Author: starconnect
By SCM Tech Desk I Friday, August 07, 2026 ABUJA — The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has extended the application deadline for the fourth edition of its flagship Hackathon Live Show. Prospective innovators and tech talent now have until Monday, August 17, 2026, to submit their proposals. The decision to shift the cut-off date from the initial deadline offers tech entrepreneurs, developers, and researchers additional room to refine their solutions and submit competitive prototypes. Themed “Technology Without Barriers: Innovative Solutions for People With Disabilities,” the fourth edition of the national innovation initiative aims to bridge the digital divide…
By SCM Health Desk I Friday, August 07, 2026 ABUJA — In a major boost to Nigeria’s public health infrastructure and child survival strategies, the Federal Government has officially initiated the policy enabling process for the nationwide adoption and wider scale-up of Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC). The strategic initiative targets children under two years of age living in regions affected by year-round transmission, marking a decisive shift in the country’s national health campaign. The disclosure was made in Abuja during a high-level dissemination meeting on the implementation research for PMC. Addressing public health stakeholders, development partners, and…
Admin I Friday, August 07, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria- Globacom recorded the highest growth in Internet subscribers among Nigeria’s major telecommunications operators in May, according to the latest figures released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The company added about 1.2 million new Internet subscribers during the month, accounting for nearly half of the 2.67 million increase recorded nationwide. Nigeria’s total Internet subscriber base rose from about 154.3 million in April to approximately 157 million in May, while Globacom’s subscriber base increased from about 15.5 million to 16.8 million. The NCC statistics also showed that Airtel Nigeria recorded the second-highest…
By SCM Admin I Friday, August 07, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – The Alternative Bank, on Thursday, convened investors, policymakers, and business leaders at The Metropolitan Club in Victoria Island, Lagos, for an executive intelligence briefing titled ‘Beyond Interest’. The gathering aimed to advance the conversation around non-interest finance and the strategic deployment of patient capital into Nigeria’s productive economy. The Chairman of The Alternative Bank, Muhtar Bakare, opened the forum by challenging attendees to rethink how capital is deployed across the nation. He emphasised the necessity of aligning private returns with productive national capacity. “Extractive capital treats…
By SCM International Desk I Friday, August 07, 2025 WASHINGTON — In an unprecedented attempt to monetize control over one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, Iran has proposed levying a transit fee of 5 percent to 7 percent on the value of all commercial cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The move, confirmed by senior Iranian officials during multi-nation negotiations, represents a dramatic effort to convert strategic geography into a massive revenue stream. Under the draft agreement, vessels carrying cargo to or from China would be explicitly exempt, signaling a stark geopolitical divide in how…
…Says Nigeria Is Exporting Wealth, Jobs and Opportunities Instead of Building Them at Home By SCM Admin I Friday, August 06, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – A newly released report by Rome Business School Nigeria (RBSN), one of Nigeria’s foremost business schools and corporate training institutions based in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, says the answer lies not in a shortage of ideas or government policies, but in a broken economic system that rewards the export of raw materials with little value addition leading to poor strategic positioning of the “Made in Nigeria” brand. The report, titled “Rethinking ‘Made in…
SCM SPORTS DESK I August 07,2026 CAIRO, Egypt — The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee (“EXCO”) has unanimously endorsed the “Joint Update” issued by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafström regarding the contentious FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, while calling for strict adherence to global governance and auditing standards across the continent. The resolution was reached following a high-level EXCO meeting chaired by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe. The meeting addressed recent developments surrounding FIFA’s commercial reorganization proposals and evaluated their long-term implications for African football’s 54 member associations. FIFA Acknowledges Mistakes and…
By Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, August 07,2026 ASO ROCK VILLA, Abuja – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately halt all legal actions against the Osun State Government and move to vacate a court order freezing the state’s bank accounts. The President’s directive came barely 24 hours after the anti-graft agency obtained an order on August 5, 2026, freezing the state’s financial accounts. In a formal statement issued from the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, President Tinubu expressed deep embarrassment over the timing of the agency’s action, warning that it…
Admin I Thursday, August 06, 2026 WASHINGTON – The United States today announced nearly $2 billion in partnerships with faith-based and community organizations that provide global health and humanitarian assistance around the world. This historic announcement is the largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in over 20 years. It underscores the Trump Administration’s commitment to partnering with organizations that demonstrate faith in action and have proven their ability to deliver health and humanitarian assistance in the world’s most difficult environments. This new funding, according to Spokesperson, Department of State will be provided to an…
By Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday, August 06,2026 OSOGBO — The Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo has granted an application for the issuance of a bench warrant of arrest against Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba, over his failure to appear before the court to face murder charges. The order was issued following an application by the prosecution, who alerted the presiding judge to the defendant’s deliberate absence despite court orders and notices served regarding the criminal proceedings. Substituted Service and Non-Appearance in Court The development marks a crucial turn in the high-profile criminal case…