Rodriguez was a former vice president and long-time insider in Venezuela’s authoritarian and anti-American government, before changing tack as interim president.

“We will work harder to upscale employer on-boarding and compliance enforcement across the three tiers of government and the informal sector”

The move echoed US President Donald Trump’s tariff hike on Canada and China — and threatened increases on Mexico — which he partly attributed to concerns over fentanyl trafficking into the United States.

The Nigerian Naira displayed a slight softening in the early trading hours of Thursday, January 22, 2026, as the foreign exchange market navigated the typical mid-week liquidity demands.

The federal government has announced plans to abolish the long-standing Higher National Diploma, HND, dichotomy by empowering polytechnics to award degrees, in a major reform aimed at repositioning technical and vocational education as a driver of national development.

Cross River State Government has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing with the commencement of a two-day Strategic Level Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) …

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has assured that all persons abducted during Sunday’s attack on Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area will be rescued and reunited with their families.

By Elizabeth Adegbesan The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has said 74 percent of Nigerians have been covered under its financial inclusion program as at first half of 2025 (H1’25). Disclosing this in its latest Financial Stability Report, the apex bank stated: ‘‘At end-June 2025, the percentage of financially included Nigerians stood at 74 per cent.” The […]

… Foils VBIED attacks By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have sustained their advance into the Timbuktu Triangle, recording significant operational gains and further degrading terrorist networks operating within the area. Scores of insurgents were killed, even as on 20 January 2026, while consolidating at a harbour area approximately 6km North […]

By Progress Godfrey ABUJA — The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, has said that Nigeria’s economy is showing strong signs of recovery, with growth above four percent, inflation falling, and renewed interest from local and foreign investors. Oduwole said the country’s economic reforms, investment drive and global partnerships are reshaping Nigeria’s outlook […]

By Godwin Oritse The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the World Bank Group (WBG), commenced the WCO Accelerated Trade Facilitation Programme as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen trade facilitation, enhance compliance, and deepen Customs modernisation in Nigeria. The programme is designed to review previously agreed objectives and […]

By Elizabeth Adegbesan The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, said 6,422 insured depositors of 651 financial institutions were paid N3.31 billion in the first half of 2025 (H1’25). CBN disclosed this in its latest Financial Stability Report noting that the 651 financial institutions in liquidation comprises 50 Commercial Banks (CMBs), 546 Microfinance Banks (MFBs) and […]

… as compliance window closes By Progress Godfrey ABUJA — The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has begun enforcing regulations against Digital Money Lending (DML) operators that failed to regularise their status under the Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025 (DEON Regulations). Vanguard recalls that the FCCPC had set January 5, […]

•Unveils industry-wide war on e-fraud   •Internet banking fraud leads with N13.37bn, 4,507 cases   •Lagos tops with 63% fraud volumes   •3, 417 individuals on fraud watch list By Babajide Komolafe Losses to fraud in Nigerian financial institutions declined to N25.85 billion, 51 per cent year-on-year, from N52.26 billion in 2024. This comes as the Central Bank […]

Nigeria and other African countries will benefit from a €557m million humanitarian funding package in 2026 after the European Union unveiled an initial €1.9 billion aid budget.