Author: Opalim Lifted

The presidency has blamed President Bola Tinubu’s stumble during a ceremonial welcome reception in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, on a poorly laid carpet. The incident occurred on Tuesday as Tinubu took part in a march-past alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the presidential complex. The video footage circulating online shows the president briefly losing his footing while walking beside his host, causing him to stumble before he was assisted by security personnel and continued the programme without further disruption. According to Arise TV, the presidency attributed the incident squarely to a poorly laid blue carpet at the venue.…

The federal government has announced plans to establish a joint economy and trade committee with Turkey to boost bilateral trade to $5 billion. President Bola Tinubu departed Abuja on Monday for a state visit to Turkey. In a statement, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his country’s commitment to boosting trade during a joint press briefing with Tinubu. Onanuga said the joint committee, announced during high-level talks, is expected to drive strategies to expand economic cooperation and increase trade volume from the current $1 billion. Erdoğan said the presence of Tinubu, several ministers and high-ranking…

The long-anticipated merger between Providus Bank and Unity Bank has entered its final phase, with an official announcement expected within weeks. Sources close to both institutions confirmed that the consolidation process is more than 90 per cent complete, placing the deal among three major bank mergers expected in early 2026 as tier-2 lenders race to meet the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) recapitalisation deadline. In March 2024, the CBN raised minimum capital requirements for Nigerian banks, setting March 2026 as the deadline for compliance. Under the new rules, commercial banks with international licences must raise their capital base to N500…

The Presidency has dismissed speculation about President Bola Tinubu’s health, confirming he is “hale and hearty” and carrying on with his state visit to Türkiye as scheduled. In an update on Tuesday, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said Tinubu moved straight from a ceremonial welcome in Ankara into high-level bilateral talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior government officials. According to the Presidency, the meetings are aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties and expanding cooperation in key areas, including defence and security, trade and investment, energy, and broader economic development. The visit, officials…

The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to claims that the most wanted bandit leader, Bello Turji, possesses a membership card of the party, describing the information as fake and circulating online, bearing the image of the notorious bandit kingpin. In a statement issued by the party’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Yusuf Idris Gusau, the APC described the card as a crude forgery orchestrated by “mischievous elements” bent on discrediting the party’s ongoing electronic registration (e-registration) exercise in the state. The statement added that the alleged forgery is easily detectable, even to the layperson.…

A National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered workers on the payroll of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to suspend their ongoing strike. Delivering a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim held that although the matter before the court amounted to a trade dispute, the defendants’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute. He ruled that once a dispute has been referred to the National Industrial Court, any ongoing strike must cease pending the determination of the case. “An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted, restraining the claimants and their representatives from further embarking on…

The national grid collapsed on Tuesday morning, causing the power outages across Nigeria. Data obtained by Chronicle NG from the Nigerian Independent System Operator N(ISO) showed that load allocation to the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) dropped to zero megawatts (MW) as at 11 am on Tuesday. According to the data from the system operator, the power generation dropped to 39 MW. The development marks the second grid collapse in less than a week. On January 23, the national grid collapsed for the first time this year. Why national grid collapsed on Friday for first time in 2026 – NISO…

Tension flared in Abuja on Monday after aggrieved workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) reportedly chased the motorcade of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, during a protest over unresolved welfare and salary issues. In a video seen by Chronicle NG, striking workers were initially gathered peacefully to press their demands when Wike’s convoy passed through the area. The mood quickly turned volatile as protesters surged towards the vehicles, chanting slogans and demanding attention to their grievances. The workers have been on an indefinite strike since last week, accusing authorities of failing to address long-standing labour and welfare concerns.…

The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, says Nigerian workers are now taking home higher salaries following a reduction in pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) deductions under the new tax laws. Oyedele made this known on his X handle on Monday, citing feedback from employees who have received their January 2026 salaries. He had earlier stated that about 98 per cent of Nigerian workers would either pay no PAYE tax or pay lower taxes under the new framework. According to him, early indications show that the new tax regime is already easing the tax burden on workers,…

Christmas Day airstrikes in northwest Nigeria targeted militants linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), a senior US Africa Command official has said. Lieutenant General John Brennan told AFP that the operations struck areas used as staging points by armed groups operating across the Sahel, based on intelligence provided by Nigerian authorities. “The most recent information we received from the Nigerians was that it was ISIS Sahel-related,” Brennan said on the sidelines of a US–Nigeria security meeting. Analysts have expressed concern about ISSP’s potential expansion from the Sahel into coastal West African countries, including Nigeria. President Donald Trump confirmed…