Author: Press Room

Nigeria’s banking industry shut 229 physical branches in one year as customers increasingly turned to Point of Sale terminals for their daily transactions. This is according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2024 financial sector statistical bulletin. The data showed that the number of Deposit Money Bank branches across the country fell from 5,373 in 2023 to 5,144 in 2024, even as electronic payments, particularly through POS channels, surged sharply. The statistics cover branches and cash centres of commercial, merchant and non-interest banks across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The total number of licensed banks rose from…

Residents of Tudun Wada in Kaduna South Local Government Area, Kaduna State, have called on both the Kaduna State Government and the Federal Government to take decisive, long-term action by dredging River Kaduna and providing permanent evacuation or relocation for vulnerable households during floods. The residents, who spoke with our correspondent in separate interviews on Saturday, said emergency relief efforts, while helpful, offer only temporary respite and fail to address the root causes of the flooding crisis. They also want the governments to clear illegal dumpsites along the riverbank, which they say worsen blockages and increase health risks. The community…

Nigerian Police Force (NPF) Kwara State Police Command has arrested three suspected arsonists for burning the property of a traditional worshipper in Ilorin, the state capital. ‎Before the eventual arrest of the suspects, there was a trending online video depicting an elderly Mrs. T. A. Olorisha alleging that her place of residence was completely razed by fire at Isale Koko Area, Ilorin.‎The suspects were alleged to have threatened the old woman’s house last year in November for indulging in idol worship before they allegedly carried out their threat early this year. According to the police command, there ought not to…

Coinbase’s institutional strategy chief says comprehensive crypto market structure legislation will take longer to finalize than stablecoin rules, but remains confident bipartisan momentum will carry the bill across the finish line in 2026.John D’Agostino told CNBC that regulatory clarity abroad and accelerating talent flight from the US create urgent pressure to establish federal frameworks this year.The Senate Banking Committee scheduled a January 15 markup of the CLARITY Act after months of delays stemming from internal disputes over decentralized finance oversight, token classification standards, and stablecoin yield restrictions.D’Agostino acknowledged the complexity, noting that “market structure is complicated” and “dealt with structurally…

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) has been in full swing since kickoff on December 21, 2025, and all 24 participating countries have been strutting their stuff since the group stage. Already the wheat is being separated from the chaff, as the competition is now in the knockout phase. Down to 16. The road takes shape. #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | @1xBet_Eng pic.twitter.com/o2cS3pcYDR — TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 31, 2025 The tournament has delivered plenty of excitement, and it goes beyond just the quality of football on display. The standard of the stadiums and pitches in Morocco has been top-notch.…

Doctors across the country have listed the full implementation of existing health policies as the most critical step the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government must take to prevent recurrent industrial actions in the health sector in 2026. The physicians stated that the government’s failure to implement agreements and frameworks that have already been approved remains a problem confronting the health system. The doctors warned that continued neglect of these commitments would inevitably fuel further agitation, stressing that strikes by healthcare workers are directly linked to non-implementation of agreed terms. PUNCH Healthwise reports that strikes have largely characterised the country’s health…

Former Everton striker Daniel Amokachi has singled out a number of standout performers who have lit up the group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Soccernet.ng reports. Speaking on the tournament so far, Amokachi revealed how young players have impacted the games. Further, he noted that AFCON 2025 continues to show why African football has reached a competitive level. Ibrahim Mbaye makes the difference at AFCON 2025 Amokachi reserved special praise for Senegal youngster Ibrahim Mbaye, who has impressed despite starting all three group matches from the bench. “We’ve seen Ibrahim Mbaye, the 19-year-old Paris Saint-Germain player, with…

The House of Representatives has released the four tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, following public controversy over alleged alterations to the nation’s tax laws. The decision comes amid concerns raised on the floor of the House regarding discrepancies between versions of the tax laws in circulation and the Acts as passed by the National Assembly. The Speaker of the House, Dr Tajudeen Abbas, in concurrence with the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio on Saturday, directed the immediate release of the Certified True Copies of the laws, including the endorsement and assent pages signed…

The Health Writers Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to urgently establish ambulance points on major highways nationwide. To ensure rapid emergency response, HEWAN urged the FG to establish the ambulance points on accident-prone routes on the highways. “These ambulance points should be properly equipped and manned by trained personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps,” HEWAN said in a statement on Saturday, signed by its President, Vivian Ihechu, and Secretary, Temitope Obayendo, and made available to PUNCH Healthwise. The association said the move had become imperative following the accident involving the British-Nigerian two-time unified world heavyweight…

The Benue State Police Command has intensified efforts to curb cult-related violence across the state after two people were killed in a violent confrontation between rival cult groups in Gboko. Several suspects have been arrested, and firearms recovered, in a series of coordinated operations. The Command said it received a distress call at about 4:15 am on Saturday, 3 January 2026, reporting a deadly clash between rival cult factions in Gboko town. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, the clash resulted in the deaths of two adult males. “Prompt deployment of patrol and tactical teams led…