Author: starconnect
Admin I Thursday, June 11, 2026 PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has charged youths in the Niger Delta region to seize opportunities provided by the Port Harcourt Tech Expo to create wealth, secure employment, and drive innovation. Speaking during a two-day technology conference and exhibition organised by TechNexus Limited, and sponsored by the NDDC in Port Harcourt, Ogbuku urged young people to take ownership of their future by leveraging platforms like the Tech Expo to develop skills and build sustainable careers. Ogbuku highlighted the importance of the…
Admin I Thursday, June 11, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Sim Tshabalala, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank, paid a courtesy visit to Thami Mseleku, South African High Commissioner to Nigeria in Abuja. He was accompanied by Sola David-Borha, Chairman of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Board; Helmut Engelbrecht, Regional Chief Executive for Africa Regions, Standard Bank; Chuma Nwokocha, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings; Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank; Yewande Sadiku, Head Investment Banking Africa, Standard Bank, alongside other senior executives. This engagement highlights the importance of strengthening business ties between South Africa and…
Admin I Thursday, June 11, 2026 ABUJA, Nigeria – Asian countries like Japan, China, Singapore and Vietnam add value to their industrial chains by controlling the high-margin stages of research and development (R&D) design, engineering, branding and after sales services while using advanced manufacturing, automation, and skilled labour to convert raw materials and imported inputs into differentiated high-quality finished goods. They strengthen backward integration by developing local suppliers for components and machinery; build forward linkages through processing and branding to capture more of the final product value, and invest heavily in skills, standards, and innovation ecosystem that enable…
By Tunde Ilesanmi I Thursday, June 11.2026 IJEBU-JESA, Osun – The upcoming August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun State is a straight battle between two completely different styles: a solid, well-organized political structure versus a loud, showmanship personality. The government’s handling of the civil service and local government councils has also caused serious anger and tension. The initial excitement that brought this administration into office has now crashed into the harsh realities of rising living costs, power grid instability, and unfulfilled promises As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares to win back the Government House in Okefia, Osogbo, there is…
Admin I Thursday, June 11, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Access Holdings Plc (“Access Holdings” or “the Group”) today held its 4th Annual General Meeting (AGM), reaffirming its strategic transition towards long-term value creation, balance sheet resilience, and disciplined growth, even as it navigates a dynamic and evolving operating environment. Speaking at the AGM, the Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, emphasised that the defining test of a financial institution is not merely its capacity for growth, but its ability to grow profitably, sustainably, and with discipline over time. He noted that Access Holdings’ performance in 2025 reflects a deliberate approach…
Admin I Thursday, June 11, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Africa’s largest financial institution, Standard Bank Group, the parent company of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, has reaffirmed its commitment to support the growth of Dangote Industries Limited, pledging backing for the planned listing of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery while expressing readiness to finance future expansion projects across the continent. The commitment came during a strategic visit by Standard Bank Group Chief Executive, Sim Tshabalala, and senior executives to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Dangote Fertiliser complex in Lagos. Speaking after touring the facilities, Tshabalala described the refinery as a transformational industrial…
Admin I Thursday, June 11. 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Achievers University, Owo, Dr. Chike Walter Duru, has described media as one of the most powerful force multipliers in modern security operations, stressing that effective communication has become indispensable to achieving operational success in contemporary security environments. Dr. Duru made the assertion while delivering a Guest Lecture at a Media Workshop organised by the Directorate of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Headquarters Nigerian Army, at the Army War College Nigeria, Asokoro, Abuja. The workshop brought together Army Public Relations Officers, media…
Admin I Thursday, June 11, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – HabariPay Limited, the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”), has unveiled its maiden HabariPay Impact Report 2025, providing stakeholders with a comprehensive account of the company’s evolution, innovation journey, business performance, and impact on the digital payments landscape. The report captures HabariPay’s transformation from a newly established fintech venture into one of Nigeria’s leading payment infrastructure providers, highlighting the milestones, strategic decisions, and investments that have shaped its growth. It showcases the company’s contributions to enabling digital commerce, supporting businesses, strengthening payment…
By SCM Correspondent TEHRAN — Iran’s central military command announced early Thursday the absolute closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all maritime traffic, including commercial vessels and oil tankers, explicitly warning that any ship attempting to navigate the vital waterway will be targeted. The extraordinary decree by the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters—the high command overseeing all of Iran’s conventional military and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operations—marks a dangerous escalation in the rapidly deteriorating conflict between Washington and Tehran. It comes directly on the heels of a massive wave of U.S. airstrikes hitting military infrastructure in Iran’s southern coast.…
By Emmanuel Thomas ABUJA — The Senate, through its Committee on Public Accounts, has dramatically escalated its investigation into the management of Nigeria’s oil revenues by ordering the immediate arrest of the former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Malam Mele Kyari. The legislative directive followed Kyari’s failure to appear before the apex upper chamber’s audit panel to answer 19 separate queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation. The audit queries highlight unresolved financial entries, variations, and discrepancies valued at a staggering N210 trillion, spanning the national oil…