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Arsenal’s new signing Bruno Guimaraes is doubtful for today’s Premier League opener against promoted Coventry City, manager Mikel Arteta said as he acknowledged that they must try to keep ?players fit as they face the task of defending the title.

Brazil midfielder Guimaraes joined Newcastle United this month for a fee put at £75 million ($102 million) by British media. The 28-year-old applied ice to his leg after he came off in Sunday’s Community Shield win over Manchester City.

‘It’s evolving well, but?let’s see,’ Arteta told reporters on Thursday about Guimaraes’ fitness problem.

Injuries threatened Arsenal’s title ?charge last term as they missed key players at crucial times, with Kai ?Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and others absent for long periods.

‘The more dominant we are, the ?bigger the margins, the better… we need to improve the availability of the squad in certain ?areas in order for those margins to become much bigger,’ Arteta said.

Arsenal, third on the all-time list with 14 English top-flight titles, have never retained the Premier League trophy, although they won three championships in a row ?back in the 1930s, but Arteta said this season feels different.

‘I feel good. Different. Hopefully better. ?More excited than ever, hungrier than ever … I have no question that our players have the desire. Now it’s ?we have to do daily,’ he said.

Arteta said Arsenal were trying to reinforce their defensive options amid media reports saying they have agreed a £51 million deal with Aston Villa to sign England centre-back Ezri Konsa.

‘When we’re ready to announce something, we’ll let you ?know,’ the Spaniard added.

Arteta ?also put to bed ?reports linking the versatile Myles Lewis-Skelly with a move away from Arsenal, saying he was ‘100% sure’ that the 19-year-old would remain at the club.

But ?the manager acknowledged that some players might have to leave, amid speculation ?that Gabriel Martinelli, ?Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri could depart.

‘It’s a really, really tough moment … but you have to face it with a real honesty and transparency,’ he said.

‘We all know everything has a start and an ?end. ?When it ends, our job and duty is to do ?it in the best possible way, with respect and admiration for the player and the relationship. But at the end, ?we need to make difficult decisions.’

Politicians have been warned by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu against using youths to fight battles against their opponents.

Disu said during the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue in Abuja yesterday that the recruitment of youths to perpetrate violence destroys their future while politicians end up reconciling.

To the youths, he counselled them to deploy their influence positively by engaging in entrepreneurship, technology, education, creativity, public policy and community development rather than engaging in political thuggery.

The dialogue, themed ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations ‘ was organised by the Nigeria Police Force to commemorate International Youth Day 2026.

The campaign for the event was ‘My Future is Greater than Political and Digital Thuggery.’

Disu’s warning came against the backdrop of preparations for the 2027 electoral cycle.

The police chief, who urged youths to resist being manipulated by politicians, said that Nigeria’s diversity in ethnicity, religion, geography, culture and political affiliation should not obscure the common aspirations of young people.

His words: ‘Politicians contest elections, but you(youths) live with the consequences of those elections.

Nigeria cannot build a secure and prosperous future by destroying the generation that is expected to inherit that future.’

He pointed out that the Police recognise the constitutional rights of citizens to participate in political activities, support political parties, express their views and campaign for candidates of their choice.

The IGP assured that the police would not only protect Nigerians but also facilitate peaceful campaigns, secure candidates, campaign venues and safeguard the electoral environment.

He said apart from not tolerating the recruitment or mobilisation of youths for violence, anyone found using weapons for electoral purposes, attacking political opponents, intimidating/destroying public and private property would not be dealt with.

‘The law will take its course against anyone who crosses that line. And this message is not directed at one political party or one political interest. It is directed at everyone,’ Disu said.

He also identified social media as a new frontier of political conflict, warning that violence could now begin from smartphones before spilling into the streets.

Disu warned that misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, cyberbullying, impersonation, deepfakes, online intimidation and coordinated digital attacks have the capacity to inflame communities and undermine confidence in democratic institutions.

Disu urged Nigerians to always verify information before sharing and to consider the consequences of inflammatory online activities.

‘Think before you click. Verify before you share. Pause before you post,’ he said.

Disu said history would judge the current generation of Nigerian youths by how they responded when the country needed them, urging them to choose peace, innovation, responsible citizenship and democratic values.

