General news

• 5 records broken so far at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

  14-06-2026 14:19 via vanguardngr.com
  The 2026 FIFA World Cup is only a few days old, but history is already being made across North America.
  Here are five notable records and milestones that have fallen during the opening matches of the tournament:1. Canada Earns Its First-Ever World Cup PointAfter losing all six of its previous World Cup matches across the 1986 and 2022 tournaments, Canada finally got off the mark with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The result ended one of the longest winless starts in World Cup histo
  
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• NACCIMA, China seal pact to boost manufacturing investment in Nigeria

  20-07-2026 09:01 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Yinka KolawoleThe Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China’s Linyi Wholesalers Federation and TTC Hydra Limited to strengthen bilateral trade and attract new Chinese investments into Nigeria’s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.The agreement, signed at the NACCIMA Infrastructure Conference (INFRACON 2026) in Abuja, provides a framework for trade cooperatio
  
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• Stakeholders differ on CBN’s withdrawal from manufacturers’ intervention fund

  20-07-2026 08:48 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Yinka KolawoleIndustry stakeholders have expressed divergent views on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) withdrawal from direct intervention financing of the manufacturing sector.Director General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Chinyere Almona, said CBN’s exit has left manufacturers heavily dependent on commercial banks that are not structured to provide long-term industrial financing.According to her, withdrawing intervention financing without a
  
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• Don’t be fooled, states are not richer

  20-07-2026 08:43 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Dele Sobowale
  Most Nigerians are being fooled right now, as they often are, by the Federal Government; with regard to the monthly allocations to states. Unfortunately, because the hands of many of the State Governors are not clean, they are allowing the FG to blame them unjustly for overall poor performance. Granted, there are a few outstanding performers – Lagos, Abia, Adamawa and Zamfara – but the rest of them have little to show for the increased revenue allocations. The
  
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• Alert MFB grows assets to N50bn amid inflation, rising credit demand

  20-07-2026 08:34 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Babajide KomolafeAlert Microfinance Bank has recorded a 20-fold increase in total assets to N50 billion in three years, as rising inflation, naira depreciation and stronger demand for credit reshape Nigeria’s banking landscape.Speaking in a media interview, Group Chief Executive Officer of Alert Group, Mr. Olanrewaju Kazeem, said the bank’s growth was driven by a deliberate strategy focused on financial inclusion and nationwide expansion following the Central Bank of Nigeria
  
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• Future-ready skills will define Nigeria’s next economic leap — JMG

  20-07-2026 08:30 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Sebastine ObasiJMG, an integrated electro-mechanical solutions company, has called for stronger collaboration between government, industries, and educational institutions to equip young Nigerians with future-ready skills that will drive innovation, enhance employability, and accelerate sustainable economic growth.The call comes in commemoration of World Youth Skills Day 2026, celebrated annually, which highlights the importance of equipping young people with the technical, digital, arti
  
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• UBA Business Series: Investors identify Africa’s next billion-dollar opportunities

  20-07-2026 08:27 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Panelists at the just concluded UBA Business Series have indicated that financial inclusion, the creative economy, sports, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the sectors most likely to produce Africa’s next billion-dollar companies.The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, hosted its quarterly business series, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and business leaders to explore how customer insights and technology is shaping Africa’s next generation of hi
  
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• Inflation, policy inconsistency can destabilise economic reforms, analysts warn

  20-07-2026 08:22 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Peter EgwuatuAnalysts have warned that the rise in inflation, policy inconsistency, and volatile exchange rate, among other factors, can destabilise the ongoing economic reforms, which have started yielding fruits.However, the analysts stated that the Nigeria’s capital market is expected to maintain its positive momentum in the second half of 2026, supported by stronger macroeconomic fundamentals, banking sector recapitalisation, improved foreign exchange stability and the anticip
  
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• Banking, consumer goods stocks buoy stock market rebounds

  20-07-2026 08:18 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Peter EgwuatuThe stock market closed higher Week on Week, WoW, with the banking and consumer goods stocks being the toast of investors last week.The Financial services industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 2.006 billion  shares valued at N99.697 billion traded in 96,171 deals, thus contributing 71.17% and  54.63% to the total equity turnover volume and value, respectively. The Consumer Goods Industry followed with 178.863 million shares worth N7.872 billion
  
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• Dollar to Naira exchange rate today, July 20, 2026

  20-07-2026 08:09 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The naira traded relatively stable against the United States dollar at the official Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) on Monday, July 20, 2026, while the parallel market continued to quote the greenback at a premium.Data from the official foreign exchange market showed the naira exchanging at about ₦1,379.64 per US dollar at the NFEM as of Monday morning. The official rate remains broadly in line with recent trading sessions, reflecting a relatively stable market despite sustained d
  
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• Senegal President Diomaye Faye elected new ECOWAS chairman

