April 2026 – Page 84

Sterling Bank zero fees initiative returns N2bn to Nigerians

03.04.2026

Sterling Bank has marked the first anniversary of its disruptive “Zero Transfer Fees” initiative, announcing on Wednesday that the policy has successfully returned over N2bn directly to Nigerian consumers. The initiative, which launched on 1 April 2025, made Sterling the first major Nigerian bank to completely waive revenue from customer online transactions. One year later,...

Tinubu Approves Abuja Second Runway with Alternative Funding

03.04.2026

President Bola Tinubu has again approved the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure. This makes it the second approval by successive Presidents, signalling renewed commitment by the Federal Government to construct the runway. Speaking at the Nigeria Aircraft Acquisition and...

Funding Gaps & Poor Infrastructure Stall Regional Fishing

03.04.2026

The Chairman of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, Adegboyega Oyetola, has stated that despite the region’s rich marine and inland water resources, the fishing sector continues to face significant challenges, including declining fish stocks, weak infrastructure, and limited access to finance and modern technology. Oyetola called for stronger regional co-operation...

Lagos solar initiative to tackle persistent power outages

03.04.2026

As Nigerians grapple with low power supply, the Lagos State Government is planning to drive a large-scale migration of residents from dependence on grid electricity to solar-powered home systems, positioning renewable energy as a sustainable alternative for households and small businesses. The state Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, said the initiative would...

Oyo & FCMB empower 1,000 youths with N1.5bn agri-loans

03.04.2026

Oyo State Government and First City Monument Bank have supported 1,000 young agripreneurs with N1.5bn in collateral-free loans to boost food production and empower youth-led businesses. The initiative was facilitated through the Easylift programme, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. A statement from the partners on Wednesday stated that the funding combines N500m from the...

Experts Call for Accelerated EV Adoption in Nigeria

03.04.2026

Industry experts, financiers, and policymakers have called for accelerated adoption of electric vehicles in Nigeria as rising fuel prices continue to squeeze household incomes and business margins. The call was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday by Alternative Bank, following discussions at the Abuja Compact on Electric Mobility Roundtable. According to the statement,...

Nigerian manufacturers face interest rates as high as 60%

03.04.2026

Manufacturers in Nigeria continue to face borrowing costs as high as 60 per cent despite recent monetary policy easing by the Central Bank of Nigeria, new data from the apex bank shows. The figures, detailing lending and deposit rates across deposit money banks as of March 20, 2026, indicate that while some banks offered lower...

MMIA closure causing Nigeria revenue loss, say agents

03.04.2026

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents has stated that the country is losing large amounts of revenue owing to the continuous closure of the association’s secretariat at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Addressing journalists during a protest at the association’s headquarters in Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos, on Tuesday, the South-West Zonal Coordinator of ANLCA, Mr...

Nigeria Urges EU Action on Gulf Maritime Crimes

03.04.2026

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for deeper collaboration with the European Union to address emerging maritime threats, particularly illegal fishing, trafficking, and environmental crimes in the Gulf of Guinea. Speaking on Thursday in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the European Union Evaluation Mission on the Gulf of Guinea...

I’ll Not Resign, INEC Chairman Dares ADC

03.04.2026

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has said he will not resign based on the demand by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) concerning the interpretation of the Court of Appeal judgement on the leadership tussle of the party. INEC, in a statement by its Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola,...