Author: damazah@gmail.com

Kayode Tokede  The Nigerian stock market for the third consecutive trading session this week has appreciated by N8.49trillion over investors’ demand for highly capitalized stocks such as Dangote Cement Plc, Airtel Africa Plc and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc. According to THISDAY findings, the market capitalisation of listed stocks on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) that closed for trading activities at N147.103 trillion last week, gained N8.48 trillion or 5.77per cent to close at N155.585 trillion yesterday.   Also, the NGX All-Share Index moved from 229,240.34 basis points, up by  13,219.64 basis points or 5.8 per cent to close at 242,459.98 basis points. …

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its growth forecast for the UK, while leaving those for other G7 countries weaker or unchanged, amid hopes the economic impact of the Iran war may be less severe than feared.In a July update of its World Economic Outlook, which was finalised before the latest outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East, the Washington-based organisation projected UK gross domestic product to grow by 1% this year – up 0.2 percentage points from its April forecast.That would make the UK the third fastest-growing economy in the G7 in 2026 – behind the US, whose…

To some, Nigel Farage appears to be in a trap of his own making, fighting for re-election in single combat with a giant bin before potentially having to do it all again against the other political parties. But inside Reform UK, the mood is upbeat. As one insider said of the prospect of a double byelection: “Bring it on.”This is not just braggadocio. Farage is an enthusiastic and highly skilled campaigner, and is clearly relishing the idea of going to his electorate with a “Clacton versus the establishment” message, although doing so twice within weeks might test even his commitment…

“Chat told me I should break up with him.”I instructed my face to remain therapist-neutral, but I must have smirked. The truth is, I was annoyed. We had been discussing the viability of this relationship for weeks, and in an instant AI had brought the answer. “How do you feel about it?” She said this had been her gut feeling all along. The following session, her relationship was over.AI is everywhere, therapy included, and yet somehow the first time it showed up in my work, I was surprised. A patient passed me his phone to show me how AI had…

Wolfsburg have confirmed that Christian Eriksen will continue his rehabilitation in Denmark following his collapse during an international friendly last month. The 34-year-old midfielder was representing Denmark against Ukraine when he suddenly fell to the ground clutching his chest, prompting immediate concern from teammates, medical staff and supporters. Eriksen previously suffered a cardiac arrest during Euro 2021 and later had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted. The device is designed to detect dangerous heart rhythms and deliver an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat. According to reports, the ICD activated during the incident against Ukraine, helping to stabilise the…

What began late Tuesday as an alleged attempted robbery at a Point-of-Sale (POS) outlet in Ojoo area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, escalated into deadly mob violence and reprisal attacks that left at least two people dead, several others injured, and properties destruction, prompting a massive deployment of security operatives across the area. The violence, which erupted around the Strabag axis of Ojoo in Akinyele Local Government Area in Ibadan, exposed how a single act of jungle justice quickly spiralled into broader unrest that paralysed commercial activities and heightened fears of ethnic tension. While eyewitnesses in interviews with journalists…

Etim Etim  Murder for political reasons is not rare in Nigeria, so when Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said the other day that he might be assassinated before the 2027 elections, I was considerably alarmed. Only last February, Obi and his team were shot at in Benin in what his supporters claimed was an assassination attempt. Since then, the former Anambra State governor has been hinting at his frustrations with the government. It is therefore important that we listen to his recent fears. Speaking in an interview Chude Jideonwo this week, Obi said Nigerian authorities are systematically…

Nigeria’s $22 billion pension industry is exploring plans to launch a specialized fund later this year to help Africa’s most populous nation upgrade its deteriorating infrastructure. National Pension Commission spokesman Ibrahim Buwai stated that the commission is encouraging the establishment of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to pool resources for viable infrastructure projects. Nigeria is actively seeking investors to modernize its road and rail networks, as well as energy and healthcare systems. Last year, the commission expanded the scope of permissible retirement investments to include private equity and infrastructure funds. Investment Objectives and Oversight The proposed fund aims to generate…

At a time when AI backlash and data center protests are making headlines, Anthropic’s Claude is rolling out a new feature that subtly makes the case for why you should keep using it. On Thursday, the company introduced “Reflect,” a built-in dashboard that lets you track and visualize how you use Claude and your broader AI habits. On the surface, it’s an analytics feature that offers insights into what sort of topics you’ve discussed, your overall usage patterns, and what kinds of tasks you tend to turn to AI for help with. But Reflect’s larger purpose is about shaping how…

By Adegboyega Adeleye Premier League champions Arsenal have signed former Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer, the club confirmed in an official statement on Thursday. The 26-year-old French goalkeeper joins the Gunners after leaving Leeds, where he spent seven seasons and made 215 appearances in all competitions, keeping 70 clean sheets. Meslier began his professional career at French side Lorient before joining Leeds on loan in 2019. He helped the Yorkshire club secure promotion to the Premier League in his first season, with the move later made permanent. The Frenchman went on to make 107 Premier League…