Author: Opalim Lifted

Cardinal John Onaiyekan has urged opposition political parties in Nigeria to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying a strong opposition is essential to sustaining the country’s democracy. Onaiyekan made the call when leaders of opposition parties under the G100 Coalition visited him at his residence in Abuja on Thursday, October 29. The delegation, comprising national chairmen and national secretaries of participating political parties, briefed the Catholic cleric on efforts to build a united opposition platform capable of presenting Nigerians with a credible political alternative. In a statement issued on Friday and signed by Salihu Lukman on behalf of…

Jumia Nigeria has launched its 2026 Black Friday campaign, offering shoppers discounts of up to 60 per cent on essential products, electronics and lifestyle items. The month-long promotion, tagged “No Manage Am”, runs from October 30 to November 30, giving consumers opportunities to replace faulty appliances, upgrade household essentials and purchase other products at reduced prices. According to The Guardian, the campaign features deals across several consumer categories, with participating brands offering special promotions throughout the shopping period. Jumia said it had upgraded its platform to accommodate approximately three times the traffic recorded during last year’s Black Friday campaign in…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government’s planned N50,000 monthly cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians, describing the intervention as an election gimmick ahead of the 2027 general elections. The opposition party alleged that the announcement was an attempt by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to regain public support amid growing concerns over the rising cost of living. In a statement on Saturday, October 31, 2026, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, questioned the timing of the intervention, accusing the government of reacting to the party’s campaign promise to make life more affordable for Nigerians. “President Tinubu is in…

The Cadre Harmonisé has projected that 33.5 million Nigerians, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will face acute food insecurity between June and August 2027. The October 2026 Cadre Harmonisé (CH) Food and Nutrition Insecurity Analysis report indicates a worsening food security situation in the country. The report, produced by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and other partners, also estimated that 26.8 million people, including 756,815 IDPs in Borno, Sokoto and Zamfara states, would experience…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has developed a device-checking application to help detect counterfeit, cloned and unauthorised mobile phones and strengthen compliance with telecommunications regulations in Nigeria. Tunji Jimoh, Zonal Controller of the commission’s Lagos office, disclosed this on Thursday during a media briefing at the NCC zonal office. Jimoh, who represented NCC Executive Vice-Chairman, Aminu Maida, said the application enables authorised stakeholders to scan device International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and upload the information directly to the commission’s Device Checker platform. According to him, the initiative is designed to improve device identification, strengthen regulatory compliance and prevent non-compliant…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned newly recruited personnel into four paramilitary services against paying a purported ₦7,500 fee for the mandatory Drug Integrity Test (DIT), insisting that the exercise has already been fully funded by the Ministry of Interior. The agency said candidates participating in the screening are not required to make any payment to NDLEA officials, accredited testing centres or third-party collection channels. The warning was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi. NDLEA Clarifies Drug Test Payment Arrangements According to the agency,…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Innocent Okoye, a businessman in Abia State, to five years’ imprisonment for manufacturing and selling counterfeit Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Okoye, managing director of Chikason Industrial Nigeria Limited, was convicted on two counts relating to the production and sale of the counterfeit product. According to information from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the presiding judge, Kehinde Ogundare, delivered the judgment on Wednesday, giving Okoye the option of paying a N5 million fine. The conviction followed an enforcement operation by NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in…

President Bola Tinubu has defended his administration’s foreign borrowing plans, saying Nigeria needs sustained investment in critical infrastructure to achieve its ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2030. The President argued that the success of government borrowing should be measured by the economic value generated by projects funded with the loans, rather than the amount of debt accumulated. According to a statement issued on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu made the remarks in an essay titled From Reforms to Delivery: Our Infrastructure Investment and Growth Strategy. His defence comes…

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that the Ebola outbreak spreading across parts of Africa is not yet undera control, raising concerns about continued transmission and the growing geographical spread of the disease. Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa CDC, gave the warning on Friday during an interview on Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme. According to Kaseya, the assessment followed a virtual meeting of African health ministers held on October 28, which brought together more than 42 ministers and over 600 participants, including representatives of international organisations and development partners. He said the meeting…

A record 47.9 million Americans have cast their ballots ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections, surpassing the previous early voting record set in 2022. Figures from the University of Florida’s Election Lab showed that 47,922,669 votes had been recorded nationwide by midday Friday, October 30, exceeding the previous midterm record of 45.9 million votes cast before Election Day in 2022. The surge in early voting has been particularly noticeable in states with closely contested Senate races, where the results could determine control of the chamber during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s presidency. Texas, Carolina Record…