Tag: COVID-19

Banking

Banks’ bad loans rise as CBN ends COVID-19 relief

Nigeria’s banking sector recorded an increase in bad loans in 2025 following the withdrawal of regulatory forbearance granted by the Central Bank of Nigeria to lenders during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the apex bank’s latest macroeconomic outlook report. The report revealed that the industry’s Non-Performing Loans ratio rose to an estimated seven per cent, […]

News

Reps order suspension of COVID-19 loan deductions

The House of Representatives has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, and the Federal Ministry of Finance to immediately suspend all deductions on COVID-19 intervention loans and grant total waivers for outstanding loans owed by vulnerable households and micro-businesses. The directive followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Saidu Musa […]

Scams

US court jails Osun monarch over COVID-19 fraud scheme

A United States court has sentenced the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to 56 months in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme. Oloyede, 62, who holds dual U.S. and Nigerian citizenship and resides in Medina, Ohio, was sentenced on August 26 by U.S. District Judge Christopher […]

Boris Johnson hands over WhatsApp messages to COVID inquiry
News

Boris Johnson hands over WhatsApp messages to COVID inquiry

Former Prime Minister of The United Kingdom, Boris Johnson’s long-awaited WhatsApp messages from his old phone will finally be handed over unredacted to the COVID inquiry, as confirmed by his spokesperson. The spokesperson stated, “The timing of any further progress on delivery to the inquiry is therefore under the Cabinet Office’s control.” The COVID inquiry, […]

IATA welcomes CBN's release of $265m to airlines
Aviation

Ukraine: Nigerian airlines, others to lose $700m, says IATA

The International Air Transport Association has said that Nigerian airlines and others across Africa will lose $700 million in 2022 due to a combination of the Russia-Ukraine war and COVID-19. This was disclosed at the ongoing 78th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Doha, Qatar. IATA said that inflation, interest and […]

Economy

Inflation to push 15 million Nigerians into poverty –World Bank

The World Bank has said that inflation shock is projected to push about 15 million more Nigerians into poverty between 2020 and 2022. The Washington-based bank said this in its latest Nigeria Development Update report, titled, ‘The Continuing Urgency of Business Unusual’. The report read in part, “Overall, the ‘inflation shock’ is estimated to result […]

100% cashless economy possible in Nigeria - Emefiele
Economy

CBN’s intervention funds fuelling inflation, World Bank warns

The World Bank has said the Central Bank of Nigeria’s development finance intervention is fuelling inflation in the short term and weakening the ability of the apex bank to control inflation. According to the global bank, the CBN’s continued provision of subsidised funding to certain sectors has to slow down as it is undermining the […]

World Bank punishes Nigerian firms, individuals for corruption
Oil and Gas

Nigeria’s oil production falls over poor maintenance -World Bank

The World Bank has said that Nigeria’s oil production declined in 2021 due to a lack of maintenance and the loss of infrastructure efficiency. It added that Nigeria was yet to benefit from increasing oil prices as a result of declining oil production and fuel subsidy. The Washington-based bank said this in a new report […]

Investment Real Estate

Canada to ban Nigerians, others from buying homes

Canada is set to ban Nigerians and other foreigners from buying homes for two years as prices of real estate properties soar in the North American country. The measure will help the country provide billions of dollars to spur construction activity in an attempt to cool off a surging real-estate market, Bloomberg reported Thursday. According […]