Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Sola Ojewusi On June 29, 2025, the heavens opened their gates to history. As Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-33 rocket roared into the skies from the arid plains of West Texas, aboard it sat a man whose name will forever be etched in the annals of African greatness: Chief Owolabi Salis — the first Nigerian, the first West African, and a proud son of the Yorùba race to travel into space. For centuries, humanity gazed at the stars and dreamt. But on that fateful day, the dream of a nation and a continent found embodiment in one man’s courage,…

By Peter Omopo  Kano, July 3, 2025 — The Federal Government on Wednesday officially commissioned the Northwest Digital Industrial Park in Kano, which had been vandalised during the August 2024 anti-government protests. President Bola Tinubu, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijjani, reiterated the administration’s commitment to driving inclusive digital transformation across Nigeria, despite setbacks. The multimillion-naira facility, aimed at nurturing tech talent and entrepreneurship in Northern Nigeria, was completed in January 2024 but suffered extensive damage during the “End Bad Governance” demonstrations on August 1 last year. Speaking…

By Peter Omopo  Abuja, July 3, 2025 — The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has unveiled a new gas-focused transition strategy aimed at eliminating routine gas flaring by 2030 and cutting methane emissions by 60% by 2031. The Commission’s Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, disclosed this on Wednesday while delivering a keynote address at the ongoing 24th Nigeria Oil and Gas Energy Week Conference in Abuja. Speaking at a strategic session titled “Positioning Nigeria’s Upstream Oil & Gas for Energy Security, Sustainability and Economic Resilience,” Komolafe said the strategy is central to Nigeria’s energy future and economic diversification plans. “Our…

By Sola Ojewusi  Football is in mourning today following the tragic death of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident in Spain early this morning. Jota was just 28 years old. His younger brother, André Silva, 26, also lost his life in the crash. The fatal incident occurred at approximately 12:30am local time (11:30pm BST) on the A-52 motorway near Cernadilla, Zamora, according to Spain’s Guardia Civil. Initial reports indicate the vehicle suffered a burst tyre while overtaking, veered off the road, and caught fire. Jota and André had been travelling together at the time.…

By Peter Omopo  Abuja, July 3, 2025 — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex‑Labour Party flagbearer Peter Obi, and ex‑Senate President David Mark have officially spearheaded a political coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), aiming to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election. The coalition—revealed at a high‑profile ceremony at Abuja’s Yar’Adua Centre—named David Mark as interim National Chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as interim Secretary of the ADC. Key Developments A ceremony saw ADC’s founding chairman, Ralph Nwosu, formally resign and endorse the new leadership, describing the move as a pivotal step in…

LAPO Microfinance Bank Signs MoU with Baobab+ and GreenMax to Expand Access to Clean Energy Across Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria – July 1, 2025 — In a strategic move to deepen its sustainability and social impact agenda, LAPO Microfinance Bank has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Baobab+ and GreenMax Capital Advisors. The partnership is aimed at scaling access to renewable energy solutions across Nigeria, targeting underserved households and small businesses with affordable clean energy financing options. Facilitated by GreenMax, which will provide a First Loss Guarantee, the agreement underscores a shared commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s transition to sustainable…

By Peter Omopo  Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | July 3, 2025 — Baltasar Engonga, the former Director-General of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency, is facing up to 18 years in prison after prosecutors laid out a wide-ranging corruption case against him in a Malabo court this week. Engonga, 54, who has been held at the notorious Black Beach Prison since September 2024, is accused of embezzling public funds, unlawful enrichment, and abuse of power during his tenure as head of the Directorate General of Insurance and Reinsurance from 2015 to 2020. Court documents presented on Monday described what authorities called…

 In a strategic move to deepen its sustainability and social impact agenda, LAPO Microfinance Bank has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Baobab+ and GreenMax Capital Advisors. The partnership is aimed at scaling access to renewable energy solutions across Nigeria, targeting underserved households and small businesses with affordable clean energy financing options. Facilitated by GreenMax, which will provide a First Loss Guarantee, the agreement underscores a shared commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s transition to sustainable energy, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) — ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Baobab+, a…

By Peter Omopo  Abuja | July 2, 2025 — The House of Representatives on Wednesday took a decisive step to suspend all bills transmitted from the Senate, citing persistent neglect of over 140 bills originating from the House that remain pending before the Red Chamber. The resolution followed a motion raised by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, who expressed frustration during plenary over the Senate’s apparent reluctance to act on House-proposed legislation. Lawmakers voiced their dissatisfaction during debate on a bill sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele seeking to amend the Federal Orthopaedic Hospital Management Act to establish a Federal Orthopaedic…

By Peter Omopo  Lagos | July 2, 2025 — The Lagos State Government has reopened its teaching job recruitment portal to enable qualified candidates to apply for entry-level teaching positions across the state’s public secondary schools. In a statement released on Tuesday by the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), the online portal will remain open from Tuesday, July 1 to Monday, July 14, 2025. According to the notice, the move is part of the government’s broader effort to expand access to employment, promote equity, and ensure transparency in the recruitment process. “The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission is set…