  20-07-2026 07:58 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been elected Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.Faye emerged as the new leader of the regional bloc during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority held in Sierra Leone.He takes over from Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, who assumed the position in June 2025 following the completion of President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as chairman. Tinubu formally handed over leadership of the bloc to Bio during
  
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• Cucurella praises Spain’s ‘incredible’ defence after World Cup win

  20-07-2026 07:32 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Marc Cucurella hailed Spain’s “incredible” defence after they won their second World Cup on Sunday with a 1-0 victory against Argentina.Substitute Ferran Torres scored in the second period of extra-time as Spain finally broke down 10-man Argentina at the MetLife Stadium.Coach Luis de la Fuente’s team conceded just one goal in their eight games at the 2026 tournament — the fewest by any side in a World Cup-winning campaign.Belgium were the only team to breach their
  
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• Trump speaks to Canada PM at World Cup after wildfire threats

  20-07-2026 07:29 via vanguardngr.com
  
  President Donald Trump said he held talks Sunday at the World Cup final with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and called for damages over wildfires that have sent smoke across the northeast US.Trump threatened Canada with tariffs before Sunday’s match, which the smoke had threatened to disrupt.“I have a good relationship with Mark Carney, but you know, we got to stop the fires up there,” Trump told reporters after arriving back in Washington.“If we can help them, we&r
  
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• Trump lingers on stage to lap up World Cup spotlight

  20-07-2026 07:26 via vanguardngr.com
  
  US President Donald Trump grabbed a share of the spotlight at the World Cup final on Sunday, staying on stage with winners Spain as they lifted the trophy after beating Argentina.Despite being met by resounding boos as he walked on to the pitch with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Trump basked in the attention at the end of a tournament he has called “the most successful sporting event maybe in the history of the world.”Trump briefly lingered on stage as Infantino tried to lead him
  
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• NCAA, experts clash over 5% air ticket charge

  20-07-2026 05:30 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Dickson OmobolaStakeholders in the country’s aviation sector have deepened calls for a review of the sharing formula of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge/Cargo Sales Charge, TSC/CSC, saying the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, required a larger share of the revenue to upgrade air navigation infrastructure.This development comes as the NCAA expressed fears over the issue and warned that any reduction in its statutory allocation could weaken aviation safety oversight a
  
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• Agro exports crash 31% as port delays, pesticides trigger global rejections

  20-07-2026 05:28 via vanguardngr.com
  
  ***15 containers of hibiscus rejected in Mexico***48-hour cargo clearance stretches to three weeks in Nigeria
  By Cynthia AloNigeria’s agricultural exports suffered a sharp 31.2 per cent decline in the first quarter of 2026 (Q1’26) as prolonged port delays, excessive pesticide application, outdated chemical preservatives and failure to obtain required phytosanitary certification combined to trigger increasing rejection of the country’s farm produce in international ma
  
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• Superb Spain rule the world, overwhelm Argentina

  20-07-2026 05:23 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Spain finally broke Argentina’s dogged resistance in extra time to win the men’s World Cup for the second time with a 1-0 victory.The Barcelona winger Ferran Torres scored the only goal of a disjointed game that was almost ruined by Argentina’s deliberate spoiling tactics, which backfired when they were reduced to 10 men for extra time by the late dismissal of Enzo Fernández for two yellow cards. Spain had dominated throughout, having 20 shots to an extraordinary two fr
  
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• Petrol imports rose by 207% in June – NMDPRA

  20-07-2026 05:09 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Obas Esiedesa, AbujaNigeria’s petrol imports surged by 207 per cent in June 2026, reversing earlier gains recorded in domestic refining as local supply declined sharply, according to data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).An analysis of the authority’s monthly petrol supply data for the first six months of 2026 showed that while domestic refineries remained the major source of supply for most of the period, imports increased signif
  
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• One year after the Tax Reform Laws: Tinubu’s economic foresight is taking shape

  20-07-2026 04:35 via vanguardngr.com
  
  How President Tinubu’s bold reforms and Dr. Zacch Adedeji’s leadership at the Nigeria Revenue Service are driving record revenue growth and building a more resilient economy.By Arabinrin AderonkeOne year ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, signed Nigeria’s landmark tax reform laws. At the time, many Nigerians wondered whether the reforms would make any real difference. Today, one year later, the answer is becoming clear. The reforms are not only changing how Nigeria raises
  
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• Gunmen abduct pastor’s wife, three children in Borno

  20-07-2026 02:35 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ndahi Marama, MaiduguriSuspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have abducted the wife of a pastor and his three children in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State.The victims, whose identities have not been disclosed, were reportedly travelling to Damasak on Saturday when the attackers intercepted their vehicle near Kareto village and forced them to disembark.A source from the community told journalists that the incident occurred around noon, adding that the victi
  
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• Tosin Ajayi and the humanity behind the badge

