By Esthere Ososanya The Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) has accused the Federal Government of misrepresenting facts on outstanding liabilities and warned that prolonged payment delays are pushing its members into severe financial distress. The association said hundreds of contractors now risk losing properties and equipment to banks, microfinance institutions, and private lenders after …
By Esther Ososanya Global markets are watching closely as U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Alaska later on Friday to explore a possible ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. The war, now Europe’s biggest conflict since World War Two, has upended energy markets, driven food prices to multi-year highs, battered European assets, …
Project to Boost Southern Africa’s Energy Security and Regional Trade By Esther Ososanya Namibia and Botswana plan to build a joint $4 billion oil refinery to cut fuel imports and secure energy supplies for Southern Africa. The refinery will process 60,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day. It will operate from two sites: …
By Esther Ososanya The federal government has bowed to pressure from organised labour by addressing two major demands of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), barely days after the union threatened to shut down the economy with a nationwide strike. At the centre of the dispute was the controversial deduction of workers’ contributions from the Nigeria …
By Esther Ososanya Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has declared the country “open for business” and ready to welcome global and domestic investors, citing a combination of improved macroeconomic indicators, fiscal reforms, and targeted policy measures under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The declaration, made during a press …
By Esther Ososanya As the U.S. and China engage in a growing trade war, Africa is taking advantage of the situation to strengthen its economy and reduce dependency on foreign powers. Experts believe that these tensions could offer Africa a rare opportunity to increase its influence in global trade and investment. China has granted duty-free …
By Esther Ososanya The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has renewed its commitment to fully implement President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Executive Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII). This order classifies telecommunications facilities as key national assets that need strong protection. This development comes after a successful intervention by the Office of the National Security Adviser …
By Esther Ososanya The UK arm of popular jewellery retailer Claire’s is on the brink of collapse, with more than 2,150 jobs now in jeopardy after the company confirmed it is set to enter administration. Claire’s Accessories UK Ltd, which operates 306 stores across the UK and Ireland, has filed a notice of intention to …
By Esther Ososanya Global stock markets soared to unprecedented levels on Wednesday, buoyed by softer-than-expected U.S. inflation figures and mounting investor confidence that the U.S. Federal Reserve will deliver a much-anticipated interest rate cut in September. The MSCI All Country World Index, a benchmark tracking shares across 47 countries, climbed 0.4% to a record 951.74 …
By Esther Ososanya The Federal Reserve is almost certain to cut interest rates in September after fresh inflation data showed prices rising at a moderate pace in July, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinting a surprise half-point reduction was on the table. Traders in federal funds futures are now pricing a 99.9% probability of a …
