Oil prices drop as Iran protests subside
Oil prices were down on Monday, January 19, 2026, after rising during the previous session as civil unrest in Iran subsided. The development lowered the chance of a United States attack that could disrupt supply from the major Middle Eastern producer. Brent crude was trading at $63.85 a barrel at 0734 GMT, down 28 cents or 0.44%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate for...
Oyo faces scrutiny over N30bn relief fund as HEDA drags Makinde to EFCC
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged mismanagement of N30 billion released by the Federal Government to Oyo State following the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan. The petition, signed by HEDA Chairman Olanrewaju Suraju and addressed to EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede, questioned the use of the funds...
FCTA, FCDA workers shut down offices
Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) commenced a strike on Monday, bringing government activities across Abuja to a halt. Our correspondent observed a heavy security presence at the FCTA Secretariat at 8:10 a.m., with personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police Force stationed at the...
Spain high-speed train collision death toll rises to 39
The death toll from Sunday's collision between a derailing high-speed train and a second oncoming train in southern Spain has risen to 39, with 152 people injured. The accident happened at 7:45 p.m. local time (1845 GMT) on Sunday near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360 km (223 miles) south of the capital Madrid. Over 200 trains between Madrid...
NiMet forecasts 3-day dust haze, sunshine across Nigeria
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted dust haze and sunshine across the country from Monday until Wednesday, January 21, 2026. NiMet announced this via its weather outlook released on Sunday, January 18. The agency envisaged moderate dust haze in parts of Kebbi and Kano States on Monday. It predicted horizontal visibility of 2km to 5km in the region with the rest...
Nigeria’s oil output fell 8.3% to 1.544m bpd in December 2025
Nigeria’s oil production, including condensate, declined by 8.3 per cent year-on-year to 1.544 million barrels per day (bpd) in December 2025, down from 1.684 million bpd recorded in the same period of 2024, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). In its latest report released on Wednesday, the Commission did not state specific reasons for the decline, though...
How power sector debt threatens FG’s N1.23trn bond plan
The Federal Government’s plan to settle electricity sector debts through a N1.23 trillion Power Sector Bond is under pressure as liabilities owed to generation companies (GenCos) rose by 62.5 per cent to N6.5 trillion by the end of 2025, up from N4 trillion at the beginning of the year. The government launched the programme in December 2025 with a N590...
Police nab man for killing wife in Kebbi
The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested Sule Gurmu, who is accused of killing his wife, Umaima Maidawa, in an alleged domestic violence incident that has shocked residents of Bayawa community in Augie Local Government Area of the state. The incident reportedly occurred on January 13, 2026, during a domestic dispute at their home in Bayawa. Police sources said Gurmu...
Traders shun bank transfers amid uncertainty over new tax law
Some traders and business owners have begun rejecting bank transfers in favour of cash payments following the implementation of the new tax law. In Abuja it showed that the shift is largely driven by confusion over the law’s provisions and fears of additional charges on electronic transactions. Traders said the move was a temporary strategy to keep their businesses afloat and...
21 dead, 75 injured as 2 trains collide in Spain
No fewer than 21 people have been confirmed dead after a high-speed train derailed and smashed into another oncoming train in Spain on Sunday, January 18, 2026. The high-speed train pushed the second train off the tracks and down an embankment. The accident occurred near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360 km (223 miles) south of the capital Madrid. The...
