Author: News Room

I pray that the new year, 2026, unfolds with fresh opportunities, meaningful growth, and endless possibilities. Amid the many emerging topical issues, this piece focuses on a troubling trend in academia: the growing reliance on predatory publications and the declining pursuit of reputable, recognised journals. For many academics, particularly early-career scholars, mid-career academics facing promotion bottlenecks, adjunct and contract lecturers under publish-or-perish pressures, and even senior scholars navigating international mobility aspirations, evolving global performance metrics, and global competitiveness, this piece is intended as a lifeline, offering clarity, guidance, and reassurance at a critical moment in the evolving scholarly environment. Predatory…

A faction of the African Democratic Congress, led by its National Chairman, Nafiu Gombe, on Thursday distanced itself from the reported defection and registration of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi at its Enugu zonal office. The faction, which described itself as the authentic national leadership of the ADC, said the exercise violated the party’s constitution and established membership procedures. PUNCH Online reports that Obi announced his defection to the ADC at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort in Enugu State. At the event, the former Anambra State governor called on Nigerians and opposition forces to unite…

Nigeria’s private sector ended 2025 on a solid footing, as stronger customer demand supported continued growth in business activity and pushed the Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria Purchasing Managers’ Index to 53.5 in December 2025. This was disclosed in the latest PMI report released by the bank, which is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to purchasing managers in a panel of around 400 private sector companies. The PMI reading of 53.5 in December was broadly unchanged from November’s 53.6, signalling a sustained improvement in operating conditions for the 13th consecutive month. Stronger demand drove higher new orders,…

Cameroon booked a quarter-final meeting with hosts Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations after both sides edged through contrasting round of 16 encounters on Sunday. The Indomitable Lions sealed their place in the last eight with a 2–1 victory over South Africa, ending a seven-match winless run against Bafana Bafana in the process. Cameroon struggled to impose itself in the final third for much of the opening period but struck decisively in the 34th minute. A corner was only partially cleared and, after a series of deflections, the ball fell kindly for Junior Tchamadeu, who kept his composure to…

Nigeria’s Project BRIDGE, underpinned by World Bank support, aims to broaden fibre coverage and boost data traffic in 2026, underscoring the telecoms sector’s central role in the country’s digital economy and local skills development, writes JUSTICE OKAMGBA Nigeria’s telecoms sector is gearing up for faster fibre rollout and a surge in data-driven services in 2026, building on a surprisingly resilient 2025 despite broader economic strains, according to the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria. The industry also closed 2025 with record internet usage, with Nigerians consuming 1.24 million terabytes in November, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission. The figure, slightly…

Ikea has released the most affordable version of its Sjöss USB-C chargers yet. Following an $8 30W version that launched in 2024 and a $35 65W option that debuted earlier this year, the new 20W Sjöss is now available online and through many of Ikea’s physical US stores for just $3.99.That’s considerably cheaper than Apple’s $19 20W USB-C Power Adapter while being comparable in size, and cheaper than Anker’s $11.99 Nano Pro 20W USB-C charger. However, Ikea’s new $4 charger is much larger than Anker’s, and is about 26 grams heavier. If you’re a traveler trying to pack as light…

Following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, attention has turned to the country’s transition to new leadership — and one Bitcoiner is in the running to lead that charge.María Corina Machado, Venezuelan opposition leader and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, is the second-favorite to lead Venezuela’s shift away from authoritarian rule under Maduro, who has been transferred to New York to face federal charges related to narcotics trafficking and corruption.Data from predictions market Kalshi shows Machado has a 28% chance of leading Venezuela by the end of 2026, trailing only Unitary Platform’s Edmundo González…

Gwyneth Paltrow is setting the record straight on whether she uses her Oscar as a doorstop. “That was just for a stupid Vogue video,” Paltrow, 53, recently said on Entertainment Weekly‘s “The Awardist” podcast. “They’re like, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to use your Oscar as a doorstop?’ And then of course, as you know [it became legend].” Paltrow took home the coveted award in 1999 for her work as Viola De Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love, a win she explained has left her with complicated feelings. “I think it was weird, because it was such a huge and pivotal moment,…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that his political career would come to an end if Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State secures a second term in office in 2027. Mr Wike, who helped Mr Fubara to win the Rivers governorship election in 2023, stated this on Saturday while speaking at a meeting in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State. The FCT minister reiterated that he and his followers had decided to support the reelection bid of President Bola Tinubu in 2027, but not so for Governor Fubara. “We have made a decision…

There was heightened tension in Ugba, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, over the weekend as the conferment of a chieftaincy title on governorship hopeful,  Sebastian Hon, SAN, was disrupted by the Executive Chairman of the Council, Mr. Clement Kav. Hon had been invited by the Ugondu Traditional Council to be conferred with an honorific chieftaincy title in recognition of his promotion of social justice in Nigeria, on the occasion of the Ugba Day Celebration on Friday. Pandemonium ensued when Hon and his entourage arrived at the residence of Mue Ter Ichongo, Chief Terngu Iorhuna, in Ugba, the headquarters…