The whereabouts of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, remain unknown amid speculations about his possible return to Port Harcourt.
Arise Television correspondent in Rivers State, Friday Olokor, who gave an update on the situation during the Morning Show programme, said the state remains calm despite political tensions.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas officially handed over to the reinstated Governor of the State, Sim Fubara.
In his final state-wide broadcast, Ibas urged the people of the state to support Fubara as he resumes his duties of leading the state. Recall that President Bola Tinubu had suspended Fubara six months ago while declaring an emergency rule in Rivers State. However, the president lifted the emergency rule on Wednesday while reinstating Fubara.
Providing updates on the situation in the State, Olokor said the absence of the governor has created uncertainty and a vacuum in governance, with residents anxiously waiting for clarity. He explained that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, which remains factionalized, were holding separate meetings to continue legislative activities. Olokor noted that the political divisions have deepened the challenges faced by the people, who continue to bear the brunt of the crisis. He added that there are expectations that both factions of the Assembly will work towards reconciliation to prevent a repeat of past political crises in the state.
He said: “Yes, thank you very much, as is expected right now in Rivers state, Port Harcourt specifically, the atmosphere is cool. There is no problem. The fact is that, for right now, the whereabouts of the governor is not still known, even though there are speculation that he might come in today.
“Rivers state is being bandied as the hotbed of political antagonism but from what we are seeing right now, the atmosphere is cool, calm, cozy. There’s no problem. And for the House of Assembly, we are still expressing some members of the House of Assembly right now. “Well, like as you know, a leadership is not supposed to have a vacuum. But since the governor is not around down, the atmosphere is tense, and the people of Rivers are waiting because nobody really know the whereabouts of the governor.
“So as it is now, the sole administrator, everybody, they are waiting to see what’s going on. But with the way it is now, nobody knows the time the governor is going to be around and how the handover is really going to be.
“Whatever I am going to tell you is going to be what I would call a political conjecture. For right now, it is the same, and nothing has really been known about the whereabouts of the governor, whether he’s going to come or not.
“Of course, normally, since a new the government is coming back, now, the feelings is that the members of the state assembly, even though factionalized, will be meeting in separate places to really put the acts together, because the state has suffered a vacuum in terms of legislation. “The people have really suffered like it is said that where two elephants fight, it is the ground that suffers. The people of Rivers State have suffered a great deal, and it is believed that they should come together to organise and move everything forward.
“For right now, the members of the House of Assembly, it is believed that they might be meeting somewhere, the 20 members of the House of Assembly belonging to the APC and the other three. It is understood that they are meeting separately, trying to put this in order to make sure that the act of legislation continues.
“Definitely based on fillers, individually, there’s no way you cannot rule out the fact that factions will still be there, even though elections have been held and won.
“What matters is they coming together to put the past behind them, to move ahead, because the state, the people of the state have suffered. And the crave here is that history should not repeat itself again.”
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, has said that Siminalayi Fubara, who was suspended as Governor of Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, will have ‘zero’ powers when his suspension is eventually lifted.
Cole, who spoke on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, said Fubara would find himself in a difficult situation.
According to him, Fubara would not be able to make any decision as a governor without interference.
Cole, a 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), lamented that Rivers, a critical state in Nigeria, had a governor who would not be able to exercise his full authority as an elected leader.
“We cannot be in a situation where we have an elected governor of a state, like Rivers State, which is a very critical state not just for the people of Rivers but Nigeria as a whole, and what you then see is that you have an elected governor that has zero powers. I don’t think it portends well at all,” said Cole.
“It’s extremely difficult, and I think the governor will be finding himself in a very difficult situation. First of all, the way politics has played out in Nigeria, almost every situation is that a governor, in leaving office, looks for somebody who he believes can continue whatever agenda they had moving forward.
“But time and time again, we find out that where the new governor or whoever has come in as governor is left alone to run his administration, then things progress.
“However, when such doesn’t happen…almost always we have ended up in this whole godfather-godson fight, and it’s never been good for democracy.
