Author: Faith Babatunde

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has warned that FIFA president Gianni Infantino could face a leadership challenge if he decides to seek re-election amid growing opposition to his leadership. Ceferin, however, ruled himself out of replacing Infantino, saying he remains committed to UEFA and has no interest in becoming FIFA president. He added that staying outside the contest would also protect his credibility. The UEFA chief has been increasingly critical of Infantino following controversy surrounding the FIFA president’s abandoned plan to secure private investment to run certain FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. Ceferin said Infantino had two choices: step aside…

The remains of veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, have arrived in his hometown of Ilaro, Ogun State, for his burial amid grief from family members, colleagues and residents. The actor, who died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the age of 66 after battling stage-four cancer, was received by mourners ahead of his final rites. Actress Ireti Osayemi was also among the colleagues who arrived in Ilaro to pay her last respects. Ogogo’s death came shortly after his daughters, Kira and Lima Taiwo, appealed for urgent medical assistance for their father as his health deteriorated. The…

Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo’s daughter, Priscilla Ojo, has unveiled the face of her son, Rakeem Mkambala, for the first time as the child celebrated his first birthday. Priscilla, who is married to Tanzanian singer Juma Jux, shared pictures of Rakeem on Instagram on Monday, describing him as her “greatest answered prayer” and expressing gratitude for the joy he has brought to the family. Celebrating his first year, the actress described her son as joyful, intelligent and full of life, saying watching his personality develop had been one of the greatest blessings of motherhood. She also prayed for him to grow…

Rising insecurity across northern Nigeria is threatening food production as farmers abandon their farms because of attacks, extortion and violence by terrorists and bandits. Reports from several states, including Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Plateau, Benue, Niger and Borno, indicate that farmers are increasingly being forced away from their fields or made to pay levies before they can cultivate their own land. The situation has serious consequences for Nigeria’s food security, as farmers who cannot safely access or harvest their farms cannot produce enough food to meet growing demand. Data cited from the World Bank showed that crop losses increased from about…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has expanded its free petroleum products delivery initiative to Kano, Imo, Anambra and Nasarawa states in a move aimed at reducing distribution costs and creating room for lower petrol prices. The programme, which previously covered Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Kaduna, Abuja and Delta, is designed to bring refined products closer to independent petroleum marketers and retailers while reducing the cost of transporting fuel over long distances. Fatima Aliko Dangote, Group Executive Director for Commercial Operations, said the value of domestic refining should extend beyond the refinery itself and ultimately benefit businesses and consumers. The initiative has been…

Nigerian pharmaceutical company Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries has raised N26.70bn through a five-year fixed-rate bond to expand its manufacturing capacity and strengthen domestic drug production. The Series 1 bond, which carries a 19 per cent interest rate, was issued under Emzor Pharma Funding SPV Plc’s N40bn Bond Issuance Programme and listed on the FMDQ Exchange. The company said the funds will be used for working capital and to finance the expansion of its manufacturing operations, including the completion of what it described as Africa’s first full-scale antimalarial Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient manufacturing plant. Emzor Chairman, Emeka Okoli, described the transaction as an…

Former Miss South Africa contestant and Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 winner, Chidimma Adetshina, has said she was unfairly targeted in South Africa amid an ongoing legal dispute over her citizenship status. Speaking after the Cape Town Regional Court adjourned the case, Adetshina maintained that she was born in South Africa and had continued to follow the appropriate legal processes to establish her citizenship status. She said the controversy had subjected her to unfair treatment but insisted that she would not respond with anger. “I believe that I have been treated unfairly and targeted and there has been an attempt to…

Foreign exchange demand by end-users in Nigeria fell by 35.23 per cent to $3.42bn in April 2026, easing pressure on the dollar market as the naira recorded modest gains. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed that the average exchange rate improved to N1,361.22 per dollar in April from N1,379.98 in March. The naira also closed the month at N1,374.94/$ at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, compared with N1,386.72/$ at the end of March. Visible imports accounted for 41.92 per cent of total foreign exchange utilisation, with industrial activities representing the largest share. Manufactured products, oil imports and food…

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho has ruled out signing Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, despite praising the young forward’s quality. Asked about the Barcelona teenager, Mourinho described Yamal as a very good player but made it clear that he had no intention of bringing him to Real Madrid. “I won’t sign him. We already have the best players,” Mourinho was quoted as saying by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Yamal has emerged as one of the most exciting young players in world football, attracting widespread attention for his performances despite his age. His development has also made him a central figure in…

North Korea fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards the East Sea on Thursday, hours after US President Donald Trump announced plans to meet leader Kim Jong Un later this year. South Korea said the missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area and travelled about 300 kilometres. The launches came during US-South Korea military exercises, which North Korea has long criticised. Trump said he wants to improve relations with Pyongyang and claimed North Korea has 57 nuclear weapons. South Korean estimates put the number between 80 and 120. Following the launches, South Korea held an emergency security meeting and…