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Washington/Dubai, Aug 20, 2026  – U.S. President Donald ​Trump warned of economic consequences against any country that provided “any type of lifeline to Iran” as the United States looks to resolve a war it began alongside Israel nearly six months ago. Thousands have been killed in the war, which quickly drew in Gulf nations and shocked global markets as Iran flexed its ability to curb shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which carried about a fifth of the world’s traded oil before February. The U.S. and Iran have twice announced …

Abuja, Aug. 20, 2026 – The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to hand over recovered looted funds to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).  Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing State House correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. He said the FEC also directed that all funds in the Unclaimed Dividends Trust Fund and in the Dormant Accounts Trust Fund should be released to NELFUND. The minister said FEC, however, said …

Bangui, Aug. 20, 2026 – More than 100 people have been killed after an artisanal gold mine collapsed in western Central African Republic (CAR) near the border with Cameroon, local sources and a Red Cross volunteer have said. Local media reported that the cave-in occurred on Tuesday in the village of Zamboye, about 50km (31 miles) from the Central African town of Baboua and a few kilometres from Garoua-Boulai, in eastern Gervais Ganagoroh, a Red Cross volunteer involved in the relief effort, told the Associated Press news agency on Wednesday …

Washington, Aug 19, 2026 – Total U.S. debt has topped $40 trillion for the first time, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday, drawing fresh warnings that a fiscal crisis is brewing as ballooning costs for social safety-net programs and interest payments far outstrip revenues held back by tax cuts. The Treasury’s latest daily cash and debt balances statement showed total public debt outstanding at $40.047 trillion on ‌Tuesday, a total that includes Treasury securities held by the public of $32.266 trillion and intra-governmental debt holdings of $7.782 trillion. The federal …

Lagos, Aug. 20, 2026 – The Nigerian currency, Naira, depreciated to N1, 349.5372 to the dollar at the official foreign exchange market on Wednesday. The naira lost more than N0.8 to the dollar on Wednesday from N1, 357.6088 on Tuesday. Bid rates offered by dealers at the official market on Wednesday ranged between N1, 347.0000 and N1, 361.0000 to the dollar. Meanwhile, naira is being traded at the black market in Lagos between N1, 1410 and N1, 417 to the dollar.

Tokyo/Singapore, Aug 20, 2026 – Oil prices climbed on Thursday on concerns the impasse in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran ‌will continue to disrupt supply from the key Middle Eastern producing region and tighten global supplies. Brent crude futures for October delivery rose 35 cents, or 0.38%, to $91.97 a barrel by 0632 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for September added 17 cents to $86.00 a barrel. The more-active October WTI contract was up 38 cents, or 0.45%, to $84.77. Both Brent and WTI benchmarks gained ⁠for a fifth …

Abuja, Aug. 19, 2026 – Taiwo Oyedele. the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy on Wednesday said the federal government saved N15.8 trillion from the removal of petrol subsidy between June 2023 and December 2025, He disclosed this in Abuja at a media briefing on the scorecard of the federal government’s reforms between 2023 and 2026. The minister said the federal government received N5.4 trillion of the saved  amount, while N10.4 trillion was shared among state and local governments. Oyedele added that the federal government generated N3.1 …

Abuja, Aug. 19, 2026 – There was heavy presence of security men at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence in Abuja on Wednesday to stop some protesting retired military officers from getting into the premises. The protesting military officers were protesting over their continued exclusion from pension adjustments whenever there were salary increases for serving officers. The protesters, who were seen at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja,  where they were addressing the authorities, insisted they were not going back on the protest in spite of the heavy security …

Lagos, Aug. 19, 2026 – Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, a has donated more than 2,000 food packs to residents in Abeokuta, Ogun State, through its Fidelity Food Bank Initiative as part of its efforts to alleviate hunger and support livelihoods across Nigeria, The distribution exercise, held at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Cathedral, Itesi, Adatan, Abeokuta is a part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme focused on supporting vulnerable populations and expanding access to essential food supplies. Speaking at the event, Folaranmi Jemirin, Regional Bank …

By Paul Ejime Abuja, Aug. 19, 2026 – As Nigeria prepares for the next cycle of crucial national elections in January/February 2027, elder statesman Chief Emeka Anyaoku, an internationally renowned diplomat and Commonwealth Secretary-General (1990-2000), insists that Africa’s most populous nation requires a brand new constitution to address its diversity and the lingering concerns of its constituent/federating units. “The 1999 Constitution (as amended) is unamendable,” he told this writer in a chat on Tuesday, 18 August. “I do not believe in the piecemeal amendments of a document that is basically …