Business

Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has directed that the Onitsha Main Market be reopened on Monday, February 2, 2026, for full commercial and economic activities. The order followed the expiration of a one-week closure imposed by the state government after traders continued to observe the Monday sit-at-home directive promoted by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), despite assurances from authorities that the restriction had been lifted. Governor Soludo issued the directive during an on-the-spot inspection of the market, carried out alongside senior government officials and security agencies. The temporary shutdown had been ordered after the governor observed that traders were still complying with the sit-at-home order. He had warned that the closure could be e...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has identified Nigeria and India among ten countries expected to be the biggest drivers of global economic growth in 2026. The ranking follows recent comments by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who said “the balance of power is changing” while reacting to the IMF projections. According to the IMF report, Nigeria is placed sixth on the list of countries projected to power global economic expansion in 2026, contributing an estimated 1.5 per cent to global real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. This performance positions Africa’s largest economy ahead of several advanced and emerging nations, including Germany, Brazil and Indonesia. The IMF data also indicates that Nigeria’s projected contribution surpasses the combined input of most Europ...

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has urged Nigerians to comply with the law by filing their annual tax returns, stressing that the obligation applies to both employers and individual taxpayers. Oyedele made the appeal during a webinar organised in collaboration with the Joint Revenue Board and aimed at human resources professionals, payroll officers, chief financial officers and tax managers. In his remarks during the session, which was later shared on YouTube, Oyedele observed that a large number of Nigerians still neglect their self-assessment tax filing duties. He explained that employers are required to submit annual tax returns for their employees, including payroll projections. According to him, while many organisati...

Gold and silver prices plunged on Friday, January 30, as investors reacted to US President Donald Trump’s decision to nominate a new chair of the Federal Reserve, while European stock markets closed the week higher and Wall Street edged slightly lower. The sell-off in precious metals began after reports, later confirmed, that Trump had selected former Federal Reserve official Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell as head of the US central bank. Trump confirmed the nomination on Friday via his Truth Social platform, writing that Warsh would be “one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best,” and praising his reliability and presence. Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, said the “interesting pick… may give the market some hope that Fed independence will be preserved.” Trump’s repeat...

Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the immediate remodelling of the Onitsha Main Market, describing the decision as a “tough but necessary” step to secure the market’s future. The directive followed the market’s one-week closure and came after the governor’s recent visit, during which he lamented that the once-renowned “largest market in West Africa” had deteriorated into a shadow of its former self, declaring it “literally dead.” Speaking to traders and other stakeholders at the Light House in Awka on Friday, Soludo attributed the market’s decline to years of poor urban planning and the damaging effects of the Monday sit-at-home order. “The Onitsha Main Market, as it currently exists, is no longer functional,” the governor said. “Our studies show that the market...

Edited in Prisma app with Painter The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has explained that its enforcement of the ban on alcoholic drinks sold in sachets and small plastic or glass bottles is designed to protect children and young people, not to penalise manufacturers. In a statement issued on Thursday, January 29, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the policy was motivated by public health concerns and mounting evidence that alcohol packaged in sachets and containers below 200 millilitres has contributed to rising cases of underage drinking nationwide. The agency recently commenced enforcement of the ban following a directive from the Senate, with the support of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. According to A...

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouk Aliyu, has said the North would not be comfortable with a Christian-Christian presidential ticket as such a pair combination will alienate Muslim voters in the region. Aliyu spoke on Friday during an interview on ARISE Television while reacting to debates on whether the ruling party should retain or alter the Muslim-Muslim ticket that produced President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima in 2023. “In my opinion, the numbers will be looked at whether to field a Muslim or a Christian, the numbers are there to show. Whether in the northern part of the country there are more Muslims, it is absolutely without doubt that there are more Muslims. So any party can decide to field a Christian, but if it goes in terms of...

The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced the launch of free online English-language courses aimed at boosting professional skills and expanding career opportunities for learners. The announcement was made in a post on the mission’s official X handle on Thursday. According to the mission, the courses are designed to support learners’ professional growth and long-term success, while allowing participants to study at their own pace and interact with a global community of learners. Offered through the U.S. Department of State’s Online Professional English Network (OPEN) programme, the initiative targets learners seeking to strengthen communication abilities in high-demand fields. Enrollment for the current cycle opened on January 5, 2026, and will remain open until Ma...

Petrol prices have been adjusted upward twice within 24 hours by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other fuel retailers, with NNPCL outlets now selling at as high as ₦875 per litre in parts of Abuja. A survey by DAILY POST on Thursday revealed that the latest increase came barely a day after NNPCL raised its pump price to ₦839 per litre on Wednesday, from ₦815. The new rate has taken effect at NNPCL filling stations in areas including Gwarimpa, Kubwa Express, Wuse Zones 4 and 6, as well as other parts of the Federal Capital Territory. Confirming the development, a fuel attendant at one of the stations said staff were informed of the change on Wednesday night, with sales at the new price beginning on Thursday. “We were told last night, but we started se...

] Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal Dare, has hosted the head coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, at the Government House in Gusau as part of efforts to promote sports development and youth engagement in the state. The meeting, which held on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, was disclosed by the governor via his verified 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) account. Governor Lawal said discussions centered on ways to strengthen grassroots sports and expand opportunities for young people through structured sporting programmes. Describing the visit as warm and productive, the governor praised Chelle for his impact on Nigerian football. “I welcomed Mr. Éric Sékou Chelle, head coach of the Super Eagles, to my office. It was a delight to interact with such an accomplished sports professional,”...