The federal government has directed banks and financial technology firms to begin collecting and remitting a 7.5 percent value-added tax (VAT) on selected electronic banking services and bank charges, effective Monday, January 19, 2026. The directive, communicated to customers through email notices from payment platforms on Wednesday, January 14, applies to charges on services such as mobile money transfers, USSD...
History is about to be made as Spain is set to have its first queen in 150 years. Princess Leonor, the 20-year-old daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, is next in line to become the country’s first queen regnant since Isabella II, her fourth great-grandmother, who reigned from 1833 to 1868. While there is no official timeline for...
The Nigerian legal community has been thrown into mourning following the tragic killing of Barrister Princess Mediatrix Nwamaka Chigbo, an Abuja-based lawyer who was abducted and later murdered in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Chigbo, a former treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch, was reported missing after she was kidnapped while travelling within Abuja on January 5,...
Claudette Colvin, a courageous figure whose early act of defiance helped ignite the modern American civil rights movement, has passed away at the age of 86. She became famous when she refused to relinquish her seat to a white passenger on a segregated Montgomery, Alabama, bus. This was a pivotal moment in the long struggle to end racial segregation. As...
Judith Amadi, who recently embarked on a solo trip from Lagos to France on her motorcycle, has relived her experience, describing the journey as highly challenging. Amadi began her journey on October 8, 2025, to raise ₦100 million to support cancer patients across Nigeria. Despite sustaining an injury to her finger in an accident in Burkina Faso, which required stitches,...
The phrase “mammy market” was recently added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in a January 2025 update, highlighting the influence of Nigerian English, Pidgin, and street slang on global vocabulary. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term “mammy market” was recognized as “a market typically run by women, originally found in military barracks but later also in youth service...
Funke Akindele’s film, Behind the Scenes, has crossed the ₦2 billion mark at the box office, setting a new record in Nollywood cinema history. According to FilmOne Entertainment, the movie’s distributor, the film has grossed ₦2,103,039,706 since its release. The company announced the milestone in an Instagram post, describing the achievement as unprecedented for a Nollywood production. “Behind the...
MultiChoice Nigeria has approved the appointment of Kemi Omotosho as Chief Executive Officer. Effective January 2026, she will take over from John Ugbe. The company said the transition follows a structured succession process designed to ensure continuity in leadership and operations. Ugbe is stepping down after nearly 15 years in the role, a period during which MultiChoice Nigeria navigated shifts...
Mattel Inc. introduced a Barbie doll with autism on Monday as the newest member of its line, intended to celebrate diversity, joining a collection that already includes a Barbie with Down syndrome, a blind Barbie, and a Barbie and a Ken with vitiligo, among other models the toymaker has added to make its fashion dolls more inclusive. Mattel says it developed the new Barbie in...
Teyana Taylor became one of the most talked-about moments of the 2026 Golden Globes following a speech that resonated widely with viewers and fans across social media. The American singer, actress, dancer, and director was emotional as she took the stage at the awards ceremony, which was held on January 11, to receive her award for ”Best Female Performance in...