“Everywhere that fight has occurred, the people have tended to suffer a lot more. My prayer is that as we come back, because we don’t know what we’re going to see starting from tomorrow, the one thing that we are sure about is that the governor is not in a position to make any decisions,” the politician added.
The APC chieftain, however, advised Fubara to find a way to reach an agreement with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to allow him [Fubara] to make certain decisions as an elected governor.
“What I would do if I were him would be to now sit down with the honourable minister and appeal for some leeway to allow certain decisions to be taken by me as governor, and others to be taken by him, whatever peace agreement they had.
“The truth is that we do not know the details of that peace agreement, so I cannot tell the extent or the limits of the powers that he has now.”
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State and his wife, Dr. Nonye Soludo, have dismissed as “another fabrication” the apology reportedly credited to Senator Uche Ekwunife over her defamatory remarks against them.
Ekwunife, deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the forthcoming Anambra gubernatorial election, had accused Soludo’s wife of infidelity.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday and signed by his Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, the governor said the apology did not emanate from the lawmaker and therefore lacked credibility.
The statement titled ‘Sen. Ekwunife’s Purported Apology: Another Fabrication Fit for the Waste Bin’, argued that the unsigned apology, said to have come from the “Ekwunife Campaign Organization” was suspicious, misleading, and inadequate.
According to Opara, there is no such campaign body since Ekwunife’s gubernatorial ticket was a joint one with the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State.
“The publication purporting to be an apology for the defamatory statements made against the Governor and his wife personally by Senator Ekwunife does not appear to have emanated from the Senator herself, given that her defamatory statements were made directly via recorded video and leaked audio conversation,” the statement said.
The governor’s aide insisted that any retraction or apology must come directly from Ekwunife, using the same channels through which the offensive remarks were made.
“The so-called apology never referenced Madam Ekwunife’s initial video and audio but instead focused on an unsigned article. This only points to her complicity, directly or indirectly, as the source of the article. It implies that no genuine apology was intended or tendered,” Opara stated.
The governor’s office also recalled that the First Lady, Dr. Nonye Soludo, had earlier challenged Ekwunife to clear herself on two issues: first, to swear an oath before the Blessed Sacrament affirming fidelity to her marriage; and second, to subject her children to a DNA test, alongside the Soludos’ own children, to disprove the infidelity allegations.
“Any contrite apology must follow a personal and direct retraction of her defamatory statements,” Opara emphasized, adding, “Slander or libel directly made by an individual cannot be vicariously dismissed by any agent or proxy.”
Describing the apology as “another unsubstantiated social media gossip,” the Soludo administration said it would proceed as though the document never existed, while still demanding a clear and unambiguous retraction from Ekwunife herself.
Apple’s iPhones have long been celebrated for their superb cameras, but in recent years, Samsung has been closing the gap, and in some areas, even surpassing Apple’s offering.
If you are considering switching from iPhone to Samsung or simply want a phone that can match Apple’s camera power, these five Samsung devices deserve a look.
1. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra is a true photography beast. It packs a 200MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens offering 5× optical zoom. This combination gives you crisp detail, stunning low-light shots, and a zoom range that the iPhone 16 Pro struggles to match. Video shooters will love its advanced stabilization, 8K recording capabilities, and improved color processing for natural-looking results.
Even though the S25 Ultra is Samsung’s newest flagship, the Galaxy S24 Ultra remains a top contender. Its quad-camera system delivers exceptional results, including dual telephoto lenses (3× and 10×) for superior zoom shots. Many side-by-side tests have shown the S24 Ultra holding its own against Apple’s best, especially for outdoor photography where it produces vibrant, sharp results.
Ads by
Why it stands out: flagship performance at a slightly lower price, excellent zoom, strong HDR processing.
3. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
For those who want high-end photography without spending on the latest release, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is still a stellar pick. It introduced Samsung’s 200MP main sensor, paired with two telephoto lenses and excellent night mode performance. You still get Pro shooting modes, RAW photo support, and smooth 4K video recording — perfect for creators and power users.
Why it stands out: great balance between price and performance, versatile cameras for all scenarios.
4. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Not everyone wants a bulky phone, and that’s where the Galaxy S25 Edge comes in. It offers a slimmer design without sacrificing too much camera power, featuring a 200MP main camera and strong software-based image processing. While it lacks the periscope telephoto found in the Ultra models, it still produces results that rival the iPhone for casual and professional photography alike.
Why it stands out: premium look, lighter and more comfortable to hold, great all-round camera performance.
5. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Although it’s a few generations old, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is still worth considering if you can find it at a good price. It was one of the first phones to deliver 5× optical zoom and a laser autofocus system for faster focusing. While its low-light performance isn’t as strong as the newest models, it still holds up well and provides a great experience for daytime photography and S Pen productivity.
The Nigerian stock market rose by 0.35 per cent on Thursday, resulting in a gain of N310 billion for investors.
The positive performance was driven by increased bargain hunting and investors’ interest in stocks like: Chellaram, Austin Laz, The Initiate, Sovereign Trust Insurance, Aradel Holdings and 23 others.
Specifically, market capitalisation, which opened at N89.555 trillion, added N310 billion to close at N89.865 trillion.
Similarly, the All-Share Index soared by 0.35 per cent or 489.45 points, settling at 142,036.23 compared with 141,546.78 recorded on Tuesday. However, the market breadth closed negative with 32 losers against 28 gainers.
Guinea Insurance led the losers’ table by 9.70 per cent, settling at N1.49, while Cornerstone Insurance fell by 8.68 per cent, ending the session at N6.52 per share.
Legend Internet dipped by 7.27 per cent, closing at N5.10, and Deap Capital Management shed by 7.06 per cent, finishing at N1.58 per share. Similarly, Thomas Wyatt Nigeria declined by 6.49 per cent, closing at N2.45 per share.
Conversely, Chellaram led the advancers’ table by 9.77 per cent, ending the session at N14.60, followed by Austin Laz, which increased by 9.67 per cent, finishing at N2.95 per share.
The Initiates rose by 8.08 per cent, settling at N12.97, and Sovereign Trust Insurance climbed by 7.37 per cent, closing at N3.06 per share.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, has plunged into mourning following the death of four of its senior staff members in the fire incident that gutted Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos, on Tuesday.
The deceased staff were trapped while on duty at one of the two FIRS offices located on the sixth and seventh floors of the building when the inferno broke out.
In a statement issued yesterday by Dare Adekanmbi, Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS chairman, the victims were identified as Mrs. Ekelikhostse George, Assistant Director; Mr David Sunday-Jatto, Assistant Director; Mrs. Nkem Onyemelukwe, Senior Manager; and Mr. Peter Ifaranmaye, Manager.
The statement read: “It is with a heavy heart that FIRS announces the tragic loss of four of its staff members during the fire incident at Afriland Towers, Broad Street, Lagos, on Tuesday. FIRS is one of the tenants occupying the towers with our Medium Tax Audit and Onikan Emerging Tax Office housed on the sixth and seventh floors.
“Our Security and Safety officials quickly mobilized and contacted the fire service as soon as they were alerted. Upon arriving at the scene, thick, dark smoke was already billowing out of the building.
“The Management and entire staff are in deep shock and sorrow over the development. They offer their condolences to the grieving families and are in touch with the families of our departed colleagues whose commitment to excellence, dedication and professionalism were never in doubt. We will provide all the necessary support at this trying time.
“We are working in collaboration with all relevant agencies in Lagos to get to the root cause of the unfortunate incident. While this is going on, we will be reviewing safety measures across FIRS offices in both rented and owned buildings nationwide.”
Meanwhile, emergency responders said investigations were underway to determine the exact cause of the fire, which eyewitnesses said spread rapidly through the high-rise, trapping occupants on multiple floors.
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday lifted the six-month State of Emergency he declared in Rivers State and directed the suspended governor, Sim Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to resume on Thursday, September 18.
The President, in a statement, said his decision to lift the state of emergency was predicated on the fact that peace has returned to the state.
He explained that as of March 18, when he declared the state of emergency in the state, there was a total collapse of governance and the fragmentation of the state House of Assembly.
