Author: starconnect
LAGOS, Nigeria – At the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs), Interswitch, through its flagship brands Quickteller and Verve, once again reinforced its steadfast commitment to driving the growth of Africa’s creative ecosystem. As a key sponsor of this year’s awards, Interswitch championed three major categories, each reflecting the depth, richness, and diversity of African storytelling. Quickteller featured as sponsor of the Best Music Score category, recognising the composers and sound designers who bring emotion and depth to visual storytelling, while Verve sponsored both the Best Writing in a Movie category and Best Writing in a…
Admin I Tuesday, May 12. 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Africa bears roughly a quarter of the global disease burden yet imports nearly 97 percent of its pharmaceutical commodities, a vulnerability starkly exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This severe import dependence leaves Nigeria’s medicine security inherently weak. To address this, The Alternative Bank (AltBank) is stepping in as the financing answer, deploying asset-backed, risk-sharing capital to fund local pharmaceutical production, distribution, and supply chains. As part of this effort, the Bank has extended an invitation to Industrial Pharmacists across Nigeria to partner on solutions. Speaking in a recent interview with…
Admin I Tuesday, May 12. 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Aviation business, not only in Nigeria, is generally known to be a capital intensive one and strictly guided by international regulations as prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Fidelity Bank provided the funds required for Air Peace’s growth and expansion. Air Peace has scaled up and is now the largest airline in West Africa by fleet and size. The airline has also kept faith with Fidelity Bank by choosing to bank with it even in the face of multiple choices, currently The ICAO recommended standards…
Legacy De-risking Pays Off for Nigerian Banking Giant LAGOS, Nigeria — First HoldCo Plc has signaled a decisive end to its period of balance sheet restructuring, posting a massive 72.2% increase in pre-tax profits for the first quarter of 2026. The results suggest that the Nigerian financial powerhouse has successfully pivoted from a defensive posture to a high-growth trajectory. For the three months ended March 31, the Group reported profit before tax of ₦321.1 billion, up from ₦186.5 billion in the same period last year. This surge was underpinned by a 26.8% rise in gross earnings, which reached…
Titus Eleweke, South East Editor AWKA, Anambra – Nigerian human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other responsible ecclesiastical bodies to urgently rise to their moral responsibility by cautioning and regulating the disturbing trend of toxic political prophecies before it degenerates into a national catastrophe. Ejiofor made the call in a statement issued on Monday titled: “Monday Musings: When the Altar Becomes a Political War Room , The Dangerous Rise of Prophetic Manipulation in Nigeria’s Electoral Space.” According to him, silence…
Admin I Monday, May 11.2026 PORT HARCOURT – The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has handed over a fire truck to its Department of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), as part of its efforts to strengthen workplace safety and emergency preparedness within the Commission and its environs. Speaking during the handover ceremony at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Commission’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated that safety remained a shared responsibility and emphasised the importance of equipping the HSE Department with essential firefighting tools to support accident prevention and emergency response initiatives. Ogbuku, who was represented…
By Emmanuel Ukudolo l Monday, May 11.26 ABUJA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Major General Adeyinka A. Fadewa (Rtd) as the Special Adviser on Homeland Security. The appointment, which was announced on Monday, is seen as a strategic move to bolster the nation’s internal security framework and streamline intelligence-driven operations. In a statement signed by the Head of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chris Ugwuegbulam, the President noted that the choice of Fadewa was based on his “exceptional record of service” and…
By our NPFL Correspondent KATSINA UNITED turned on the style at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, delivering a clinical 4-1 demolition of Ikorodu City that left the visitors from Lagos shell-shocked. In a match billed as a clash of styles, it was the “Chanji Boys” who stole the limelight, dancing through a fragile Ikorodu defense to claim all three points in a dominant Round 37 display. The star of the show, Jonas Yusuf, wasted no time in introducing himself to the Ikorodu backline. Just six minutes into the encounter, Yusuf found space in the box to fire home…
Titus Eleweke, South East Editor LAGOS, Nigeria – Nigerian human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has expressed deep concern over what he described as the disturbing trend of some lawyers, who were certified fit and proper to be called to the Nigerian Bar, now conducting themselves with the temperament of motor-park agitators. Ejiofor, who is the Dunu-Ezeugosinachi, made the remarks in his weekend reflection titled: “The Republic of Double-Speakers: When Lawyers Become Merchants of Convenience and Integrity Is Auctioned for Political Crumbs.” In the statement, he lamented that some…
Admin I Sunday, May 10.20.26 CROSS RIVER – The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has trained 500 young men and women in financial prudence and distributed 150 minibuses and 200 tricycles to another set in Cross River State as part of its empowerment programme. Speaking during the Skills Acquisition and Capacity Enhancement Programme in Calabar, Cross River State, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said that the programme was a demonstration of the Commission’s commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration. Ogbuku, who was represented by the NDDC Director, Commercial and Industrial Development,…