‘I want history to remember this generation as the generation that refused to be used,’ he said.

He added that a Nigeria with educated, skilled, innovative and productive youths would be stronger, while a country whose young people were manipulated into violence, criminality and hatred would be the ultimate loser.

The IGP also urged Nigerian youths to protect, build and own their future, declaring that their future was greater than the challenges of today and should be used to build a safer, more peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.

· Also yesterday, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mariya Mahmoud, urged religious leaders to use their influence to promote peace, tolerance and national unity ahead of the general election .

· Delivering a goodwill message at the Interfaith Prayers for Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu, in Abuja. Mahmoud said Christian and Muslim leaders should reject hate speech, violence, extremism and intolerance in their sermons and public engagements.

· She also called on churches, mosques and other places of worship to remain sanctuaries of peace, moral instruction, compassion and unity, stressing that religious differences must not become instruments of division.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has approved the appointment of one commissioner, three special advisers and 1,000 other aides as part of efforts to strengthen governance and improve service delivery across the state.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor appointed 90 senior special assistants (SSAs) and 910 special assistants (SAs).

The governor nominated Erelu Taibat Yemi Oloruntoba from Akoko North-West Local Government Area as Commissioner for Special Duties.

Her name has been forwarded to the House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

The governor also approved the appointment of three special advisers.

They are Abimbola Fajolu from Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government, Special Adviser on Environment; Chief Ade Adeniyi from Ondo West Local Government, Special Adviser on Rural and Community Development; and Mr Muyiwa Ogunyemi from Akoko North-East Local Government, Special Adviser on Transport.

Among the 90 Senior Special Assistants appointed are Erelu Toyin Ogungbure, SSA on Women Mobilisation (South); Bidemi Obayangbon, SSA on Forestry; Gboluge Olufunmi Alex, SSA on Community Engagement (South); Akin Adeniyi, SSA on Community Engagement (Central); and Obayan Theophilus Ayodeji, SSA on Community Engagement (North).

Others include Kelvin Solomon, SSA on Students Affairs; Adeolu Iwakun, SSA on Volunteer Services; Samson Job Bazuaye, SSA on Oil and Gas; Fade Ojamomi, SSA on Youth Empowerment and Job Creation; Sam Adepoju, SSA on Public Engagement; and Alhaji Samad Orijeminiyi, SSA on Scholarship.

Also appointed are Mr Victor Omodara, SSA on Grassroots Mobilisation; Abayomi Adefolalu, SSA on Photography; Alhaji Abdukadiri Adenoyi, Prince Nzuoma Egbulefu and Alhaji Garba Goni as SSAs on Non-Indigenes.

The statement said the full list of the senior special assistants and special assistants would be released later.

‘The appointments take immediate effect,’ it added.

As part of efforts to increase Nigeria’s tax-to-Gross Domestic Product ( GDP) ratio, the Office of the Tax Ombud and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) have agreed to explore inter-agency collaboration aimed at attracting more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country’s oil and gas free zones, by addressing tax and fee-related grievances through effective and efficient mediation services provided by the country’s foremost tax dispute-resolution institution.

The resolution was reached when the Tax Ombud Chief Executive, Dr. John C. Nwabueze visited OGFZA on Wednesday.

Nwabueze told the OGFZA Managing Director, Alhaji Usman Bamanga Jada, that the proposed collaboration was a panacea for promoting fair, transparent, predictable and investor-friendly tax administration within Nigeria’s oil and gas free zones.

‘I am very much aware that OGFZA regulates and coordinates activities in the zones, grants permits and licences, administers incentives and resolves disputes among stakeholders.

The Office of the Tax Ombud complements these functions by providing an independent channel for reviewing and resolving complaints relating to taxes, levies, regulatory fees, customs duties and excise matters.’

He said the two government agencies could collaborate in areas, including taxpayer complaint resolution, clarification of tax incentives, review of systemic complaints, and the promotion of transparency and accountability. These efforts, he said, would contribute to increased voluntary tax compliance and engender a higher tax-to-GDP ratio, which is critical to national development and consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

Responding, Jada said that investors in Nigeria’s oil and gas free zones have benefited from incentives, tax exemptions and customs duty concessions, deliberately introduced by the Federal Government to encourage sustainable FDI inflows into the country, as well as private-sector-driven infrastructure development and employment generation.

