Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) 105 caps, 65 goals Greatest achievement: Winning the 2012 UEFA Champions League and being a four-time Premier League winner with Chelsea. AFCON heartbreak: Runner-up in 2006 and 2012. Didier Drogba is the ultimate paradox of African football. He is a man who stopped a civil war in…

Diplomatic tensions have deepened between Nigeria and the United States after Washington redesignated Africa’s most populous nation as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom – a move President Bola Tinubu has condemned as inaccurate and unfair, GIFT HABIB and NATHANIEL SHAIBU write. Tensions could flare anew between Nigeria and the United States after Washington once again placed Africa’s most populous nation on its religious freedom blacklist, a move that has revived old tensions over faith, freedom, and how Nigeria’s internal conflicts are understood abroad. On Friday night, US President Donald Trump announced via his Truth…

Let’s face it, it’s easy to fixate on the big gifts that crowd around the Christmas tree. However, we’d argue that the true treasures are the small, useful, and thoughtful gifts tucked within stockings. That’s why, for this guide, we’ve pooled together a bunch of tried-and-tested gadgets and goods to help bolster someone’s everyday carry or, at the very least, provide them with something that comes in clutch every once in a while. It certainly isn’t about gag gifts and cheap trinkets.

Former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and former FTX executives Gary Wang and Nishad Singh will be barred from assuming company leadership roles for eight to 10 years following a court judgment.In a Friday notice, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said that it had obtained final consent judgments against Ellison, Wang and Singh for their roles in the misuse of investor funds at FTX from 2019 to 2022. The former Alameda CEO consented to a 10-year officer-and-director bar, while Wang and Singh consented to eight-year officer-and-director bars each. All three are also subject to five-year ”conduct-based injunctions,” according to the…

Jelly Roll’s criminal past is officially behind him. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee pardoned 33 people on Thursday, December 18, including the country singer. Photos published by the AP showed Jelly Roll (real name Jason DeFord) smiling while he met with Lee, 66, at the Tennessee Governor’s Mansion in Oak Hill. Lee could be seen giving the musician his official pardon in the image. Jelly Roll has spoken candidly about his criminal past, revealing in his 2023 documentary, Jelly Roll: Save Me, that he had been to jail around 40 times for various offenses. Jelly Roll was arrested at age 16…

President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday to visit Borno, Bauchi and Lagos states. While in Borno State, President Tinubu will commission some projects undertaken by Governor Babagana Zulum and the federal government. He will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of the former Governor of the State, Ali Sheriff, and his heartthrob, Hadiza Salem. From Maiduguri, the president will move to Bauchi to condole with the Government of Bauchi State and the family of Dahiru Bauchi, the late renowned Muslim cleric and leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood. The cleric died on 27 November. After…

The federal government and the United States have signed a landmark technical Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral cooperation and funding for the early detection and prevention of existing infectious diseases in Nigeria, including HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. This is according to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Friday. The statement indicate that the MoU covers enhancing disease surveillance systems; strengthening safety procedures for pathogen sample collection, transport, storage, testing, and disposal; primary care, financial protection, and the provision of technical support, among other objectives. The MoU also aligns with Nigeria’s own drive…

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau (MON), has applauded the contributions of former Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa to the Nigerian cause, after the talismanic forward officially retired from international football. “Ahmed Musa was a rock for Nigeria, both on the pitch and in the dressing room. He was a charismatic leader and an amazing patriot who gave his all at all times whenever he was called upon,” Mr Gusau said on Friday. “The Nigeria Football Federation joins other individuals and entities within Nigeria and globally to celebrate a man whose simplicity and humility, aside from his commitment…