He said that his intervention, along with that of other well-meaning Nigerians, to resolve the conflict proved abortive, as both sides remained rigidly entrenched in their positions, to the detriment of peace and the development of the state.
President Tinubu, however, stated that, based on the intelligence available to him, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm among all stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance.
Consequently, he said he did not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months he had pronounced at the beginning of it.
“It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria shall end with effect from midnight today. The Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from 18 September 2025.
“I take this opportunity to remind the Governors and the Houses of Assembly of all the States of our country to continue to appreciate that it is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. I implore all of you to let this realisation drive your actions at all times,” he said.
The President’s statement partly read: “My Fellow countrymen and, in particular, the good people of Rivers State.
“I am happy to address you today on the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State. You will recall that on 18th March, 2025, I proclaimed a state of emergency in the state. In my proclamation address, I highlighted the reasons for the declaration.
“The summary of it for context is that there was a total paralysis of governance in Rivers State, which had led to the Governor of Rivers State and the House of Assembly being unable to work together. Critical economic assets of the State, including oil pipelines, were being vandalised.
“The State House of Assembly was crisis-ridden, such that members of the House were divided into two groups. Four members worked with the Governor, while 27 members opposed the Governor. The latter group supported the Speaker. As a result, the Governor could not present any Appropriation Bill to the House, thereby preventing him from accessing funds to run Rivers State’s affairs.
“That serious constitutional impasse brought governance in the State to a standstill. Even the Supreme Court, in one of its judgments in a series of cases filed by the Executive and the Legislative arms of Rivers State against each other, held that there was no government in Rivers State. My intervention, along with that of other well-meaning Nigerians, to resolve the conflict proved abortive, as both sides remained rigidly entrenched in their positions, to the detriment of peace and the state’s development.
“It therefore became painfully inevitable that to arrest the drift towards anarchy in Rivers State, I was obligated to invoke the powers conferred on me by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to proclaim the state of emergency. The Offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and elected members of the State House of Assembly were suspended for six months in the first instance. The six months expire today, September 17th, 2025.”
Mr Eazi is a Nigerian Afrobeats star and businessman. His full and real name is Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade.
Although an established musician, the young record executive became a media sensation in 2025 when he got hitched and officially became a family member of Billionaire Femi Otedola.
How old is Mr Eazi?
Mr Eazi was born on July 19, 1991. He is currently 34 years old as of July 19, 2025.
Tribe and state of origin
Mr Eazi was born in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State, a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria.
However, from his name, he originates from the Yoruba tribe, dominantly located in the southwestern part of Nigeria.
Parents
His parents have, over the years, lived a very private life.
Mr Eazi’s father, Captain Alexander Olukayode Ajibade, is a pilot who retired from the Nigerian Air Force as a Squadron leader and later founded an aviation consultancy firm. He hails from Ayetoro, a town located in the Yewa Local Government of Ogun State.
The move to start an aviation consultancy by Mr Eazi’s father is not surprising, as he is one of the few pilots in West Africa who can fly some rare military helicopters.
His mother is a former banker and businesswoman who later became a pastor. On why they chose to remain private, Captain Ajibade, in an interview, said, “I have always been a very private person, let Mr Eazi do his things and we do our things here too.
“I think it was in the news that Mr Eazi’s father was kidnapped. People who saw the news were trying to reach me. It was on Sunday, and I got back from Church early. So I was sleeping at home and my phone was off. By the time my wife got back and they called her, she said my husband is here.
“So they kidnapped the wrong person,” he narrated.
Mr Eazi’s father, Captain Alexander Olukayode Ajibade.
Captain Ajibade also had a little stint in politics, he contested for a seat in the Federal House of Representatives three times and lost all.
Mr Eazi’s mother hails from the South-South region of Nigeria. His parents met in Port Harcourt.
Relationship
Mr Eazi’s most well-known and recent relationship was with billionaire heiress, Temi Otedola, the third daughter of Nigerian billionaire, Femi Otedola.
They met at an event in London in 2017. It was actually at a gig where Temi’s sister, DJ Cuppy, was performing. Mr Eazi disclosed in an interview that he had just escorted DJ Cuppy to the event, and she (Cuppy) left her sister, Temi, in his company.