He said that collaboration with the Office of the Tax Ombud will advance OGFZA’s mandate, adding that the visit was timely, as it would help build investor confidence and promote business activities, particularly within the special economic zones that the Authority is championing across the country.

As part of efforts to translate the proposed collaboration into concrete action, both government agencies have appointed liaison officers to coordinate the relationship and facilitate the achievement of the desired objectives within the shortest possible time.

The Imole Campaign Council, the Campaign Organisation of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, dismissed on Friday speculation that the governor’s visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was part of plans for his eventual defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chairman of the Council’s Media and Publicity Committee and member of the House of Representatives, Bamidele Salam, said in a statement in Abuja that Governor Adeleke visited the President in line with custom and political tradition at the conclusion of the off-cycle elections in Nigeria.

He said, ‘Governor Adeleke, like every other Governor who emerged victorious in an off-cycle election, has a responsibility to show respect and appreciation to the office of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, whose charge in various pre-election speeches and statements was to the effect that the electoral umpire and Security agencies must allow for a free and fair election in Osun State.

‘The visit also afforded Mr President, as the father of the Nation, and the Osun State Governor a platform to discuss issues pertaining to peace, security and progress of Osun State after the tense election.

‘For the avoidance of doubt, the visit of Mr Governor and top members of his Campaign team had absolutely nothing to do with a plan to move from Accord to the All Progressives Congress, as being insinuated in certain quarters.

‘We wish to state unequivocally that at no stage during the visit to Mr President was the issue of decamping to the APC discussed’.

‘The Imole Campaign Council appreciates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity of the visit and assures all supporters of Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke of the Governor’s continued commitment to the service of the good people of Osun State who stood solidly by him in the recently concluded elections’.

A youth-led non-governmental organisation, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), launched the SheBuilds AI Fellowship on Thursday, a six-month intensive programme funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to train young women in Kaduna State in artificial intelligence, data science, and digital entrepreneurship.

The launch, held at a press conference in Kaduna, also featured the public presentation of the organisation’s new issue brief, titled ‘Bridging the Gender Digital Divide: Artificial Intelligence as a Safe Driver of Economic Growth in Nigeria,’ which warns that the country’s fast-growing digital economy is leaving women behind.

Speaking at the event, the Global Director of BBYDI, Mr Olasupo Abideen Opeyemi, said the fellowship attracted 473 applications, of which 52 candidates were shortlisted for interviews and 20 young women were finally selected as the pioneer cohort. A second cohort of 20 will follow, bringing the total number of direct beneficiaries to 40.

‘This number alone is evidence that demolishes a dangerous myth – the myth that young women in northern Nigeria are not interested in technology. They are interested. What they lack is not ambition; it is access,’ Abideen said.

Citing figures from the organisation’s issue brief, Abideen noted that although the information and communications technology sector contributed 11.31 per cent of Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter of 2026, Nigerian women remain 26 per cent less likely than men to use mobile internet – one of the widest gaps in the world – while women hold fewer than one in five technology jobs in the country.

‘Analysts have warned that if this exclusion continues, Nigeria risks a gendered recession – a future in which the sectors driving growth draw on only half the nation’s talent. Nigeria does not face a choice between growth and inclusion. It faces a choice between inclusive growth and diminished growth,’ he said.

The BBYDI boss also raised the alarm over the safety of women online, referencing projections that as many as 70 million Nigerian women and girls could be exposed to AI-facilitated online abuse annually by 2030 if current trends continue. He stressed that ‘digital inclusion that is not safe is not sustainable.’

According to him, the fellows will learn Python programming, data analysis, machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI over six months, before building and pitching working AI solutions to real Nigerian problems in areas such as health, agriculture, education, and governance. He added that the curriculum was rigorously validated by AI practitioners and industry experts.

Beyond technical training, Abideen said the programme includes leadership development, communication skills, personal branding, CV writing, mental health support, excursions to technology hubs, and a rotating ‘Class Governor’ system designed to give every fellow hands-on leadership experience.

