Author: News Room

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said that his administration will continue to provide the necessary camp infrastructure to ensure a safe and conducive environment for corps members posted to the state. Mr Otti spoke at Monday’s swearing-in ceremony of the 1,584 corps members for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream I at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Umunna in Bende Local Government Area. He described the corps members as “ambassadors of hope” whose service year would help to deepen national cohesion and drive grassroots development. The governor, represented by his Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to…

Nigerian boxers Elizabeth Oshoba, Ike Ibeabuchi and Taiwo “Esepo” Agbaje lead the list of nominees for the 2026 Fight Gist Media Boxing Awards, scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the National Institute for Sports Conference Hall, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. The ceremony will celebrate the achievements of boxers, coaches and promoters across 14 voting categories, continuing an initiative that has, since its inception last year, sought to spotlight Nigerian boxing talent on the global stage and document the growth of the sport locally. Oshoba features prominently among nominees for the Female Social Media Influencer award, alongside…

The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights has petitioned the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, urging lawmakers to safeguard the integrity of the ongoing murder trial involving suspects linked to the killings of two Ajiran community indigenes in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. The petition, dated June 15, 2026, was signed by the President of CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, and addressed to the Speaker through the office of the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa, Ikeja. In the petition titled “Petition on the Need for Urgent Legislative Intervention in the Ongoing…

The United Arab Emirates has said that its long-term economic commitments to Nigeria remain intact, citing growing trade volumes, increased investment activity and emerging opportunities in technology and infrastructure. Speaking on the evolving economic relationship between both countries, UAE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri, said Nigeria has become an increasingly important partner within the UAE’s broader engagement across Africa. According to him, in an interview made available to The PUNCH, the relationship is being driven by long-term economic priorities rather than short-term global developments. “The UAE–Nigeria partnership is defined by resilience…

Abua, Khadijat advance at CBN Tennis Championship Top seed Abua Canice on Tuesday advanced to the round of 16 of the ongoing 47th Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Tennis Championship after defeating 11th seed Sani Musa in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. Second seed Adeleye Daniel also progressed to the next round with a comfortable 6-4, 6-1 victory. Sani-Inabo Yahaya also booked his place in the round of 16 after his opponent, Ahli, retired while trailing 6-0, 3-0. In the women’s singles, top seed Mohammed Khadijat continued her impressive run with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory over Maxwell Timipre to strengthen…

Illinois is going ahead with a 0.2% “privilege tax” on crypto transactions involving its residents under a new $55.9 billion state budget bill signed Tuesday.Governor JB Pritzker signed the measure despite opposition from crypto industry groups over the provision, a transaction tax that applies to all digital asset transactions on any registered platform under broadly termed “digital asset business activity.”“This will create an unprecedented tax regime that disproportionately burdens Illinois residents for simply using digital assets and will drive innovation and builders out of the state,” the Crypto Council for Innovation said, as it urged a “line-item veto” of Article…

Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo were eager to expand their family through IVF before calling it quits. “It is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through,” the “Dumb Blonde” podcast host, 46, said about her experience with in vitro fertilization (IVF) in a January interview with People, just four months before the country crooner, 41, filed for divorce after nearly 10 years of marriage. “It’s been rough,” she added at the time. “I know that God has a plan and he’s going to make it work. I really do. I have no doubt in my mind.”…

Some residents of Awka, Anambra State, have expressed concern over the “outrageous” increase in cooking gas prices and have appealed for urgent government intervention. The residents shared their views in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Awka, while reacting to the instability in cooking gas prices over the last six months. Raphael Okafor, CEO of Ricolen Enterprise Nigeria, a cooking gas retail outlet in Awka, said he has been in the business for more than 30 years, but noted that the product’s unstable price since the beginning of the year has been extraordinary. “At the…

Nigeria stands at a defining moment. If implementation matches ambition, AfCFTA could become the catalyst for the structural transformation policymakers have pursued for decades, helping to shift the country from dependence on crude oil towards a diversified, export-driven economy. In my last article, I wrote about Biashara Afrika, the premier continental business forum that brings together African heads of state, ministers, policy makers, SMEs, investors, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), and explore intra-African trade collaborations. It was the summit’s third edition which held in Togo from 18–20 May. I explained…

Gunmen, on Monday, attacked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos in Plateau State, killing three security operatives in a late-night assault that triggered panic within and around the facility. The attackers were said to have stormed the institute at about 11:40 p.m. on Monday, opening fire on security personnel stationed at the main gate. The exchange of gunfire that followed prevented the assailants from gaining access to the premises. Eyewitness accounts and staff sources confirmed that the attackers succeeded in killing three security operatives during the confrontation, including a policeman and other personnel attached to…