Despite Temi’s father, Femi Otedola, being featured in Forbes list of billionaires, and grandfather, Michael Otedola, being an ex-Governor of Lagos state (1992-1993), Mr Eazi claimed in an interview that “I did not know her father was worth so much; I just saw a fine girl and decided to strike up a conversation with her.”
Temi Otedola and her husband, Mr Eazi. PHOTO Credit: TemiOtedola/Instagram.
They got engaged in April 2022. After dating for about 8 years, the duo tied the knot in 2025. According to Temi Ajibade, they had their court wedding on May 9, 2025, same day as “Mummy Ajibade’s Birthday”, Mr Eazi’s late mother’s 61st birthday.
PHOTO Credit: Instagram
Just four guests were in attendance at the court wedding which was held at the Marie de Monaco town hall (the elegant Villa La Vigie): the couple, Temi’s assistant, and a friend of Mr Eazi’s.
The traditional wedding was held on July 2025 at Dubai featuring guests like Aliko Dangote, King Sunny Ade, and Diplo.
The white wedding was held in August 2025 in Iceland. The wedding which was held across three continents including Iceland, Monaco, and Dubai reportedly costs around $15 million.
Education
Mr Eazi relocated to Ghana at the age of 16 to further his education. He enrolled in the mechanical engineering programme at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
According to his father, “It was during his time at KNUST, he started doing MC, DJ and booking artistes to perform at college parties”.
Career
Mr Eazi, a corporate musician
He is the creator of Banku music, a fusion of Nigerian chord progressions & patterns and Ghanaian highlife. Mr Eazi said, “The first time I ever recorded a song, I went straight from the banku joint to the studio, so I was sleepy. Some people say I sing like I don’t really care. Like, ‘Yo, bro, are you really singing?’ That’s banku.”
He moved to Nigeria at the age of 23 and worked as a mechanical engineer with Schlumberger, an international oil and gas servicing company.
During this time, he also delved into entrepreneurship. During this time, he ran about six businesses including soft drinks import, gold mining and food distribution.
He released his 13-track debut mixtape “About to Blow” in July 2013.
His song, ‘Skin tight’, was used by American Musician Diddy as a soundtrack for one of his Ciroc commercials.
Mr Eazi featured in Coachella 2019. Coachella is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert.
He also launched emPawa Africa, a talent incubation initiative, in 2019.
The artiste has over the years collaborated with notable names like Beyoncé (Don’t Jealous Me and Keys to the City), J Balvin x Bad Bunny (Como Un Bebe) and Major Lazer (Tied Up).
How did Mr Eazi get his stage name?
As revealed by his father, Oluwatosin got his stage name “Mr Eazi” during his time as MC. When he is MCing at a party, he usually caution people to take it “easy, easy, easy jeje”. His stage name was initially “Easy Easy Jeje” before it was shortened to Mr Eazi.
Mr Eazi’s songs
Some of Mr Eazi’s songs include:
Pipi Dance – 2013
Skintight (ft. Efya)
Dance For Me (with Eugy) – 2016
Casanova – 2025
Love Me Now – 2025
For My Head Ft. Mugeez & D Jay – 2024
The Evil Genius (Album) – 2023
We Dey – 2023
Show Dem Ft. Whoisakin – 2023
Panadol – 2023
Exit Ft. Soweto Gospel Choir – 2023
Legalize – 2022
Personal Baby – 2022
Did Mr Eazi sell his record label?
In April 2023, several reports suggested that Zagadat Capital, an investment vehicle of Mr Eazi’s received a heavy alert of $1 billion following the sale of Vydia, a rumoured portfolio of the company to gamma.
Vydia is a musictech company that helps musicians to manage, monetise, and distribute their art. Meanwhile, publicly available records did not confirm that Mr Eazi or Zagadat Captial are investors of Vydia.
However, a report by Techpoint Africa narrated Mr Eazi’s connection to the company. It is a partnership with emPawa Africa to launch Cinch Distro, a music distribution platform. A representative from emPawa Africa was also quoted to have claimed that emPawa Africa Ghana invested in Vydia in 2021, while a tweet from Mr Eazi seems to corroborate this.
