Author: Press Room

Foreign-born talents have always been a core part of the Nigerian Football team, and Italian defender Alessandro Marcandalli could be the latest to join that list, Soccernet.ng reports. The 23-year-old centre-back has been turning heads in Serie A with Genoa this season, earning recognition with two assists in 25 games for Genoa, 22 of which were starts. Daniele De Rossi’s side are currently 14th in the Italian Serie A, and Marcandalli has been an integral part of their journey this season. Born on the 25th of October 2002 in Ponte San Pietro, Bergamo, Italy, Marcandalli’s journey has seen him rise…

The Nigerian Army has denied claims that Brigadier General Oseni Braimah died as a result of an unserviceable vehicle during the attack on a military base in Benisheikh, Borno State. It also dismissed reports that 17 soldiers were killed, stating that four personnel died in the attack. In a statement on Friday, the Media Information Officer, North-East Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, described the viral reports as false, misleading and exaggerated. “These narratives, often amplified with unrelated pictures and videos, are not only inaccurate but constitute a deliberate attempt to distort facts, undermine ongoing military…

Newly-appointed Flamingos head coach Akeem Busari has invited 36 players to the camp of the Nigeria under-17 women’s national team camp, Soccernet.ng reports. This is as the Flamingos begin preparations for next month’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup second round qualifying fixture. The Flamingos will face the winner of the first round clash between Niger Republic and Guinea. Niger Republic are set to host the first leg of that tie this weekend, with the return leg scheduled for Conakry next weekend. The winner of that contest will then take on Nigeria, who finished third at the 2022 FIFA U17 Women’s…

To ensure that no child is left behind in accessing life-saving vaccines in Lagos State, stakeholders in the health sector have urged policymakers to increase domestic funding for routine immunisation as donor support continues to decline. The advocates stressed that mobilising domestic resources to strengthen immunisation amid the global health funding crisis is critical, noting that vaccination remains one of the most effective and reliable ways to protect children from life-threatening diseases and ensure healthy growth and development. They made the call at an advocacy meeting in Ikeja organised by Save the Children International under the GSK-supported Better Opportunities for…

FIFA has released the full list of match officials for the FIFA World Cup 2026, with no Nigerian referee among those selected for the tournament. The global football governing body announced a total of 170 officials for the competition, which includes 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials drawn from across all six confederations and 50 member associations. According to a post obtained from FIFA’s website on Friday, FIFA said the selection was based on a “quality first” principle, with candidates assessed over three years based on consistency of performance at domestic, international, and FIFA competitions. FIFA’s…

Paul Onuachu has become the face of Trabzonspor’s title push, but the Nigerian striker is keeping his focus firmly on winning matches rather than making bold predictions, Soccernet.ng reports. The 31-year-old forward met fans at an autograph event in Akyazı, where large numbers turned up to see the club’s leading scorer. It was a moment that showed just how important he has become to the team, both on and off the pitch. Speaking after the event, Onuachu made it clear how much that connection with supporters means to him. “I feel great, it’s wonderful to be so close to the…

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Elegushi of Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom, Lagos State, Saheed Ademola Elegushi, on his 50th birthday. Tinubu, in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, commended the monarch’s leadership and contributions to community development. The President said, “Oba Elegushi has demonstrated the vision, grace, wisdom and courage in keeping a balance between tradition and modernity by adopting technology and global best practices in developmental strides, particularly in agriculture and skills acquisition in his domain. “I am not surprised about your leadership and the gains your reign has produced for…

The Super Falcons of Nigeria have experienced another disappointment just weeks after the Confederation of African Football postponed the WAFCON tournament from March to the middle of the year, Soccernet.ng reports. This time, it’s the team captain, Rasheedat Ajibade, who picked a bone with the Nigerian Football Federation after Cape Verde pulled out of the proposed friendlies set for this month’s International break. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has always been vocal about how she feels the Super Falcons are not being treated as important despite their enormous success on the African continent. Rasheedat Ajibade during the 2025 WAFCON Finals match…

The Sasakawa Africa Association has said Nigeria spends about $10bn annually importing wheat, rice, sugar, fish and tomato paste, despite ongoing efforts by the government to transform the agricultural sector. The SAA Nigeria Country Director, Dr Godwin Atser, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the 2026 Annual Stakeholders’ Workshop and the celebration of the association’s 40th anniversary. The association said its interventions are aimed at increasing farmers’ incomes and improving food and nutrition security through the promotion of market-oriented, sustainable, resilient, regenerative and nutrition-sensitive agricultural innovations, while also building the capacity of extension agents and farmers. The workshop had…

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs Kemi Nandap, has temporarily relieved the commanding officers of the affected commands along the Lagos-Seme border corridor of their duties following online reports alleging extortion by personnel of the service. Nandap also ordered an immediate investigation into the incidents. The service, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, on Friday, said Nandap “unequivocally condemns the actions depicted in these reports, as such conduct is unacceptable and stands in direct violation of the core values, ethics, and operational standards of the Service.” The statement did not specify the number…