Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

How SEC Can Achieve 20m Investors’ Target Prof. Uche Uwaleke, the President of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria (CMAN), says aggressive investors’ education and strong enforcement against infractions will help the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) achieve its 2026 targets. SEC on Feb. 20 inaugurated a liquidity working group targeting no fewer than 20 million new investors into the market. Speaking to News men in Abuja on Sunday, Uwaleke said the target was realisable but required a coordinated ecosystem approach involving regulators, exchanges, fintech firms, banks, universities, and market operators. He said financial literacy campaigns must also be institutionalised,…

Nigerian Fencer Brou Ranked Top 10 Globally Nigeria’s fencing sensation Inkosi Brou has achieved a groundbreaking milestone, becoming the first Nigerian to be ranked among the top 10 junior fencers in the world. The latest rankings released by the International Fencing Federation (FIE) place the 18-year-old in 10th position in the Men’s Sabre junior category. With 68.750 points, Brou is now the second-highest ranked African trailing Egypt’s Ahmed Hesham, who sits in 7th place with 76.000 points. In spite of a quarterfinal exit at the 2026 African Junior Fencing Championships in Dakar, Brou’s ascent continues, buoyed by his recent sixth‑place…

While the market claims the naira exchange rate has decoupled from oil prices, analysts say the ongoing crude rally is positive for a firmer local currency.

Buoyed by N8.14 trillion weekly gain, the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) has delivered a 25.3% year-to-date return amid a successive rally, supported by an influx of pension money into the local bourse.

Lagos Sets Pace in Youth Swimming With olympic-Size Meet Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) on Saturday hosted a long-course Dolphin Swimming League meet at the Olympic pool in Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex. The event attracted World School Games champions, National Youth Games medallists and emerging talents, reinforcing Lagos’ growing status as a hub for structured youth swimming. Coaches, parents and supporters filled the stands, underscoring the commission’s deliberate emphasis on age-grade athlete development and sustained competitive exposure. Beyond the spectacle, the meet signalled a shift towards performance-driven youth swimming, with Lagos increasingly setting the benchmark for other states. Staged across…

Super Eagles Set for Iran, Jordan Test in Amman Invitational Three-time African champions Nigeria will compete in a Four-Nation Invitational Tournament in Amman, Jordan, during next month’s FIFA men’s international window. The tournament, featuring Iran, Jordan and Costa Rica, is designed to provide high-level international exposure for participating teams. A statement from Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday in Abuja, said the competition aligns with the federation’s technical development plans. “This tournament offers the Super Eagles quality opposition and valuable international experience,” he said. Olajire noted that facing teams from different confederations would…

Mr Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa, Chairman, Agege Local Government of Lagos State, has inaugurated a welfare programme providing free three-kilogram cooking gas refills to 4,000 residents.

BPP Records N1.1trn Savings, Seeks Increased Allocation in 2026 Budget The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has presented its 2026 budget proposal to the National Assembly, highlighting achievements in procurement reforms and savings. The Director-General (D-G), BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun said this in a statement by Zira Nagga, Head of Press and Public Relations, BPP, in Abuja on Saturday. Adedokun said that the reforms saved the nation N1.1 trillion in 2025. He said that the savings were realised through initiatives such as the Debarment Policy, Nigeria First Policy and the E-Government Procurement (e-GP) System. He attributed the successes recorded by…

NNPC Ltd., Dangote Forge Strategic Alliance to Accelerate Nigeria’s Energy Security The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and the Dangote Group have forged a renewed strategic alliance designed to accelerate energy security, deepen domestic refining capacity and drive long-term economic prosperity. In a significant move aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s energy landscape, the two companies renewed the alliance on Saturday. This epochal deal was reached when Mr Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd,. led the NNPC’s delegation to the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State. The visit was for high-level discussions that culminated in…

Weak AI Governance Can Trigger Capital Flight, NGX Chairman Warns The Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Dr Umaru Kwairanga, has warned that weak governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems could trigger capital flight, distort markets and erode investor confidence in Nigeria. Kwairanga gave the warning on Friday while delivering the opening address at the InnovateAI Conference Lagos 2026. In a statement on Saturday, the NGX Chairman emphasised that the risks associated with poorly governed AI were no longer theoretical. He said: “Across the world, capital flows toward markets that demonstrate predictability, governance and trust. “If AI systems are opaque, discriminatory…