Author: Opalim Lifted

Lionel Messi signed off in style by scoring twice in his final World Cup qualifier on home soil as Argentina beat Venezuela 3-0 on Thursday, while Paraguay and Colombia also secured berths at the 2026 tournament in North America. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has not given an indication as to when he plans to retire but the 38-year-old has said that the match against Venezuela would be his last World Cup qualifier at home. The reigning World Cup champions, who have already qualified for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., controlled proceedings from the opening whistle, creating…

MTN Nigeria has pumped a staggering ₦1 trillion into improving its network quality and expanding capacity but its CEO says the telecoms industry is still walking a tightrope. Karl Toriola, chief executive of MTN Nigeria, told journalists on Thursday that despite last year’s harsh economic shocks, the company stayed focused on boosting service standards and customer experience. He explained that MTN tracks quality of service daily using independent benchmarks, including crowdsourced speed tests and Facebook analytics. “When service improves, no one notices but when it drops, everyone does,” Toriola said. According to him, Nigerians often keep multiple SIMs for backup,…

First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) has announced that customers may experience delays or declined transactions on its digital banking platforms due to a temporary service disruption. In a statement issued on Thursday, the bank said the downtime is currently affecting interbank transactions conducted through FirstMobile, FirstOnline, and its USSD platform. “Please be informed that we are currently experiencing some downtime affecting transactions to other banks on FirstMobile, FirstOnline, and USSD platforms. Customers may therefore experience delayed or declined transactions,” the statement reads. “We regret the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.” The financial…

Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), has appointed Benjamin Hundeyin as the force public relations officer (FPRO). Hundeyin, spokesperson of the Lagos police command, will replace Muyiwa Adejobi, who was recently redeployed to Delta police command. The appointment of Hundeyin as FPRO was announced in a statement on Thursday by Adejobi. The force had announced the redeployment of Adejobi as the deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations in Delta police command on Wednesday. Adejobi occupied the position of FPRO since February 2022 when he was appointed in acting capacity to replace Frank Mba, the former force spokesperson. He…

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died, the company said on Thursday. “With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the fashion house said in a statement. Armani, who was 91, was synonymous with modern Italian style and elegance. He combined the flair of the designer with the acumen of a businessman, running a company that turned over some 2.3 billion euros ($2.7 billion) a year. He had been unwell for some time, and was forced to drop out of his group’s shows at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in…

The senate committee on capital market has opened talks with the Stakeholders in Blockchain Association of Nigeria (SIBAN) on creating a legal framework for cryptocurrency exchanges in the country. The collaboration was discussed on Wednesday during an interactive session between the committee led by Osita Izunaso, senator representing Imo west, and a delegation from SIBAN led by its president, Obinna Iwuno. Iwuno said Nigeria, which ranks second in the world and first in Africa in cryptocurrency adoption, must establish a legal framework for blockchain technology and digital assets similar to what obtains in the United States. He said SIBAN currently…

Abdulmumin Jibrin, a member of the house of representatives from Kano state, says some stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) are against Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso joining the party. Jibrin, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) representing Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency, spoke on Wednesday when he featured on Politics Today, a programme on Channels TV “If you say Kwankwaso is moving into APC, or we are moving to APC, even within the APC in Kano, you have a lot of people that wouldn’t want him to come. Perhaps, those who want to be governor, or those who don’t…

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has removed Olumuyiwa Adejobi from his position as the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) after three years in office. Adejobi has also been promoted from Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to Deputy Commissioner of Police. Adejobi previously served as the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command before his appointment in an acting capacity on February 16, 2022, taking over from Deputy Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba. Former Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, officially confirmed his appointment in April 2022 as the 25th indigenous Force Public Relations Officer. In the latest…

Lionel Messi is preparing for an emotional farewell to World Cup qualifying football when Argentina face Venezuela in Buenos Aires on Thursday night. Messi, 38-year-old captain, who has already secured his nation’s spot at the 2026 finals, confirmed it will be his last qualifier. Family members, including his wife, children and parents, are set to be in attendance at the Monumental Stadium for what he described as “a very special match.” Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni urged fans to savour the moment: “If it really is the last qualifying match, we have to enjoy it. It’s going to be emotional, special…

The management of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) says the truck involved in an accident in Enugu belongs to Visco Investment Global Limited, a third-party operator. Online reports had claimed that a truck belonging to Dangote Group on Wednesday collided with vehicles and killed a number of persons in the state. In a statement on Wednesday, the DIL denied owning the ill-fated truck. “We are actively engaging with the appropriate agencies to determine why the truck in question was bearing our logo, despite not being part of our fleet,” the statement reads. Going forward, the company said increased scrutiny will be…