Author: News Room

In recent days, Nigerians have been inundated with reports suggesting that the Federal Government has introduced Value Added Tax on banking services such as electronic transfers, fees and commissions. Understandably, this has triggered anxiety among citizens already grappling with economic pressures. However, the truth is far less dramatic than the headlines suggest. Contrary to widespread claims, VAT on banking services is not new. It was not introduced by the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, and it does not represent an additional financial burden on bank customers. For decades, Nigeria’s VAT framework has applied to fees, commissions and charges for services rendered…

Nigerians spent an estimated N1.58tn on petrol in December 2025, based on official fuel consumption data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority. According to the NMDPRA December fact sheet, average daily petrol consumption stood at 63.7 million litres per day throughout the month. With 31 days in December, nationwide petrol use totalled 1.97 billion litres. Petrol consumption in the month remained consistently high, perhaps driven largely by increased travel, festive movements and higher commercial activities associated with the Yuletide. Using the total volume of petrol consumed in the month and applying the average pump price of…

Ghanaian coach and pundit Christopher Nimley has criticised his compatriot, referee Daniel Laryea, for poor officiating during Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final defeat to Morocco. Nigeria lost 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw following extra time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Wednesday night. Laryea’s performance has drawn widespread condemnation from Nigerian fans and now from a fellow Ghanaian, with Nimley rating the referee three out of 10 in a video posted on X. “He did so bad. Who spoke to him before the game? We want our referees in such big games, and if…

US stocks and the crypto market showed signs of life on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump stood down on tariffs tied to his efforts to claim Greenland.The S&P 500 closed the trading day up 1.16% on Wednesday, hours after Trump said on Truth Social that he had held a “very productive meeting” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and would not be moving forward with tariffs scheduled for Feb. 1. The tariffs had targeted eight European countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland.“We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect…

New court documents are shining a light on what some Sony executives allegedly think of the ongoing It Ends With Us legal drama. According to unsealed court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Wednesday, January 21, multiple Sony executives privately observed that the negative publicity around Blake Lively may have been the result of her own conduct. Court documents allege that Sony President Sanford Panitch wrote in August 2024 that “the hair sell at the same time was epic level stupid,” referring to Lively’s Blake Brown line. “She wouldn’t listen. She knows better,” Panitch allegedly continued. “She did it to…

The Lagos State Government has disbursed a total of N40 million to the families and dependants of officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) who died in the line of duty. The presentation, coordinated by the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, Sola Giwa, took place at LASTMA’s headquarters in Oshodi on Wednesday. Twenty families each received N2 million in consolatory assistance. Addressing the gathering, Mr Giwa emphasised that the payment should not be seen as compensation, noting that no financial sum can replace human life. He described it as a symbolic recognition of the officers’…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced a revised operational approach for the ongoing Phase II Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise in Osun State. The Commission also approved the rotation of the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) across communities to widen access for eligible voters. The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mutiu Agboke, and signed by the Commission’s Public Affairs Officer, Musa Olurode, on Wednesday in Osogbo. INEC said the approval was granted by its National Headquarters in Abuja, allowing the redeployment of IVEDs among Registration Areas within each…

Three Nigeria players have been named in the official Team of the Tournament for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, following a comprehensive technical review by the CAF Technical Study Group, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Striker Victor Osimhen, winger Ademola Lookman and defender Calvin Bassey earned selection after standout performances that helped the Super Eagles secure third place at the competition. According to CAF, the TSG employed a fully integrated evaluation system throughout the tournament, combining remote and on-site assessments, live data platforms, multi-angle video feeds and dedicated video analysts. This method ensured that all players’ contributions were assessed objectively…

One person has been killed, while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a road crash that occurred at the Saapade section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday. PUNCH Metro learnt from the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, that the accident occurred in the early hours of the day. The truck, which was conveying farm produce, reportedly ran into a ditch after the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Akinbiyi said, “A fatal road traffic accident occurred at the Uncle Abbey Block Industry area, close to the Isara-Remo/Erimobi Bridge, inbound Lagos-Ibadan. “It…

In the space of a few short weeks, two deeply painful stories have exposed with brutal clarity what many Nigerians have known in their bones for years: our healthcare system is groaning under the weight of sheer institutional neglect. In Lagos, the world learned that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 21-month-old son died after what was meant to be a routine care at a private hospital. Barely a week later, in Kano State, another tragic narrative emerged from a government-run facility. Aisha Umar, a mother of five, died after enduring months of excruciating pain, and it was later revealed that surgical scissors…