Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

AI Key to Tackling Financial Fraud — eTranzact Mr Hakeem Adeniji-Adele, Deputy Managing Director of eTranzact Plc, says Artificial Intelligence is central to preventing financial fraud in Nigeria’s financial sector. Adeniji-Adele said this in a statement on Saturday following the second Nigeria Telecoms Forum 2026, which gathered key stakeholders from fintech and telecommunications industries. The forum, with the theme ‘Resilient Networks, Smarter Futures: Powering Nigeria’s Next Digital Decade’, focused on innovation, collaboration, and the future of digital infrastructure. According to Adeniji-Adele, Artificial Intelligence is becoming a critical tool in combating fraud across financial institutions. He said AI was reshaping telecom…

Iran Seeking Permanent End to Wars, not Temporary Ceasefire — Deputy FM Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh says his country is seeking a comprehensive end to wars across the Middle East region, not a temporary ceasefire. Khatibzadeh made this known on Friday in Antalya, Türkiye, while speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) held under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Erdogan. According to Khatibzadeh, any ceasefire must include all conflict zones “from Lebanon to the Red Sea,” describing it as a “red line” for Iran. “We are not accepting any temporary ceasefire,” he…

UN Welcomes Strait of Hormuz Reopening Amid Ceasefire UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed Iran’s announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open to commercial vessels during the ceasefire period. In a statement on Friday, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres considered the reopening a positive step toward easing tensions in the region. “The United Nations’ position remains clear: we need full restoration of navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz. “The Secretary-General remains fully supportive of diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful path forward out of the current Middle East conflict. “He hopes this measure, alongside the…

Tinubu’s Economic Reforms Durable, Self-Sustaining -Edun Bola Tinubu’s reforms are durable, self-sustaining, and aimed at transitioning Nigeria from economic survival to growth. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, made this known during a press briefing at the ongoing Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. Edun said that these reforms—implemented since mid-2023—have stabilised the economy and positioned it to withstand external shocks. He noted that the meetings were held amid global export tensions, trade uncertainty, and tightening financial conditions affecting economies worldwide. “Building prosperity through policy reflects…

Naira Dips Vs. Dollar Liquidity Lags Foreign Payments The Naira closed the week with a slight loss at the official market, trading at N1,343.63 per U.S. dollar, according to daily data published by the Central Bank. The spot FX rate depreciated from N1342.30 per dollar quoted at the official window on Thursday, reflecting moderate pressure from FX payment requests. This translated into 0.09 per cent depreciation in the local currency, amid Broadstreet’s positive outlook for the exchange rate. The Naira, which had sustained a two weeks appreciation before crashing on Friday, traded at N1,356.18 on Monday. Official rate hovered between…

Offa Bank Robbery: Kwara Files Charges Against Bukola Saraki Kwara State Government has officially filed a 20-count charge against former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed over their alleged arming of top suspects convicted in the tragic Offa armed robbery incident of April 2018. The other suspects are the Chief of Staff to Governor Ahmed Yusuf Abdulwahab and another aide, Alabi Olalekan. The long awaited trial with charge No: kWS/114C/26 comes after the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of the suspects, including Ayo Akinnibosun, who had confessed during trial to being a hit man of Saraki’s…

NGX Chair Seeks Regulation to Drive Digital Assets Growth Nigerian Exchange Group has underscored the need for collaboration among stakeholders to foster a sustainable, well-regulated environment for digital asset trading and investment in the country. Its Chairman, Dr Umaru Kwairanga, made this known in a goodwill message delivered at the 2026 Investment Advisers and Portfolio Managers’ Conference in Lagos. The theme of the conference is “Fostering Enduring Operating Environment for Digital Assets Trading and Investments-Regulators/Operators Perspective”. Kwairanga, in a statement on Friday, said the theme reflected the growing influence of emerging technologies in modern finance. According to him, the rise…

President Bola Tinubu has signed the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, authorising an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion for the current fiscal year.

Investors Gain N3.4T as Capital Rotates to Banking, Energy Stocks Equities investors gained about N3.4 trillion in the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on Friday on strong sectoral performance led by the banking, energy stocks, The market, for the ninth trading session, sustained its positive momentum on strong buying across all key sectors, with the Banking and Oil & Gas sectors leading the charge, posting impressive 3.64% and 3.29% increases, respectively. The All-Share Index climbed 5,266.56 basis points in today’s trading session, reflecting a 2.49% increase to close at 217,167.57 points. Likewise, market capitalisation increased by ₦3,390.69 billion, representing a 2.49% growth,…

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has opened an investigation into an alleged data breach at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).