Author: News Room

2025 was a defining year for Nigeria’s creative industry, marked by record-breaking songs and films, viral moments and global recognition. As Afrobeats, Nollywood, fashion and digital culture continue to expand, a mix of established icons and fast-rising stars are emerging as the names shaping conversations and setting new standards. TOFARATI IGE and NAOMI CHIMA write on the creatives to watch out for in 2026 Fola Fola’s 2025 marked a crucial transition from being a niche favourite to a recognised emerging force. Early in the year, his emotionally driven singles began to gain traction on Nigerian streaming platforms, regularly featuring on…

Nigerian-born educators Oluwatoyin Kode and Adeolu Kode have said a strong grounding in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is critical to making African students globally competitive. In a statement on Thursday, the couple, co-founders of STEM Prep Tutoring in the United States, spoke on how targeted STEM-focused academic support was helping African immigrant children overcome learning gaps abroad while also driving digital empowerment in rural Nigerian communities. “When African children migrate, the intelligence is there, but the system shock is real. “STEM knowledge gives them confidence, relevance, and a global language that cuts across borders,” Oluwatoyin said. She recalled the…

It’s time to reboot another OG Pebble smartwatch — specifically, the round-faced Time Round, which is getting a follow-up more than a decade after its original launch. The new Pebble Round 2 improves upon its predecessor with longer battery life and a larger 1.3-inch touchscreen display, ditching the chunky bezel that surrounded the original Time Round’s 1-inch screen.While Pebble’s original round-faced smartwatch only provided two days of battery life on a single charge, the Pebble Round 2 can go for up to two weeks. The 260 x 260 color e-paper display also provides twice as many pixels as the Time…

US-based spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs began 2026 on a strong note, posting a combined net inflow of around $646 million on the first trading day, despite mixed sentiment across the broader crypto market.On Friday, spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs saw net inflows of $471.3 million, while spot Ether (ETH) ETFs added $174.5 million, bringing total inflows across the two ETF types to $645.8 million, according to Farside data.US spot Bitcoin ETFs posted their largest net inflow in 35 trading days since Nov. 11, when the eleven US-based ETFs collectively saw $524 million in a single day.Meanwhile, spot Ether ETFs posted…

A Louisiana woman has been arrested after allegedly shooting and killing her 1-year-old child on New Year’s Day. According to Sulphur Police Department spokesman Maj. Jason Gully, police responded to a call to Kristin Bass’ home sometime after 8 p.m. on Thursday, January 1. Upon arrival, authorities reportedly discovered that the mother had allegedly shot her little girl, Acelynn Moss. Bass, 28, was taken into custody and charged with one count of first-degree murder. She is currently behind bars with her bail set for $10 million. The girl’s father, Bradley Moss, was at home at the time of the alleged…

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested three suspects as it investigates a suspected case of arson at Isale Koko area of Ilorin linked to religious intolerance. The incident gained public attention after a video of a burnt house, allegedly belonging to a traditional religion practitioner, circulated on social media platform X on Saturday. In a statement on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the command was “aware of a video circulating online” showing “an elderly woman saying her place of residence was completely razed by fire.” She said the police had begun…

Heirs Energies, Africa’s leading indigenous integrated energy company, has acquired the entire 20.07 per cent equity stake (120.4 million ordinary shares) previously held by Maurel & Prom S.A. in Seplat Energy Plc (Seplat Energy) at a price of GBP3.05 pence per share, valuing the transaction at approximately $500 million. The acquisition represents a further milestone in Heirs Energies’ long-term strategy to strengthen indigenous participation in strategic assets and accelerate sustainable energy development and security for Nigeria and Africa. Commenting on the transaction, Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Energies, said: “This acquisition reflects our strong belief in Africa’s ability to own,…

The question is not whether Nigeria should cooperate with partners, but how such cooperation is governed, limited, and aligned with our strategic interests. Security partnerships must strengthen sovereignty and remain accountable to the citizens in whose name they operate. As I stated in a recent Al Jazeera interview, the United States airstrike in Sokoto was conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities, under established AFRICOM channels. But coordination alone is not the real story. The more important question is what kind of cooperation this represents, and under what conditions it remains legitimate. Not long ago, Nigeria was designated a “Country of…

The family of Nigerian content creator and brand influencer Anda “Lazywrita” Damisa has announced his death. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Lazywrita stunned social media users after a scheduled post announcing his own death appeared on his Instagram page on 29 December 2025. The post was reportedly prepared a day earlier. However, in a joint statement posted on Instagram on 31 December 2025, his family said they were heartbroken by the loss and were still struggling to come to terms with his passing. The family statement read: “On behalf of Lazywrita’s family, we want to thank everyone for the love, prayers,…

Gabonese football has been plunged into crisis after a disastrous Africa Cup of Nations campaign prompted sweeping state intervention, including the banning of senior players, suspension of the national team, and the dismissal of the entire coaching crew. The breaking point came on Wednesday night when an injury-time winner from Bazoumana Toure sealed a dramatic 3–2 defeat for Gabon against defending champions Ivory Coast. That loss confirmed a humiliating group-stage exit at AFCON, with Gabon finishing bottom of Group F behind Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and Mozambique. Within hours, the fallout escalated beyond football. Government pulls the plug Appearing on Gabonese…