He further disclosed that after graduation, the organisation and its partners would connect the fellows to internships, jobs, and remote work opportunities within and outside Nigeria, sponsor their attendance at technology conferences and hackathons, and link them to national and international programmes for which their new skills qualify them.

In the issue brief, the organisation called on the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Government to embed clear gender targets, budgets, and sex-disaggregated reporting in the implementation of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme; urged the National Assembly to strengthen laws against technology-facilitated gender-based violence; and challenged technology companies to audit their algorithms for gender bias and set measurable targets for hiring women.

The organisation also appealed to parents, community leaders, and religious leaders to support the digital participation of their daughters, declaring that ‘every girl kept offline is a national asset kept idle.’

Abideen expressed gratitude to the Government of Canada and the High Commission of Canada in Nigeria for funding the project, and gave special appreciation to the Yandytech Community and other technology stakeholders for their support to the initiative and to the technology ecosystem in northern Nigeria.

Highlights of the event included the unveiling of the 20 selected fellows, goodwill messages from government representatives and stakeholders, remarks by the fellows, and a question-and-answer session with journalists. The fellows had earlier participated in an orientation programme on Monday, where they met their facilitators and mentors ahead of the commencement of classes.

The full issue brief, the organisation said, has been published on its website.

Within Sri Lanka’s sporting history, there are a variety of different results that have had an impact upon both the country’s sporting profile and the development of those individual sporting disciplines within the nation. Two of the sports that have experienced both a national and international impact include cricket and athletics. Within these sports, four different results between the years of 1948 and 2014 indicate how the performances of both individual and team sports altered the trajectory of sport within Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s win in the Cricket World Cup final marked the country’s first title in the global competition and the most often mentioned sporting accomplishment of the nation. On March 17, 1996, Sri Lanka defeated Australia by seven wickets in the final held in Lahore. Aravinda de Silva hit an unbeaten 107 in the match and took three wickets to win the player of the match award. Following the Cricket World Cup final, there was an increased interest in other forms of entertainment within the nation. Platforms offering games like Sri Lanka casino games began to receive increasing attention from citizens of the nation. Furthermore, the victory occurred amid the civil war within the nation.

The Cricket World Cup final also helped to reveal the capabilities of Sri Lanka to host international events. The nation co-hosted the Cricket World Cup final along with other nations such as India and Pakistan. Australia and the West Indies forfeited their games in Colombo against Sri Lanka due to security concerns in the nation. Additionally, Sri Lanka changed the way in which teams approached the cricket match with their opening batsman pair of Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana.

Several factors distinguished the 1996 campaign from its predecessor Sri Lankan World Cup appearances:

The aggressive opening of Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana changed the way in which other teams approached the first 15 overs of the innings

Aravinda de Silva topped the score in the final and took three wickets with the ball

Arjuna Ranatunga’s decision to employ the non?? spinners in several of the matches

The conditions across South Asia that allowed Sri Lanka’s spin bowlers to thrive

All of these factors contributed to a template that subsequent Sri Lankan teams would employ in their own cricketing journeys.

Sri Lanka’s first Olympic medal came decades before the 1996 cricket win. Duncan White, competing for Ceylon, won silver in the men’s 400 meters hurdles at the 1948 London Olympics, finishing in 51.8 seconds, seven-tenths of a second behind American gold medalist Roy Cochran. The result, achieved in the same year Ceylon gained independence from Britain, stood as the country’s only Olympic medal for more than five decades.

Susanthika Jayasinghe extended that record at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, finishing third in the women’s 200 meters with a time of 22.28 seconds. She was awarded silver in December 2009, after the International Olympic Committee disqualified gold medalist Marion Jones for doping and reallocated the event’s medals. Jayasinghe remains the only Sri Lankan woman to win an Olympic medal in athletics.

Sri Lanka’s second global cricket title came at the 2014 ICC World Twenty20, held in Bangladesh. On April 6, 2014, the team defeated India by six wickets in the final at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, with Kumar Sangakkara scoring an unbeaten 52 in what was his final Twenty20 international appearance. The win, achieved under the captaincy of Lasith Malinga, followed four consecutive defeats in global finals for Sri Lanka between 2007 and 2012, and it renewed commercial interest in the sport, with betting operators such as Melbet expanding coverage of Sri Lankan cricket fixtures in the years that followed.

