Author: Prima News

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated reported a record profit before tax (PBT) of $801 million for the financial year ended December 31, 2025, representing a 21 percent increase from $662 million recorded in 2024 as the lender leveraged revenue growth, cost discipline and diversification across its pan-African operations. Profit attributable to shareholders rose by 22 percent to $407 million, while earnings per share increased by 23 percent to $0.017. The board proposed a dividend payout of $40 million, up from $28 million in the previous distribution cycle, subject to shareholder approval. The group’s net revenue climbed 17 percent year-on-year to $2.45 billion,…

The Abia State Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday urged Abians to reject the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections in the state. Speaking at a press conference in Umuahia, the Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in Abia State, Ikpegbu Emeka-Yellow, said a vote for the APC would amount to endorsing hardship, stagnation, and regression. “A vote for the APC is a vote for hardship, stagnation, and regression. We must not import the failures of the Federal Government into our state,” he said. Emeka-Yellow said many of those now promoting the APC in Abia…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, has hailed the sentencing of a 20-year-old suspect, Muhammad Maharazu, to 15 years in prison. In a statement issued on April 16, 2026, by Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, the agency said the judgment was delivered by Federal High Court 1 in Kano on April 15, 2026. Maharazu was arrested on February 14, 2026, at Filin Idi, a known drug hotspot in Kano. NDLEA operatives from the Commander’s Special Joint Task Force caught him with different illegal drugs, including Diazepam tablets. According to the statement, the suspect tried to escape during the…

World Athletics has rejected an application by Turkey to switch the allegiance of Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili, dealing a significant blow to the athlete’s proposed nationality change ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games. The decision was contained in a document obtained by PUNCH Online on Thursday. According to the document, the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel ruled that the application submitted by the Türkiye Athletics Federation would not be approved after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the request. The panel, comprising Donna Raynor, Cydonie Motherskill and Susanne van Waert, said granting the request would undermine key regulatory principles guiding international athletics.…

Nigerian comedian, Okey Bakassi, has offered a ₦5 million reward for information leading to the recovery of stolen phones and the arrest of a suspected thief who allegedly infiltrated a private football gathering in Ikoyi, Lagos. Bakassi disclosed this in a video posted on Instagram on Thursday, recounting how an unknown individual joined their weekly football session on Wednesday evening and later made away with several phones. According to him, the suspect was allowed to participate in the game out of goodwill but later pretended to be injured and left the pitch. He said, “This evening, 15th of April 2026,…

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Khaled Khiari was speaking during the Security Council’s annual debate on cooperation between the two organizations in the areas of peace and security. “In an increasingly complex and uncertain international environment, sustained engagement, dialogue and trust-building are essential,” he said. “Respect for international law and the Charter of the United Nations remains central to addressing shared challenges. The European Union plays an important role in advancing these principles.” Partner in peace and beyond Mr. Khiari said the EU is a key partner across the full spectrum of the UN’s work, from international peace and security to human rights, sustainable development and humanitarian action. He expressed particular gratitude for the role of its member states as troop and police-contributing countries, including in Lebanon…

Emeka Oparah, Vice President for Corporate Communications & CSR, Airtel Africa, writes from the UAE Even as the echoes of intercepted missiles and drones reverberate across Dubai, my current home, my mind has been transported to Ajegunle, Lagos, specifically, the Tolu School Complex. The recent images of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu touring the newly transformed facility stirred something deeper than nostalgia. They affirmed a simple but powerful truth: social investment, when done right, can ignite systemic change. My first visit to Tolu Complex in May 2011 remains etched in memory. What passed for a school at Oremeji Primary School 2 was,…

Nuclear startup X-energy began its investor roadshow Wednesday as it works toward its IPO, setting its target price between $16 and $19 per share, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. If it lists at the high end, the startup could net about $814 million. X-energy and its peers have been riding a renewed wave of interest in fission power as demand for electricity has surged on the back of AI data centers and societywide electrification.  Amazon is one of X-energy’s biggest backers. The tech giant led a $500 million Series C-1 round and has pledged…

There are fresh indications that contractors owed by the Federal Government for capital projects executed in the 2024 fiscal year may soon receive part payment, as members of the House of Representatives say funds could be released this week. The Federal Government had earmarked N1.8tn in the 2026 Appropriation Bill to settle outstanding liabilities to contractors, comprising a N1.7tn allocation for 2024 capital projects and N100bn for other local contractor debts. The lawmakers, who spoke separately, declined to state the amount likely to be disbursed but expressed cautious optimism that the long-awaited payments would finally begin. The development comes amid…

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, has advised countries facing economic pressures to act swiftly in seeking financial support when necessary, warning that delays could worsen economic conditions. Georgieva spoke during a press conference at the ongoing 2026 Spring Meetings of the World Bank/IMF in Washington DC, where she addressed global economic challenges and the impact of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Speaking during a question-and-answer session, she urged countries to adopt measures that would reduce energy consumption, noting that some nations had already begun implementing such policies. “I have seen some countries doing…