  20-07-2026 02:31 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Lemmy UghegbePower changes many people. Some become distant. Others become inaccessible. Many begin to measure success by the authority they wield rather than the lives they touch. But every so often, one encounters a public servant whose humanity appears to have survived the weight of office. Such leaders remind us that compassion is not the opposite of strength.
  It is one of its highest expressions.That thought came to mind recently following reports that the Director-General of the Depart
  
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• An editor who never left the guild: Celebrating Aremo Segun Osoba at 87

  20-07-2026 01:57 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By BABA DANTIYEOn 15 July 2026, Chief Aremo Olusegun (Segun) Osoba turned 87. For many Nigerians, the occasion is an opportunity to celebrate an accomplished journalist, former Governor of Ogun State, elder statesman and one of the country’s most respected public figures. For those of us in the Nigerian Guild of Editors, however, it is also a moment to celebrate something even more enduring—a man who, despite attaining the highest levels of public service, never severed his bond wit
  
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• Don’t be fooled, states are not richer, by Dele Sobowale

  20-07-2026 01:53 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Most Nigerians are being fooled right now, as they often are, by the Federal Government; with regard to the monthly allocations to states. Unfortunately, because the hands of many of the State Governors are not clean, they are allowing the FG to blame them unjustly for overall poor performance. Granted, there are a few outstanding performers – Lagos, Abia, Adamawa and Zamfara – but the rest of them have little to show for the increased revenue allocations. The fault is not entirely
  
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• The threat never sleeps: Protecting trust in Africa’s digital economy

  20-07-2026 01:45 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Nkiruka Aimienoho A subtle anomaly. An unpopular call to isolate critical systems. Resistance from every direction. That decision, made years ago with a key stakeholder during a live cybersecurity incident I was managing as a consultant, looked excessive at the time. It turned out to be the difference between a contained event and a ransomware attack that could have crippled operations for weeks. The lesson has never left me: resilience is decided in the moments before certainty ar
  
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• Victor Eburajolo: Mega employer who fought Nigeria’s deliberate de-industrialization, by Owei Lakemfa

  20-07-2026 01:37 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Forty years ago, on July 24, 1986, Victor Ogebyiwa Eburajolo was forty. He was a sought-after expert in the Nigerian industrial complex. A lawyer, business strategist, planning tactician, industrial and labour relations expert. He was then the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Textile Employers. The textile industry had sixty-two companies and over 750,000 workers, not counting those in related employment like the cotton industry. But as he marked his birthday, he foresaw that the country, wh
  
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• How NUPRC is rebuilding confidence in Nigeria’s oil sector

  20-07-2026 01:34 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By YINKA ADETUTUAbout six months after assuming office as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan is pursuing a strategy centred on regulatory certainty, faster decision-making, operational efficiency, and transparent governance. The early signs are reflected in stronger production, renewed investor interest, and growing confidence in the licensing regime.The 2025 licensing round closed with encouraging headline figure
  
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• Senate’s belated rise against “repentant” terrorists

  20-07-2026 01:30 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Senate has finally given voice to a national outrage that has simmered for too long: Nigeria’s policy of rehabilitating and reintegrating so-called repentant Boko Haram fighters without doing them justice. It has outlived whatever limited utility its creators may once have claimed. A programme that begins with surrender and ends with return to the very society these men once terrorised is not a strategy but a gamble with human lives and public trust, as well as a nursery bed for the a
  
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• Forest security, mineral resources and food security

  20-07-2026 01:25 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By YUSUF KOLAWOLEThe sovereignty of any nation is not measured only by the strength of its military or the size of its economy; it is also reflected in its ability to control its territory, protect its natural resources, secure its food systems, and guarantee the safety of its citizens. For Nigeria, a country blessed with vast forests, abundant mineral resources, fertile agricultural land, and strategic geographic importance, the protection of these assets is directly linked to national so
  
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• Malami’s billions for WAEC fees, by Suleiman A. Suleiman

  20-07-2026 01:23 via vanguardngr.com
  
  It is hard to say which of the two major issues in the news last week is most troubling for the average Nigerian. Is it the federal government’s announcement-and subsequent reversal-of an 82 per cent increase in WAEC and NECO registration fees, from N27,500 to N50,000 per candidate beginning in 2027? Or is it the court-ordered forfeiture of properties allegedly worth N212 billion linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami?
  While the two events appear unrelate
  
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• Ballon d’Or 2026 ranking: Yamal emerges favourite after Spain’s World Cup triumph

  20-07-2026 01:14 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Spain’s World Cup triumph has propelled Lamine Yamal to top of the Ballon d’Or 2026 rankings.The Barcelona winger is now regarded as the leading contender for the prestigious individual award after playing a key role in Spain’s successful campaign.Yamal tops the list ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who is ranked second, while England striker Harry Kane occupies third place.Former Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who claimed the award in 2025, is
  
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