Did Temi Otedola (now Temi Ajibade) invest in Mr Eazi’s music?
There is no publicly available record that Temi Ajibade has investment in her husband’s music empire.
In an interview few weeks after their wedding ceremony, Mr Eazi claimed; “Music makes up just 20% of my earnings. Long before recognition, I was already an entrepreneur. I experimented with many ventures—club promotion, e-commerce, and other businesses. Today, I operate companies in 18 African countries.
“Now at 34, I’m more than an artist. I’m also an entrepreneur and investor. Alongside my wife Temi, we are building businesses and driving impact. That’s why I always say, I’m more than music—I’m a businessman first.”
Mr Eazi’s investments
Mr Eazi owns or founded several companies, including:
emPawa Africa (talent incubation for artists)
Zagadat Capital (investment fund backing African startups like Ruka Hair, Decagon, Apata, Turf, Choplife, Eden Life)
PawaPay (fintech for mobile payments)
BetPawa (betting platform, CEO)
Swagger Entertainment (event promotion)
Mr Eazi’s net worth
There is no official estimate of Mr Eazi net worth. Most reported estimates are numbers without financial records to back them up. Regardless, the artiste-businessman has really done well for himself as far as wealth accumulation is concern.
In 2023, he publicly described a post estimating his net worth at $5 million as “erroneously disrespectiful!”, hinting he worths more.
Disclaimer
The information in this article was curated from online sources. NewsWireNGR or its editorial team cannot independently verify all details.
The “Magnificent 7” is a term used to describe a group of seven dominant U.S. technology and growth stocks that have driven a significant portion of the stock market’s recent gains. These companies are known for their massive scale, strong financial performance, and leadership in key technological fields.
Here are the Magnificent 7 and a breakdown of why many investors believe they are a compelling investment.
Who Are the Magnificent 7?
The group includes:
Apple (AAPL)
Amazon (AMZN)
Alphabet (GOOGL)
Meta (META)
Microsoft (MSFT)
Nvidia (NVDA)
Tesla (TSLA)
These companies represent a large portion of the S&P 500’s total market capitalization, making their performance a major factor in the health of the entire stock market.
Why Invest in the Magnificent 7?
Investors are bullish on these companies for several key reasons:
Unrivaled Market Dominance: Each of these companies holds a near-monopoly or a leading position in its respective sector. Alphabet dominates search and online advertising, Microsoft leads in enterprise software and cloud computing, and Apple commands a premium in the smartphone market. Their scale creates significant barriers for competitors.
Innovation and Future Growth: The Magnificent 7 are at the forefront of the most transformative technologies of our time. Nvidia is the undisputed leader in chips for artificial intelligence (AI), a technology poised to reshape industries. Tesla pioneered the electric vehicle (EV) market and is a key player in battery technology and clean energy. Their ongoing investments in research and development give them a strong advantage for future growth.
Strong Financial Performance: These companies are cash-generating machines with robust balance sheets. They consistently deliver strong revenue and earnings growth, which allows them to fund acquisitions, invest in new technologies, and return capital to shareholders. Their financial stability makes them a lower-risk investment compared to smaller, less-established companies.
Diversified Business Models: While known for a primary product, most of these companies have diversified revenue streams. Amazon earns money from e-commerce, cloud services (AWS), and advertising. Alphabet makes money from search, YouTube, and its cloud business. This diversification makes them more resilient to economic downturns and shifts in consumer behavior.
Global Reach: The products and services offered by the Magnificent 7 are used by billions of people around the world. Their global reach insulates them from downturns in any single market and provides a vast customer base for continued expansion.
For marketing and advertising, or publishing your promotional content, contact us at [email protected]
The U.S. Mission in Nigeria has issued a statement to remind Nigerians that U.S. visa application fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, regardless of the outcome. The announcement comes in response to rising public frustration over the significant costs associated with visa applications, especially when they are denied.
