The United States has taken decisive action to disrupt Hizballah’s illicit financial networks by sanctioning operatives who exploit Lebanon’s informal financial sector to generate revenue for the terrorist organisation. These individuals have facilitated sanctions evasion schemes involving Hizballah-controlled financial institution Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), and an Iran-based Hizballah finance operative, enabling the group to access and move funds outside legitimate regulatory channels. Targeting Hizballah’s Shadow Banking Network Hizballah continues to manipulate Lebanon’s fragile financial environment to sustain its operations, circumvent international sanctions, and finance its destabilising activities. AQAH, which operates under the guise of a charitable financial cooperative, functions in practice…
Author: Adejuyigbe Adegoke
Publisher.
The Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN), latest policy shift — permitting licensed Bureau De Change (BDC), operators to access the official Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM), with a weekly cap of US$150,000 per operator — marks a significant recalibration of FX management strategy. This move seeks to address one of the most persistent challenges plaguing Nigeria’s economy: chronic FX scarcity at the official window and the resulting disconnect between official and parallel market rates. Putting Liquidity Back into Retail FX Channels For years, the CBN’s approach to forex liquidity — including tight controls on dollar sales and restricted access to…
1. The Appointment Announcement President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). The nomination was made official in a State House statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Senate in line with Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act. President Tinubu has formally written to Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, urging an expedited confirmation process for Ambassador Yusuf’s appointment. 2. Who Is Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf?…
Passengers on an Arik Air flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt faced an unexpected detour on Wednesday when a loud bang from the Boeing 737-700’s left engine prompted the crew to divert the aircraft to Benin Airport. All 80 passengers and crew disembarked safely, and authorities, including the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, have launched an inquiry into the engine anomaly. The aircraft, registered 5N-MJF, had departed Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and was on approach to Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa when the sound was detected. Arik Air in a statement described the incident as a precautionary safety concern, prompting…
In a notable escalation of military cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, Washington has announced the deployment of approximately 200 U.S. military personnel to Nigeria. This decision, confirmed by U.S. and Nigerian officials on 11 February 2026, marks a significant deepening of bilateral efforts to confront long-standing security threats posed by Islamist insurgencies and other armed groups in West Africa. Purpose of the Deployment Contrary to some speculation, the U.S. has stated that the forces being sent are not intended to engage in combat operations. Instead, the primary mission of the troops will be to: Train and advise elements…
The Senate has scheduled an emergency sitting for Tuesday, 10 February 2026, amid explosive public reaction to the recent handling of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026. An official notice signed by Senate Clerk, Emmanuel Odo, instructed senators to return to plenary at 12:00 noon, overriding a planned recess to address pressing issues around the controversial bill. The emergency recall comes after the upper chamber’s decision to soften or remove explicit provisions on real-time electronic transmission of election results — a move that has sparked nationwide debate and intense political pressure. Protests Erupt at the National Assembly On Monday, 9…
Amid widespread confusion and debate over the cost of electricity meters in Nigeria, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has issued a clarification: while certain meter installations are free to consumers, not all electricity meters deployed in the country are automatically free of charge. This statement came as government agencies and power sector stakeholders sought to address misunderstandings surrounding various metering initiatives. The clarification was made by the Chairman of NERC, Musiliu Oseni, during a radio interview with Adeola Samuel-Ilori on Fresh FM on Saturday, where he explained that while meters supplied under government-funded programmes are free at the point…
In an age where creative expression is both currency and culture, Nigeria stands at the forefront of Africa’s digital content revolution. Earlier today, the Federal Government (FG), highlighted a staggering statistic — Nigerian creators are producing over 15,000 pieces of content daily — a figure that encapsulates both the promise and the complexities of our burgeoning digital economy. This remarkable volume, if accurate and verified by industry sources, speaks to a profound shift in how we tell our stories, express our identities, and participate in the global digital marketplace. Whether it’s a TikTok video, an Instagram reel, a podcast episode,…
The Federal Government has announced a six-week partial closure of sections of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway to facilitate critical bridge repair works on some of the busiest stretches of this major transport corridor linking Lagos to the interior of Nigeria. Urgent Repairs to Critical Bridge Structures The partial closure, set to last six weeks, is aimed at enabling urgent repairs on expansion joints — essential structural components that allow bridges to expand and contract safely — at three key bridges along the expressway: Kara Bridge Magboro Bridge Arepo–Punch Bridge Expansion joints that have deteriorated over time were found to be in…
On September 1, 2025, Union Bank of Nigeria formally completed its merger with Titan Trust Bank, a landmark consolidation that marks one of the most transformative events in the Nigeria’s banking sector in recent years. With the merger now finalised, Titan Trust Bank has ceased to exist as an independent entity, and its assets and operations have been fully absorbed into the Union Bank franchise. This strategic move blends Union Bank’s 108-year heritage with Titan Trust’s innovation ethos, resulting in a bank with expanded physical reach — over 293 service centres and 937 ATMs nationwide — and strengthened digital capabilities.…
The Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, and the Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Sergeant Major Garric M. Banfield, underscored the United States’ commitment to shared security, counterterrorism cooperation, and economic stability across Africa during a digital press briefing hosted by the U.S. State Department’s Africa Regional Media Hub on Tuesday. The on-the-record briefing, the first of 2026, brought together journalists from across Africa and beyond and focused on AFRICOM’s priorities, evolving security challenges, and partnerships across the continent. Strengthening Partnerships Through Engagement General Anderson, who assumed command of AFRICOM in August 2025, emphasized the importance of…
I settled in my workstation this evening to express my views on unfolding events in my country today, 4th February 2026 via writing, and to my rude shock; I read across multiple credible sources, report that the Nigerian Senate, while passing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, rejected a specific amendment that would have made real-time electronic transmission of election results compulsory. In practical terms my closer critique: Senators voted down a proposal to amend Clause 60(3) of the bill to require results to be transmitted electronically from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), immediately after counting…