Author: Olukayode Oke

The number of mobile subscriptions in Nigeria rose to 222.23 million in 2022 despite the implementation of the Federal Government’s National Identification Number-Subscriber Identity Module policy. At the start of the policy in April, over 72.77 million active telecommunication subscriptions were barred from making calls. But the industry has since shaken off the effect of this and grew by 13.89 per cent in 2022. According to new data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, the total number of subscriptions grew from 195.13 million as of December 2021 to 222.23 million as of December 2022. This growth signified a complete shake-off of…

Ahead of the forthcoming presidential election next month, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Osita Chidoka has said the problems of the youths in the Southern and Northern parts of the country are different, adding that they (northern youths) will vote for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Chidoka also claimed that nobody in the North moved during the EndSars protest because it was not a problem to the people in the North. He made the statement on Sunday while fielding questions on the Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme. According to the former minister of aviation, there is no…

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta was at the weekend in Lagos, decorated with an Award of Exemplary Leadership in Public Service. The award was conferred on Danbatta at the 12th Anniversary Lecture and Award of Nigerian NewsDirect, one of the long-standing media players in the Nigerian Communications industry, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday. Danbatta, who was represented at the event by the Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, said it was gratifying to have been considered worthy of the award in recognition of…

The five-time Ballon d’Or made his long-awaited debut for Al-Nassr on Sunday as they locked horns with Ettifaq on Sunday. There would’ve been a lot of hope he’d light the place up, especially after his brace when representing a combined Al-Nassr and Al Hilal XI in an exhibition match against Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday. But he was nowhere near as busy in the Saudi Pro League clash which saw Al-Nassr edge to a 1-0 triumph. The winner was scored by Brazilian forward Anderson Talisca, who headed home a cross after Ronaldo didn’t quite connect with the ball on 31 minutes. That was…

Napoli continued their steady march towards the league title on Saturday. Luciano Spalletti’s men beat Salernitana 2-0 in Salerno thanks to goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Victor Osimhen to move 12 points clear of second-placed AC Milan, who have a game in hand. It will be a tough task for the Partenopei not to lift the league title to the skies above Naples. Napoli did not miss the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table when they took on bottom-placed Salernitana. Spalletti’s side, the only top side playing on Saturday, easily beat an opponent that held on for most of the first half thanks to Guillermo…

Newcastle United moved up to third in the table after a goalless draw at Crystal Palace extended their unbeaten run to 15 Premier League matches. The visitors dominated possession throughout the contest, which saw the visitors squander 15 corners, while the hosts were dealt a blow when Wilfried Zaha was forced off with injury in the second half. Magpies goalkeeper Nick Pope, who kept his ninth straight clean sheet in all competitions, made a brilliant leaping save to deny substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta the chance to break the deadlock. The result drew Newcastle level on 39 points with Manchester United, who face…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in collaboration with operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Thursday, busted a criminal syndicate involved in the trafficking of fake United States dollar notes and recovered a total of $269,000 counterfeit at Oniru in the Shoprite area of Lekki, Lagos State, where three suspects were arrested. Meanwhile, the NDLEA operatives also dealt a lethal blow to a cluster of cannabis syndicates operating in the Opuje forests in Edo State, where massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417kg of the psychoactive substance were destroyed and set ablaze, while four suspects…

Liberian President, George Weah, has come out in full support of Morocco’s bid to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the hosting rights were withdrawn from Guinea over its lack of preparations. President Weah stated his position while reacting to ”false and misleading, reports making rounds in some international media outlets” that he was supporting the bid by Algeria to host the same tournament. He expressed his “fullest and strong” support for the Moroccan bid instead, which he has further emphasized to the Moroccan government. Liberia fully endorses and supports Morocco’s bid to host CAF Nations Cup 2025.…

Juventus have confirmed they would appeal against their fifteen point deduction as they consider it “a clear injustice towards millions of fans”. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed the punishment on Friday following an investigation into the 36-time Italian champions’ past transfer dealings. The Bianconeri have slipped from third in Serie A to 10th and are 12 points off the champions League places with 20 matches left to play. The FIGC also hit the club’s former president Andrea Agnelli and former excutive Maurizio Arrivabene with two-year bans from Italian football. Former sporting director Fabio Paratici, who is now at Tottenham,…

Juventus have been deducted 15 points for the current season by an Italian soccer court investigating its transfer dealings, the national soccer federation (FIGC) said Friday. The ruling, which also deals a blow to the club’s reputation, is tougher than a nine-point deduction a soccer prosecutor had requested earlier in the day during a hearing looking at the way Juventus and a number of other teams dealt with player exchange deals. With 20 games left to play this season, Juve were third in Serie A with 37 points, 10 behind leaders Napoli. The deduction pushes them down into 10th place, outside…

Leicester have bolstered their defensive options in a bid to remain in the Premier League with the signing of Danish full-back Victor Kristiansen from FC Copenhagen for an undisclosed fee. The 20-year-old left-back, capped at under-21 level by his country, has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal and will join the Foxes subject to international clearance. The Premier League is probably the best league in the world and Leicester is a top team, so of course I was excited. It was a no-brainer for me to say yes to this great opportunity,” Kristiansen told the Leicester website. Kristiansen played in all six…

Arsenal have snapped up a £22million deal for a little-known defender after winning the race for Leandro Trossard this week. Trossard has been undergoing his medical on Friday morning ahead of signing a three-and-a-half year deal with the Gunners as he arrives from Brighton & Hove Albion for an initial £21million. He is now set to be joined at the Emirates Stadium by their second signing of the January transfer window as Jakub Kiwior edges closer to a move. The Polish defender will reportedly fly to London over the weekend to complete his medical and sign on the dotted line…