Author: Prima News

TUNDE AJAJA examines the practice of politicians and their associates spending millions to buy presidential forms only to pull out of the race at the last minute At any time in Nigeria’s history, whether in the years of economic boom or now that a whopping 16.82 per cent inflation rate has eroded the value of the naira, N100m is a lot of money. Thus, when the ruling All Progressives Congress pegged its presidential forms at that sum, the outrage that greeted the announcement was somewhat understandable, especially in a country that has earned the reputation of being the poverty capital…

The burial of Nollywood actor John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, has commenced in his hometown of Amuri, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. The actor passed away in March 2024 in Lagos due to cardiac arrest, following complications from the amputation of one of his legs. John Okafor, born and raised in Enugu, first gained widespread recognition in 2004 with the film “Mr Ibu,” which also starred the late Ita Iheme. Over his prolific career, he appeared in more than 200 Nollywood films, becoming a household name with hits such as ‘Mr Ibu,’ ‘Mr. Ibu and His Son,’…

Kering and Meleka wins Lagos City Marathon The 11th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon took place on Saturday, February 8, 2026, bringing thousands of runners and spectators onto the streets of Lagos. In the men’s race, Ezra Kipchumba Kering of Kenya claimed victory in the 42km event with a winning time of 2:11:55. The women’s race was won by Dinke Meleka of Ethiopia, who crossed the line in 2:37:36. The Lagos City Marathon is an annual long distance road race organised to promote athletics, healthy living, and sports tourism in Nigeria. It is recognised by World Athletics, allowing elite runners…

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a suspect in connection with the deaths of two Nollywood production crew members found lifeless inside a parked vehicle at a movie location in Lekki, Lagos. The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, told PUNCH Metro on Monday that the suspect was a member of the production team who allegedly delivered food to the deceased before they were discovered unresponsive. “One suspect has been arrested. The suspect was the one who delivered food to the victims in the vehicle. Investigation is still ongoing,” she said. PUNCH Metro had earlier reported that…

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has retained his current deputy as his running mate for the August 8 governorship election. Details published by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state on Monday also showed that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Oyebamiji, picked a former lawmaker who represented Ife North State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Tunde Olatunji, as his running mate. The only female contestant in the governorship race is the flagbearer of the Action Democratic Party, Adeagbo Yemisi. Two political parties – the Boot Party and the New Nigeria Peoples Party…

Nigeria’s sharp inflation decline signals reform gains, as monetary tightening, stronger reserves, and improved forex management reinforce naira stability and restore investor confidence, JUSTICE OKAMGBA writes Nigeria’s inflation rate has fallen sharply from 27.61 per cent in January 2024 to 15.10 per cent in January 2026, reflecting the combined impact of monetary easing and structural reforms introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The moderation in price growth has coincided with improved foreign exchange stability, a rebound in foreign reserves to $46.8bn, and a steadier naira. As the Monetary Policy Committee prepares to meet on February 23 and 24, expectations…

There are strong indications that the Independent National Electoral Commission and the National Assembly have agreed to move the 2027 presidential election to January 16, 2027, in a dramatic reversal of the earlier February 20 date, The PUNCH gathered. Similarly, the governorship elections are also set to be brought forward to January 30, 2027, multiple sources within the electoral body and the legislature confirmed on Monday. The development comes a few hours after the Senate and House of Representatives suspended the planned harmonisation of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill to focus on an emergency plenary session convened for Tuesday, where…

Digital payment channels now account for 43 per cent of fuel transactions in Nigeria, underscoring a rapid shift away from cash in the country’s downstream oil and gas sector, according to a new case study released by financial services platform Moniepoint. The study, titled “Fuelling the Nation: How Moniepoint Powers Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry”, examined payment systems, access to credit and inventory management practices among petrol station operators nationwide. It found that point-of-sale terminals have become standard infrastructure in the sector, with 90.9 per cent of stations now relying on them for day-to-day operations. Petrol stations play a critical…

The Federal Ministry of Education has reaffirmed its commitment to working with state governments to ensure access to quality education for every Nigerian child. In a statement released on Sunday, signed by the Director, Press & Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the government would strengthen federal–state collaboration to tackle the challenge of out-of-school children. Commending the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education in Nigeria for convening its maiden peer-learning webinar, Alausa said the initiative was “timely and aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda, reinforcing the Ministry’s mandate to guarantee access to high-quality education for…

Lucky Ebozoje, popularly known as Mallet Art Family, has 240,000 followers on Instagram. He tells FAITH AJAYI about his journey into content creation with his daughter, Dulzura What inspired you to start creating content, especially with your daughter as your creative partner? People often ask me that question, and I’ll tell you for free: my daughter is very fond of me. We started creating content together when she was just a little over two years old. Here in Spain, I run my own company and still work outside of that, so I used to record her just for fun, and…