Nigeria’s representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, has ordered the country’s permanent mission in New York to open an account with United Bank for Africa (UBA) after discovering no formal banking relationship had existed between the two institutions in more than four decades.   According to a report by The Guardian Nigeria, Ibrahim gave the directive during a meeting with UBA officials in New York, insisting the situation was unacceptable given that both the Nigerian mission and the bank have operated in the city for over 42 years. The envoy said he became aware of the oversight while reviewing the mission’s financial arrangements and was surprised to learn that the Nigerian mission had no account, including a basic deposit account, with the indigenous bank despite its long-standing presence in the United States. Ibrahim directed the mission’s Financial Attaché to complete the account opening within seven days. He said the move aligns with the Federal Government’s policy on local content and stronger public-private collaboration involving Nigerian institutions abroad. Referencing Bola Tinubu, Ibrahim said the president expects stronger ties between government institutions and Nigerian-owned businesses operating overseas. He added that building such partnerships would support transparency, accountability and better collaboration when needed. He also urged Nigerian private sector operators in the US to engage more actively with the mission, describing the Mission House in New York as a platform for business cooperation and investment opportunities for Nigerians in the diaspora. Responding, UBA New York Chief Operating Officer Osilama Idokogi welcomed the decision and said the bank was ready to begin formal banking relations with the mission, noting previous efforts to establish such a partnership had not succeeded.

Nigerian singer Niniola has announced the death of her husband in a series of emotional social media posts, revealing that they had been together for 13 years. According to Punch Newspapers, the Grammy-nominated afro-house artist shared the news via her Instagram story in the early hours of Wednesday, writing simply: “God took him” and “My husband died.” She later added another post that read: “God took him. 13 years. 13 f***ing years,” alongside photographs of the couple.  The singer did not disclose her husband’s identity or the circumstances surrounding his death. The 39-year-old singer has long kept her private life away from public attention, making the announcement a rare glimpse into her personal world. Niniola rose to fame after finishing as a finalist on Project Fame West Africa in 2013 and later gained international attention with her 2017 hit song Maradona. Her music has attracted recognition from artists including DJ Snake, Drake, Timbaland and Beyoncé.

Afrobeats star Davido has publicly criticised Gboyega Oyetola, accusing the former Osun State governor of political desperation ahead of the state’s governorship election. According to TheCable Lifestyle, the singer made the comments on Tuesday through social media posts, where he described Oyetola as “the most desperate politician in the world” and alleged that his plans in Osun would fail. Davido wrote on X that Oyetola was “very embarrass”, before following up with another post claiming the current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy was plotting to cause trouble in the state. The outburst comes as political activities intensify before the August 15 governorship election in Osun. The singer has become increasingly active in the state’s politics in recent months. The comments also follow allegations by Accord Party that thugs linked to the All Progressives Congress attacked the campaign office of Governor Ademola Adeleke in Osogbo. TheCable reported that the party’s national chairman, Maxwell Mgbuden, said the attack was the second on the governor’s campaign office within two weeks. He alleged that armed men fired shots, shattered windows and vandalised offices inside the building. Mgbuden further claimed that the attackers wrote “Say no to automatic ticket” on the wall, alleging an attempt to destabilise the state’s political environment ahead of the poll. Davido’s political involvement deepened in April when he was appointed head of youth mobilisation for the Accord Party campaign council supporting Adeleke’s re-election bid. He later inaugurated the Imole youth mobilisation campaign council as part of preparations for the election.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reduced the price of aviation fuel, Jet A1, from ₦1,750 to ₦1,650 per litre, in a move expected to bring some relief to Nigeria’s struggling airline operators. According to a report by Punch Newspapers, the refinery announced the reduction on Monday, saying the new price forms part of wider measures aimed at stabilising fuel supply and easing financial strain on the aviation sector. The decision follows repeated warnings from the Airline Operators of Nigeria that rising aviation fuel costs could force domestic airlines to suspend operations. Operators said prices surged sharply after the recent US-Iran conflict, climbing from about ₦900 per litre before the crisis to between ₦2,700 and ₦2,900, with some marketers reportedly charging as much as ₦3,300. In its statement, the refinery said the latest price cut also comes with a 30-day interest-free credit facility for marketers and airlines, supported by bank guarantees. It also confirmed a switch from dollar-based pricing to a naira-denominated system. The company said the package is designed to reduce the burden on local carriers, as aviation fuel remains one of the largest operational expenses for airlines. Industry stakeholders have repeatedly warned that soaring Jet A1 prices are threatening the sustainability of air travel operations in the country, with operators struggling to keep ticket prices affordable while covering rising overheads. The refinery said the intervention should lower fuel procurement costs, improve operational stability and support efforts to moderate airfares for passengers. The latest move comes as businesses across Nigeria continue to feel the impact of global oil market disruptions linked to heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.