March 2026 – Page 21

FG unveils N12bn Digital Economy Research Fund for growth

30.03.2026

The Federal Government has unveiled a N12bn Digital Economy Research Fund aimed at strengthening evidence-based policymaking and supporting Nigeria’s long-term digital transformation agenda. The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, announcing the launch of an expression of interest for the National Digital Economy Research...

243 Unregulated Jetties in Nigeria Pose Security Risks

30.03.2026

About 243 operational jetties across the country currently function without effective supervision from key maritime regulatory bodies, the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria has said. MWUN stated in a statement that it disclosed this in a petition dated March 23, 2026, signed by the Secretary-General of MWUN, Oniha Erazua, and addressed to the Minister of...

NECA Warns Election Could Disrupt Nigeria’s Fiscal Reforms

30.03.2026

The Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association has warned that with the 2027 general elections approaching, there is a risk that the discipline required to consolidate fiscal and monetary reforms may weaken. The Director General of NECA, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, while speaking during an exclusive interview with The PUNCH in Lagos, stated that political transitions typically introduce...

Quest Bank to Drive N2.71tn National Broadband Initiative

30.03.2026

Quest Merchant Bank has been appointed as the Transaction Advisor for Project BRIDGE, a N2.71tn national broadband initiative, in a move set to redefine Nigeria’s infrastructure investment landscape. Tasked with structuring a world-class Special Purpose Vehicle, the bank will bridge the gap between public policy and private capital to deploy 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre-optic...

Business

OPay Unveils New Jos Office to Boost Financial Inclusion

30.03.2026

OPay has officially launched its new office in Jos, Plateau State, marking another milestone in its mission to bring fast, secure, and reliable financial services closer to Nigerians. The launch event, which was held on 25 March 2026, brought together community and business leaders, local merchants, and members of OPay’s senior leadership team. The new...

Edo Trade Fair 2026 to boost SMEs, jobs, and investors

30.03.2026

The Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture has assured participants that the Edo State 2026 Trade Fair will connect local farmers and producers to the global market. Director of the 2026 Trade Fair, Dr Jonathan Oboite, disclosed this in Benin on Friday at the pre-launch dinner for the forthcoming trade fair, scheduled for...

NCC Mandates Airtime Compensation for Service Disruptions

30.03.2026

Telecommunications operators in Nigeria will now be required to compensate subscribers with airtime credits for service disruptions under a new consumer protection framework introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission. The regulator said compensation would be issued automatically to affected users in areas experiencing network failures, marking a shift toward stricter enforcement of quality-of-service obligations across...

The Clash Over Rejected Power in Nigeria

30.03.2026

As Nigerians endure several weeks of blackout, power generation companies have accused the distribution companies of deliberately rejecting electricity load allocations, resulting in heavy financial losses to the sector. In an interview with The PUNCH, the GenCos said that though there are gas shortages resulting in reduced power generation from thermal plants, DisCos are also...

FG Targets 5.2M Electricity Connections with $750M Loan

30.03.2026

The Federal Government is targeting the connection of 5.2 million Nigerians to electricity by June 2026 under a $750m World Bank-backed intervention aimed at expanding access through renewable energy solutions. This is according to the latest Implementation Status and Results Report of the World Bank’s Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up Project obtained from...

Sterling Bank’s Roadmap for Nigeria’s N15tn Logistics Market

30.03.2026

Sterling Bank has launched a strategic blueprint to overhaul Nigeria’s transport and logistics architecture, a sector expert now valued at a staggering N15tn in potential economic impact. The inaugural Nigeria Transport and Logistics Summit 2026, held under the theme ‘Funding the Engine of Growth’, served as the staging ground for a blunt assessment of Nigeria’s...