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Abuja, July 21, 2026 – The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says it will start the 2026 oil and gas licensing round immediately following the directives of President Bola Tinubu. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, the Chief Executive of the NUPRC, said this on Tuesday at the opening of the 2026 licensing round in Abuja. She said the president had directed the commission to start preparing for the next round in earnest due to government determination to boost crude oil production to higher levels Eyesan said the Nigeria’s licensing round offers considerable …

Abuja, July 21, 2026 – The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 26.5 per cent. This is second consecutive time the CBN is retaining the MPR at 26.5 per cent. The MPR also retain the Cash Reserve Requirements (CFF) at 45% for deposit money banks, 16% for merchant banks and 75% for non‑TSA public sector deposits. Olayemi Cardoso, the CBN Governor, announced this at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Tuesday. He said the decision was taken by MPC after …

Johannesburg, July 21, 2026 – South Africa has secured a $1.5 billion World Bank loan to support reforms aimed at easing infrastructure bottlenecks, ‌boosting economic growth and creating jobs, its National Treasury said on Tuesday. The Development Policy Loan will be spent on the water and sanitation, freight transport and ⁠electricity sectors, the Treasury said in a statement. The loan offers a favourable interest rate and flexible repayment terms, contributing to minimising the rise in debt service costs, the Treasury added. It said the loan has a 15-year maturity, including …

Abuja, July 21, 2026 – The Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says 143 companies are participating in the 2025 licensing round of commercial bid for 50 oil and gas blocks. The company disclosed this in a statement. It said the affected blocks, located across the country, included 16 onshore blocks located in the Niger Delta, 18 shallow water blocks, one deep offshore block, three onshore blocks in the Benin Basin, four in the Anambra Basin, four in the Chad Basin and four in the Benue Trough NUPC said the commercial …

Singapore, July 21, 2026  – Oil prices softened on Tuesday, with markets weighing reports of mediation efforts between the ‌U.S. and Iran against an exchange of fresh attacks between the two and threats of a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthis. Brent crude futures eased 78 cents, or 0.9%, to $88.44 per barrel by 0415 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 73 cents, ​or 0.9%, to $82.50 per barrel, while the more active contract for September delivery slipped 41 cents, or ​0.5%, to $82.07 a barrel. …

London, July 21, 2026 – New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a tax cut to ease cost-of-living pressures as he was set to convene his first cabinet meeting on Tuesday. After a day earlier replacing Keir Starmer in Downing Street and purging the government of his predecessor’s loyalists, the 56-year-old on Tuesday morning said he was cutting value-added tax on consumer electricity bills. The new business minister Jonathan Reynolds told Sky News this was a “tremendous announcement for the first day of the new cabinet”, which was due to …

Abuja, July 21, 2026 – The Federal Government says Nigeria’s debt profile is being exaggerated and far below N80 trillion as being touted by commenators. Taiwo Oyedele, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, said this on Monday during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Finance. He denied the allegation that borrowings under President Bola Tinubu administration had exceeded N80 trillion in the last three years. The minister made the clarification while responding to allegations by Sen. Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) that the administration incurred N80 …

Abuja, July 18, 2026 The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has released N7.61 billion retirement benefits of its 4,237 former retirees to nine Pension Fund Administrators. Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of Customs, who disclosed this on Friday while speaking with some retired officers, said the money was transferred to the PFAs for onward payment into the retirees’ Retirement Savings Accounts. “The Nigeria Customs Service has released N7.61 billion to nine Pension Fund Administrators for payment to 4,237 retirees,” he said The NCS boss said the payment was to ensure that retired …

Abeokuta, July 18, 2026 – The Ogun State Chapter of the League of Veteran Journalists (LVJ) has congratulated Chief Olusegun Osoba, a Journalism Icon and former Governor of Ogun State, on his 87th birthday anniversary on July 15, 2026. The letter of the congratulation was jointly signed by Veteran Dele Akinsola (Chairman) and Veteran Austeen Elewodalu(Secretary) of the association. The letter said the veterans raised their pens and voices in joyful celebration of the legendary professional on the occasion. It reads: “Our Dear Leader, Mentor, and Doyen of Journalism On …

Dubai, July 18, 2026 – Iran launched more ​attacks on Washington’s Gulf allies on Saturday after a seventh straight night of U.S. strikes targeting Iranian military sites including logistics facilities, escalating the war one week after a ceasefire fell apart. Kuwait came under sustained attack, with a desalination plant hit and operations at Kuwait International Airport suspended due to repeated missile and drone threats. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said they struck a U.S. military support centre at Camp Arifjan and destroyed a radar facility at Ali Al Salem Air Base in …