In a recent tweet on its official X handle, the Mission directly addressed the concerns. “We hear your concerns regarding U.S. visa application fees. Like most countries, U.S. visa fees cover the cost of processing the application, regardless of the outcome,” the statement read.
The Mission stressed that the fees are an administrative charge to cover the extensive work involved in reviewing each application. This includes interviews, document verification, and background checks. The payment does not serve as a guarantee of visa approval.
To help applicants, the U.S. Mission advised Nigerians to carefully prepare their submissions and use the many free resources available on its official website. “While fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, each application is reviewed thoroughly and fairly. For best results, prepare your application carefully and use the resources on our website,” the statement concluded.
The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of seven suspects in connection with the death of Abdulwahab Jafar, a 23-year-old student at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBUL) in Lapai.
Initially, 19 suspects were taken into custody following the June 23 attack that led to Jafar’s death. However, police investigations have since narrowed the list to seven individuals who are now facing charges of criminal conspiracy, robbery, and suspected culpable homicide.
The suspects, whose ages range from 23 to 28, are also accused of being members of the Neo Black Movement of Africa (NBM), a confraternity linked to cult-related activities on campus.
Police spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun stated that the investigation began when two of the suspects were arrested with cannabis, charms, and a stolen Toyota Corolla. Their confessions led to the additional arrests. One of the suspects was found with a POS machine, 16 SIM cards, and ?77,000, believed to be proceeds from stolen phones. The suspects have also been linked to a series of violent attacks on student lodges in the area.
In a separate incident in Suleja, the police also arrested four suspects in connection with a robbery on September 6. The gang, which reportedly consisted of ten people, attacked a victim in his home, stealing phones, a plasma TV, and other valuables. The victim was hospitalized for head injuries.
Both sets of suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.
One year after his refinery began producing gasoline, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has declared that the country’s decades-long struggle with fuel queues is finally over.
Speaking at a conference to mark the first anniversary of the refinery’s launch, Dangote highlighted that Nigeria has battled persistent fuel queues since 1975. However, he stated that this issue has been steadily resolved since the 650,000 barrels-per-day facility began production on September 3, 2024.
“We have been battling fuel queues since 1975, but today Nigerians are witnessing a new era,” he said.
Dangote acknowledged the immense challenges the refinery faced, from opposition from powerful interests to a difficult economic climate. He revealed that he was repeatedly warned by industry experts, investors, and government officials that such a massive project was typically undertaken only by sovereign nations.
“The decision to build the refinery was not easy. If it had gone wrong, lenders would have taken our assets,” he admitted. “But we believed in Nigeria and Africa.”
He dismissed claims that the refinery would displace workers, stating that the project is creating thousands of new jobs. The company’s new fleet of 4,000 CNG-powered trucks alone is expected to generate at least 24,000 jobs for drivers, mechanics, and other support staff.
The Dangote Refinery has had a tangible impact on the Nigerian market, successfully reducing the price of petrol from nearly N1,100 to N841 in several key regions. With the gradual rollout of the new CNG truck fleet, Dangote anticipates this price reduction will soon be felt nationwide.
He also confirmed that the refinery has ample capacity to meet all of Nigeria’s domestic fuel needs while also generating foreign exchange through exports. Between June and the first week of September 2025, the facility exported over 1.1 billion liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The businessman called on Nigeria to protect its local industries and avoid the dumping of cheap foreign goods, citing the collapse of the textile sector as a cautionary tale.
“We have not displaced any jobs; we are creating many more,” he said. “Relying on imports means exporting jobs and importing poverty.”
Dangote announced that the refinery’s capacity will be expanded to 700,000 barrels per day in its second year of operation. He also reaffirmed his commitment to partnerships within the downstream sector and his decision to not enter the retail market.
Looking ahead, he said the refinery’s success would make Nigeria a “refining hub of Africa” and that the country is set to become the world’s leading producer of fertilizer.
“These initiatives will generate substantial foreign exchange, create employment, and stimulate growth in other sectors,” Dangote said. He also assured the public that the new CNG trucks would be secure, stating that Nigeria is governed by the rule of law and that security agencies are fully prepared to protect the infrastructure.
