Polaris Bank earns youth employment recognition from Jobberman

Polaris Bank, Nigeria’s leading digital retail and commercial bank, has been honoured with the Private Sector Champion Award at the 2026 Jobberman Partners’ Convening held at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, in recognition of the Bank’s outstanding and stellar contributions to youth employment, talent development, and workforce empowerment across Nigeria. The award recognises private sector organisations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment and leadership in advancing youth employability through impactful recruitment initiatives, graduate trainee programmes, executive hiring support, candidate assessment programmes, and strategic partnerships that create sustainable career opportunities…

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EFCC Declares Former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq Wanted Over Alleged N37bn Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted over alleged abuse of office and diversion of public funds. The anti-graft agency made the announcement in a notice published on its official website on Saturday, stating that the former minister is being sought in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged financial misconduct. According to the notice, Farouq, 52, is an indigene of Zamfara State, with her last known address listed as EN008, Okpo River, off Agulu Street, Maitama,…

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FirstHoldCo Sustains Strong Q1 Momentum As Gross Earnings Hit N942bn

…Profit Rises to N321bn; FY Revenue Tops N3.4tn   First HoldCo Plc (FirstHoldCo) has sustained its strong financial momentum with gross earnings rising to N942 billion in the first quarter, while profit after tax stood at N321 billion, reinforcing investor confidence in the Group’s earnings capacity and balance sheet resilience. The Group also reported audited full-year 2025 gross earnings of N3.4 trillion, representing a 6.9 per cent year-on-year growth driven by strong net interest income and sustained expansion in digital and transaction banking activities. Speaking on the performance, Group Managing…

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Fidelity Bank Provides Critical Funding Support to Abuja Special Needs Orphanage

      Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, through the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme (FHHP), has funded critical support for the JKS Special Needs Academy in Abuja to ensure continued shelter and care for vulnerable children. The intervention was facilitated by a group of the bank’s newly recruited employees known as Team Valorem, as part of their induction activities. Through the FHHP, employees are empowered to actively contribute to social development by dedicating their time, resources and skills to impactful projects. Projects executed under the initiative are employee-driven, with…

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BANKING BEYOND THE BALANCE SHEET: UNION BANK’S ASBON RECOGNITION AND NIGERIA’S SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMY

Union Bank of Nigeria has been named winner of the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award (2025) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, organised by the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment. The recognition arrives at a moment when the relationship between Nigerian banks and Nigerian small businesses is being quietly redefined. Awards in this space have historically rewarded scale and product breadth. The ASBON criteria, by contrast, ask a more…

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Polaris Bank Supports the Launch of NACCIMA Call Center to Drive Growth for Nigerian Exporters

Polaris Bank, Nigeria’s leading digital retail and commercial bank, has proudly facilitated the launch of the NACCIMA Export Support Call Center, a vital initiative designed to provide comprehensive support to Nigerian exporters, especially those operating in the non-oil sector and enhance their ability to access global markets. This partnership marks a significant step in the Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s export ecosystem. Chris Ofikulu, Executive Director of Polaris Bank, in his address, emphasised the Bank’s commitment to empowering Nigerian businesses for global markets. He highlighted the importance of the NACCIMA…

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17 Reps Dump ADC for NDC, One Joins APC as Party Crisis Deepens

No fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), citing internal leadership crises rocking their former party. The defections were formally announced during plenary through separate letters read by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session. According to the lawmakers, the lingering instability within the ADC made their continued membership untenable, prompting their decision to seek political alignment elsewhere. The development follows a similar move by prominent political…

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Seun Kuti Alleges 13-Year Blacklisting Over Anti-Government Music, Says Nigeria ‘Cancelled’ Him

Grammy-nominated Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, has revealed that his music career faced over a decade of restriction in Nigeria due to his outspoken criticism of government policies and social issues. Speaking during a recent episode of the Saleh Meditate podcast, the son of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti said he has effectively been “blacklisted” in the Nigerian music industry for about 13 years because of the conscious nature of his songs. According to Kuti, Nigerian authorities grew increasingly wary of protest music following the impact of his father and other artists…

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Xenophobic Attacks: Reps Call on FG to Suspend Business Permits for South African Firms Amid Rising Tensions

The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to immediately suspend the issuance and renewal of business permits to South African companies operating in Nigeria, citing renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa. The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance raised during plenary and presided over by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, where lawmakers expressed deep concern over what they described as persistent and targeted violence against Nigerian citizens and businesses in South Africa. Leading voices during the debate condemned the attacks, noting…

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Anglican Church Suspends Reverend For 6 Months Over Fake Miracles

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has suspended an Anambra-based cleric, Rev. Ifunanya Maduka, over allegations of staging fake miracles and manipulating prophetic activities within his parish. Rev. Maduka, Vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Nteje, in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, was handed a six-month suspension without pay following an internal investigation by the Diocese on the Niger. The action was approved by the Bishop on the Niger, Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo, who described the conduct as “grossly unbecoming of an ordained minister.” According to diocesan authorities,…

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