Author: bibncollar

As the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup drew to a close, only two teams managed the remarkable feat of progressing to the knockout rounds without conceding a single goal: Spain and tournament hosts Mexico.Both nations delivered flawless defensive masterclasses, registering three consecutive clean sheets apiece to top their respective groups with unblemished records at the back. The achievement underscores their credentials as genuine title contenders heading into the high-stakes Round of 32.Spain’s rearguard, expertly marshalled by goalkeeper Unai Simón, proved virtually impenetrable throughout the opening phase. The European champions’ disciplined structure and tactical cohesion left opponents frustrated…

Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has expressed concern about the high cost of fuel, accusing operators in the downstream petroleum sector of exploiting consumers despite a sharp drop in global crude oil prices.The Commission said on Sunday that its monitoring of the market showed only minor price reductions by refiners, marketers, and retailers, which do not match the significant fall in international crude prices.FCCPC Chief Executive, Tunji Bello, clarified that although the Commission does not fix fuel prices in the deregulated market, it will investigate and sanction any business found engaging in unfair or exploitative practices.“We are…

Tensions between the United States and Iran flared up again on Saturday, despite a recent ceasefire agreement.The U.S. military carried out strikes on Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar stations. Iran called the attacks a clear violation of the truce that had stopped weeks of fighting.In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. positions in the Gulf region. They warned that any new American attacks would trigger an even stronger reaction.The latest violence began after the U.S. accused Iran of attacking a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week. Iran…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday commissioned the first phase of the newly remodelled Premier Hotel in Ibadan, describing the project as a model for preserving Nigeria’s heritage while driving economic growth through tourism and hospitality.The 154-bed facility, originally established in 1966 as the Western Region’s flagship hospitality asset, has undergone extensive modernisation to meet contemporary global standards. Tinubu said the transformation demonstrates that historic national assets should not be left to decay but renewed to serve as foundations for a stronger future.“Heritage should not be abandoned to the passage of time. Rather, it should be preserved, renewed, and adapted to…

MTN Group Chairman Mcebisi Jonas has delivered a sharp rebuke of rising xenophobic sentiment in South Africa, attributing the growing hostility toward foreign nationals to governance failures rather than the actions of migrants themselves.Speaking at the funeral of Zimbabwean-born activist and public servant Thokozani Damasane, Jonas described xenophobia as a convenient political tool being exploited by leaders unwilling to tackle the country’s entrenched socio-economic challenges, including unemployment, poverty, inequality, and poor service delivery.Jonas, a former Deputy Minister of Finance, highlighted the irony of anti-foreigner rhetoric while paying tribute to Damasane, who had devoted his life to serving South Africa after…

The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will officially unveil its Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) on Monday, June 29, 2026, marking a significant step in the regional court’s ongoing digital transformation.The launch, themed “Advancing Digital Justice: Enhancing Access, Efficiency and Transparency through Electronic Case Management,” will take place at the Court’s headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. The hybrid event is expected to draw heads of ECOWAS institutions, member state representatives, diplomats, legal practitioners, development partners, civil society organisations, academics and journalists.Designed as a secure, multilingual, web-based platform, the ECMS will digitise the Court’s…

Nigeria has accessed approximately $1.5 billion as the first tranche of a $5 billion derivatives financing arrangement with First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC, the United Arab Emirates’ largest largest lender.The drawdown, executed through a Total Return Swap (TRS) transaction over the past two weeks, marks the initial utilisation of the facility approved by the National Assembly earlier this year. The funds are intended to support debt refinancing and infrastructure development as part of the federal government’s strategy to diversify external borrowing sources and lower financing costs.Efforts by THISDAY to independently verify the transaction with the Federal Ministry of Finance were…

Rescue workers from around the world raced against time Friday to locate survivors trapped under rubble following two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday night, killing more than 920 people and injuring over 3,300 others in one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in more than a century.The twin quakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, hit barely a minute apart. The second tremor is believed to be the strongest to strike the South American nation since 1900, Venezuelan authorities said.Emergency teams are working desperately to pull victims from collapsed buildings before the critical 72-hour “golden window” for survival begins…

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has sanctioned Saudi Airlines with a fine of six million naira for violations related to consumer protection.In a formal letter issued on Friday, the regulatory body noted that despite previously intervening to prevent potential violence at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and granting the airline additional time to address outstanding issues, the sanction was necessary to enforce compliance with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Chris Achimugu, confirmed the development in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account.“It is also…

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele has asked the Special Offences Court in Ikeja to throw out five extra-judicial statements he made while in Department of State Services (DSS) custody, alleging they were extracted after 157 days of incommunicado detention and under physical and psychological torture.The challenge formed the core of heated arguments on Thursday over the admissibility of the statements in Emefiele’s ongoing trial alongside co-defendant Henry Omoile on a 19-count charge of money laundering and fraud.According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Emefiele allegedly received $17.1 million through an intermediary as gratification for…