The victory also marked a generational shift, as senior players Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene retired from the Twenty20 format immediately afterward. Players who emerged in the following seasons built on the tactical foundations established during that tournament.

These four results are commonly referenced in discussions of Sri Lankan cricket history and represent turning points across two Olympic cycles and two ICC tournaments. The table below summarizes each result.

Year Event Athlete/Team Achievement

1948 London Olympics, 400m hurdles Duncan White First Olympic medal for Ceylon (silver)

1996 Cricket World Cup final Sri Lanka national cricket team First ICC World Cup title, defeated Australia by 7 wickets

2000 Sydney Olympics, women’s 200m Susanthika Jayasinghe Second Olympic medal for Sri Lanka (bronze, upgraded to silver in 2009)

2014 ICC World Twenty20 final Sri Lanka national cricket team Second global T20 title, defeated India by 6 wickets

The growth in fan engagement with these results has also translated into other sectors of the economy. The interest in sports betting online has increased along with the number of television and streaming channels that cover cricket on television within the region.

Sri Lanka is also set to host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026 along with India once again. The results that the nation has achieved in the years 1948, 1996, 2000, and 2014 continue to define the potential of the athletes that represent the nation on the international stage.

The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) has urged the federal government, state governors and Houses of Assembly to fast-track the establishment and implementation of state police, saying worsening insecurity across the country has made decentralised policing necessary.

The senators expressed concern over recent terrorist attacks in Adamawa and Sokoto states, which they said claimed more than 36 lives, including security personnel and worshippers.

In a statement on Friday, Chairman of the forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central), called on the Presidential Working Group chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, state governors and Houses of Assembly to expedite action on the State Police Bill awaiting ratification.

The forum said the prevailing security challenges required urgent reforms rather than prolonged bureaucratic processes.

‘Decentralised policing is critical to improving response time and intelligence gathering at the grassroots.

‘We cannot continue to lose innocent lives to insurgents while bureaucracy delays critical security reforms. The time to act is now,’ the senators said.

The forum condemned the attacks on the Gaya community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State and Ungushi village in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

It said more than 36 Nigerians, including security personnel and worshippers, were killed in the attacks.

‘The Northern Senators Forum strongly condemns the recent wave of terrorist attacks in Gaya community, Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State and in Ungushi village, Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, which have claimed the lives of over 36 Nigerians, including security personnel and innocent worshippers,’ the statement said.

The lawmakers commiserated with the families of the victims and prayed for the repose of their souls, while wishing those injured speedy recovery.

Beyond state police, the senators urged state and local governments to strengthen community vigilante groups, describing them as important partners in intelligence gathering for the police and military.

They said closer collaboration between security agencies and local communities would strengthen early warning systems and enable authorities to respond more quickly to emerging threats.

The forum maintained that the recent attacks underscored the need for comprehensive security reforms, warning that further delays could expose more communities and Nigerians to terrorist attacks.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Olooye Adegboyega Adegoke, on Thursday held a closed-door meeting with a chieftain of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and grassroots politician, Alhaji Abdul-Rasheed Adebisi Olopoeyan, in Ibadan.

Adegoke was accompanied to the meeting at Olopoeyan’s residence in Basorun by the ADC Deputy National Women Leader (South-West), Alhaja Kafilat Omolabake Olayiwola, popularly known as Aje-Iya.

Details of the meeting were not disclosed, as both Adegoke and Olopoeyan declined to comment on the issues discussed.

However, sources said the meeting was likely connected with the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.

Adegoke and Olopoeyan were political allies in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before moving to the APM and ADC respectively.

The meeting comes amid reported disagreements between Olopoeyan and Oyo State Governor and APM presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, over the emergence of candidates for the December 2026 local government elections.

It was gathered that Olopoeyan and Makinde are backing different candidates ahead of the local government poll, which is expected to shape political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election.

The Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu’s investment in Seplat Energy Plc has crossed the $1 billion mark in market value, less than eight months after his investment vehicle, Heirs Holdings, acquired a 20.07 percent stake in the Nigerian energy company for approximately $500 million.

