Author: News Room

Rand Merchant Bank has announced that it acted as the Exclusive Financial Adviser to Helios Investment Partners on the completed sale of its 75 per cent equity interest in Axxela Limited to BlueCore Gas InfraCo Limited. In a statement on Sunday, RMB, which is a division of FirstRand Bank Limited, also indicated that as part of the transaction, Sojitz Corporation exercised its tag-along rights to sell its 25 per cent stake, resulting in a full transfer of ownership to BlueCore. The PUNCH reports that in early January, Helios Investment Partners announced that the stake held through Glover Gas & Power…

A Thailand-based Nigerian, Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech, has been arrested after allegedly fleeing an ongoing trial over his involvement in a drug-peddling case in the Koh Pha Ngan area of the country. PUNCH Metro learnt from a report obtained from the Thailand News website on Sunday that Nuzbech was re-arrested on January 14 following a tip-off regarding his whereabouts. According to the report, the suspect was first arrested in March 2025 after he allegedly sold 25.71 grams of cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was, however, released on bail pending his appearance in court, but instead of honouring the court…

Every business ecosystem has its myths. In Silicon Valley, it is the lone founder rewriting markets from a garage. In Nigeria, the narrative often centres on the “solo hustler”, the charismatic founder battling against all odds. But this story pattern may be more limiting than empowering. Harvard Business Review has repeatedly shown that founder-centric companies struggle most during leadership transitions and governance scaling, with many losing momentum once the founder exits or consolidates too much control. Against that backdrop, a recent three-part documentary on Oando presents a counter-narrative that feels unusually Nigerian and quietly disruptive. The documentary does not centre…

The Federal Government plans to spend about N206.50bn on poverty alleviation-related projects in the 2026 budget, an amount that represents far below one per cent of the total N58.47tn spending proposal submitted to the National Assembly. A review of project-level data from the 2026 Appropriation Bill shows that all items directly tagged to poverty alleviation across ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as the Service Wide Vote, add up to N206.5bn. When measured against the proposed total budget of N58.47tn, this translates to about 0.35 per cent of overall federal spending for the year. When compared with the capital budget…

Trove Markets, which is building a decentralized perpetual exchange for collectibles, is under fire for pivoting to Solana after raising over $11.5 million tied to a token sale for an integration on Hyperliquid, prompting some backers to seek refunds.Trove first announced the surprise move to Solana in a post to X on Friday, with one of Trove’s builders, “Unwise,” later blaming the pivot on a liquidity partner withdrawing 500,000 Hyperliquid (HYPE) tokens needed for the Hyperliquid integration.“This changes our constraints: we’re no longer building on Hyperliquid rails, so we’re rebuilding the perp DEX on Solana from the ground up.”The TROVE…

The season 2 finale of Taylor Sheridan‘s Landman finally revealed if Sam Elliott‘s character slept with Francesca Xuereb‘s Cheyenne, who is the show’s stripper turned physical therapist. During the Sunday, January 18, episode of the hit Paramount+ series, Cheyenne (Xuereb) made an appearance at breakfast in the Norris household. Her state of undress made Tommy (Billy Bob Thornton) think Cheyenne hooked up with his dad, T.L (Elliott), to which she replied, “You are the one who said handjob.” Tommy cornered T.L. to tell him what happened the night before. “She spent the night. The battery died in her camera,” T.L.…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed criminal charges against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, at the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of receiving property through corrupt means and using forged documents. The charges, filed on 16 January by Ngozi Onwuka of the ICPC’s High Profile Prosecution Department, follow a damning September 2025 judgment by a London property tribunal that linked the 68-year-old lawyer to “fraud and forged” documents in a dispute over a North London house. Three-Count Charge Court documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES show that Mr Ozekhome faces…

Those intent on a head on collision with a moving train must mind their limbs. In Abia State, the 2027 contest for the governorship has mostly been decided. All that is left is the ritual of voting and the ceremony of anointment on 29th May, 2027. If public opinion and the wave of popular acclaim is anything to go by, the 2027 governorship election in Abia state will be more of a referendum. It is a simple choice between the incumbent and the political witchcraft of his three predecessors. The people of Abia are unanimous on one thing: they will…

The Taraba State Government has once again commended the Nigerian Army for its professionalism and operational effectiveness, particularly the leadership and troops of Headquarters 6 Brigade, for their role in maintaining peace and security across the state. The commendation was delivered by Governor Agbu Kefas through his Chief of Staff, Jeji Williams, during the 2025 West African Social Activities (WASA) celebration of 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army. In his address, the governor praised the Brigade Commander and soldiers for their sacrifices and dedication, noting that their efforts have contributed significantly to the improved security situation in Taraba State. He highlighted that…

Manchester United defender, Lisandro Martinez, has challenged former midfielder Paul Scholes to criticize him face-to-face. Martinez has insisted he only cares about his performances on the field and not what TV commentators say. He stated this following United’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday. “He can say whatever he wants,” Martinez said. “I told him already, if he wants to say something to me, he can come to me wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don’t care. “I respect the relationships when they want to help the club because everyone can talk on television. “But when you…