Author: Mohammad Adamu

Nigeria is among the countries affected by a fresh wave of US tariffs on 60 trading partners that took effect on Friday, replacing an expiring global duty earlier imposed by President Donald Trump. The new levies range from 10 to 12.5 per cent and affect major economies including China, India and the European Union, drawing protests from Beijing and other targeted nations. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the measures were tied to enforcement of forced labour import bans, noting Washington has maintained such a ban for nearly a century and expects trading partners to follow suit. The move follows…

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has rejected reports suggesting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) format will be altered, confirming the tournament will retain its 24-team structure. CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe made the clarification at a press conference on Wednesday, confirming that the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 will feature 24 national teams. In a statement on its official X account on Thursday, CAF described media reports of a format change as untrue, adding that AFCON 2027 will be played in June-July 2027, with qualifiers starting in September/October 2026. The continental body stressed that no…

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed a purported recruitment update trending on social media, describing it as fake and not originating from the Service. In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada urged the public to disregard the false publication and rely solely on information released through the Service’s official channels. He listed the Service’s verified social media handles as Facebook (Nigeria Customs Service), Instagram (@customsng), X/Twitter (@customsng), Threads (@customsng), and TikTok (@customsng), and called on Nigerians to verify information before sharing it.The clarification comes against the backdrop of NCS’s ongoing recruitment drive. The Service…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a nationwide mop-up exercise targeting alcoholic beverages sold in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles below 200ml, reinforcing the Federal Government’s ban on the products. In a statement issued yesterday, the agency said the enforcement operation spans all six geopolitical zones and follows the earlier closure of manufacturing facilities found violating the ban. Enforcement teams are conducting coordinated raids in markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and other distribution points to identify, seize and destroy affected products. NAFDAC warned manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, hawkers and transporters…

Venezuela’s ousted president, Nicolas Maduro, is scheduled to appear before a federal court in New York on Wednesday for the latest hearing in the criminal case against him, following his capture by United States forces earlier this year. Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, have remained in custody at a detention facility in Brooklyn since they were seized during a US military operation in Caracas on January 3. Both face prosecution on allegations including drug trafficking and firearms-related offences. Wednesday’s court session is expected to focus mainly on procedural matters as preparations for the trial continue.The former Venezuelan leader…

The Federal Government has called on the African Union (AU) to intensify efforts against illicit financial flows, warning that the rising wave of terrorism and violent extremism on the continent is being fuelled by such funds.The government also reaffirmed its commitment to partnerships aimed at countering terrorism and violent extremism across Africa. In a statement issued in Abuja, Magnus Eze, media aide to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the minister made the call at the 1354th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union at the ministerial level, held virtually on Tuesday, July 21,…

The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee probing the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has decried the refusal of some heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to honour its summons. Speaking shortly after plenary on Tuesday, the committee described the absence of key government officials as a setback to its ongoing investigation into the council’s activities. The panel also faulted the absence of Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele, who sent a ministry official to represent him, insisting that summoned officials must appear in person or face further legislative action. Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi warned that the panel would not…

Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Monday honoured an invitation from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as part of an ongoing investigation into the activities of an alleged fake agency, the Presidential Fiscal Intelligence and Public Complaints Commission (PFIPC). His legal counsel, Jiti Ogunye, said in a statement that Gbajabiamila appeared before the anti-graft agency in compliance with the president’s directive and in cooperation with the investigation. He arrived at ICPC headquarters at about 3:00 p.m., where he gave testimony and answered investigators’ questions. “In full cooperation with the ICPC, acting…

The governments of Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states have intensified flood preparedness measures ahead of the peak of the 2026 rainy season, following forecasts identifying the states among areas at high risk of severe flooding. The renewed efforts follow warnings from the National Flood Early Warning Centre, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) that the three states could experience significant flooding between July and September. A survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) found the measures include construction of drainage infrastructure, activation of Emergency Operations Centres, public sensitisation campaigns, mapping of vulnerable communities…

Andy Burnham will be sworn in as Britain’s prime minister on Monday, becoming the sixth person to hold the office since 2016 as he succeeds Keir Starmer, who is stepping down two years after leading Labour to a landslide election win. Burnham, 56, was summoned by King Charles III to form a government and is set to deliver his first speech outside 10 Downing Street shortly after Starmer’s farewell remarks. In an interview with The Times published Sunday, Burnham said he wanted to break from a decade of political instability, telling the paper: “What we’ve been doing hasn’t been working……