The sharp appreciation in the value of the holding follows a strong rally in Seplat’s shares on both the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and London Stock Exchange (LSE), which has lifted the company’s market capitalisation to about $5.24 billion.

Heirs Holdings acquired 120.4 million Seplat shares from French energy company Maurel and Prom in December 2025, becoming the company’s largest shareholder.

Based on Seplat’s referenced share prices of N11,200.60 on the NGX and £6.47 on the LSE, the 120.4 million-share holding is now valued at approximately $1 billion, more than twice the original investment.

The gain underscores the scale of Seplat’s market rerating since the transaction and represents one of the more notable appreciation stories among major Nigerian-listed companies in 2026.

Seplat entered 2026 at N5,809 per share but quickly began a sustained rally after the Heirs Holdings transaction.

Within the first trading week of the year, the stock gained 6.2 per cent and reached a new 52-week high.

By March, the share price had moved above N9,000, before crossing the N10,000 threshold in April.

Seplat became the first stock listed on the Nigerian Exchange to trade above N10,000 per share, closing at N10,450 on April 14 and recording a year-to-date gain of almost 80 percent at the time.

The stock has since moved above N11,000, putting its 2026 gain at more than 90 percent from its year-end 2025 level.

For Heirs Holdings, the sustained appreciation has effectively transformed the $500 million acquisition into a holding worth about $1 billion at the referenced market prices.

The rise in Seplat’s share price has coincided with a significant expansion in the company’s underlying business following its acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU).

The transaction transformed Seplat’s production scale and significantly expanded its offshore portfolio.

The impact was evident in the company’s 2025 financial performance, its first full year reflecting the enlarged asset base.

Revenue increased 144 percent to $2.73 billion, while adjusted EBITDA rose 137 percent to $1.28 billion.

Operating cash flow increased 276 percent to $1.17 billion, while net debt declined 25 percent to $673.3 million.

Seplat also increased its total dividend for 2025 by 52 percent to 25 cents per share.

The company’s 2026 performance has further strengthened the case for the market’s rerating.

In the first half of 2026, Seplat generated N2.50 trillion in revenue, while profit before tax rose 74 percent to N790.4 billion.

Profit after tax increased sharply from N42.5 billion in the corresponding period of 2025 to N225.5 billion.

The company also continued to strengthen its balance sheet.

Interest-bearing borrowings declined from about N1.44 trillion at the end of 2025 to N1.11 trillion by June, while cash increased to N598.3 billion.

The combination of higher earnings, stronger cash generation and lower leverage has provided additional support for the market’s more bullish assessment of the company.

Seplat’s enlarged asset portfolio has also translated into higher production.

Average working-interest production reached 139,509 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in the first half of 2026, compared with 134,492 boepd a year earlier.

Offshore assets accounted for more than half of total production, while natural gas liquids production more than doubled to 8,459 barrels per day.

The change represents a significant shift in the company’s production profile.

In 2025, average production had already risen to 131,506 boepd from 52,947 boepd in 2024 following the first full year of offshore consolidation after the MPNU acquisition.

The enlarged production base has therefore given Seplat greater diversification across assets and revenue streams than it had before the transaction.

Elumelu’s increasing involvement in Seplat adds another dimension to the investment.

After joining the company’s board in January 2026, he is expected to become chairman from January 1, 2027.

That would place Seplat’s largest shareholder in a more direct leadership position as the company seeks to consolidate the gains from the MPNU acquisition and pursue further growth.

The development also deepens Elumelu’s involvement in the Nigerian energy industry, alongside his interests across banking, power and other sectors through his investment holdings.

However, the sustained value of the Heirs Holdings investment will ultimately depend on Seplat’s ability to maintain production growth, manage costs, generate cash and translate its enlarged asset base into sustainable shareholder returns.

For now, the movement from an approximately $500 million investment to a stake worth around $1 billion highlights the scale of the market’s reassessment of Seplat since the MPNU acquisition.

More importantly, the company’s stronger earnings, higher production and improving balance sheet suggest that the share-price rerating is increasingly being supported by improvements in the underlying business rather than market sentiment alone.