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GTI Group has outlined a wider plan to grow the commercial value of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), targeting between $10 million and $20 million in fresh investment after Euromatch’s $7.5 million title sponsorship deal for the 2026/27 season.

GTI announced the plan at a media parley in Lagos, where officials addressed the league’s commercial growth, infrastructure, club administration, data management and digital content strategy.

GTI Group Managing Director Abubakar Lawal described the Euromatch deal as a vote of confidence in Nigerian football, telling the gathering that Euromatch’s arrival ‘represents not merely a commercial partnership, but a statement that our elite league has the potential to become one of the most compelling football properties on the African continent.’

He said the NPFL was built around ‘a country of more than 230 million people, millions of passionate football followers, a remarkable pool of young football talent and a football culture that is deeply embedded in our national identity,’ and that the league’s current fifth-place ranking in Africa ‘must not’ be a source of satisfaction. ‘Our ambition must be to build an NPFL that competes among the very best leagues in Africa and, ultimately, becomes a globally recognised football brand,’ he said.

Lawal used the platform to appeal directly to corporate Nigeria and foreign investors, saying the NPFL ‘offers enormous possibilities for companies seeking visibility, brand engagement, community impact and long-term commercial opportunities,’ with clubs spread nationwide giving sponsors ‘an unparalleled opportunity to connect with diverse communities and millions of passionate consumers.’ He added that backing the league was about more than returns: ‘It is an investment in talent development, employment, entertainment, grassroots football and the future of the Super Eagles.’

GTI Executive Director Nelson Ine said the group, which began its NPFL partnership in 2022, had used its first years in the league to build structures and meet its financial commitments to clubs before pursuing bigger sponsorship.

He called the Euromatch agreement the NPFL’s first title sponsorship in roughly 15 years, and pressed for stricter enforcement of club licensing rules, arguing that regulations carry no weight without compliance.

Ine also proposed a public-private partnership capable of raising up to ?50 billion over five years for stadium infrastructure, player development, match production, data management and commercial development, and called for upgraded football facilities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

On content strategy, a GTI digital strategy representative said plans were underway to expand NPFL coverage beyond match footage into documentaries and club-focused programming, with possible French, Swahili and Lingala translations to reach wider African audiences.

Veteran journalist Kunle Solaja urged Nigerian sports media to intensify statistical analysis, investigative reporting and documentation of NPFL players and clubs, warning that the league’s survival and the domestic media’s survival were linked. He also called for greater inclusion of home-based players in the Super Eagles, arguing this could bring NPFL clubs added revenue through FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme.

Also speaking at the event, Dr Mitchel Obi urged Nigerians to give more attention to the domestic league rather than focusing solely on European football, saying the NPFL should be built into an ecosystem generating economic opportunities for clubs, players, businesses and media organisations.

Lawal said responsibility for the league’s development should be shared across government, club owners, the Nigeria Football Federation, the media, fans and the private sector – ‘government has a role, club owners have a role, the Nigeria Football Federation has a role, the media has a role, fans have a role’ – with GTI reaffirming its long-term ambition to make the NPFL Africa’s leading league. He closed by thanking the sporting press directly, saying reporters ‘have been more than reporters and commentators’ but ‘important stakeholders in the growth and development of our domestic football,’ and urged them to ‘consult with us when necessary, celebrate our achievements when deserved.’

The Magnified Influencer Awards (MIA) is set to return to Lagos for its highly anticipated third edition, continuing a journey that began in the United Kingdom in 2022 before expanding to Nigeria in 2024.

The Magnified Influencer Awards 2026, themed: ‘The Royal Experience – 3rd Edition,’ will take place on Sunday, 8 November 2026, at The Podium, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Founded by Magdalene Jumbo, the Magnified Influencer Awards is a UK x Nigeria international platform dedicated to recognising, celebrating and magnifying individuals making an impact through creativity, consistency, innovation, entrepreneurship, entertainment, fashion, media and digital influence.

Since its inception, MIA has focused on creating a platform where both established and emerging talents can be recognised for the value they bring to their industries and communities.

The journey of the Magnified Influencer Awards began in the United Kingdom in 2022, where the first edition was held in London. That inaugural edition established the foundation of the brand and introduced MIA as a platform committed to celebrating influencers, creatives, entertainers and personalities making meaningful contributions within their fields.

In 2024, the Magnified Influencer Awards expanded to Nigeria for its second edition in Lagos.

This marked an important stage in the growth of the organisation and strengthened its UK Nigeria identity.

The second edition brought together a wider mix of influencers, entertainers, creatives, entrepreneurs, fashion personalities and media professionals, while placing a stronger spotlight on Nigeria’s rapidly growing digital and creative industries.

Now, after the United Kingdom in 2022 and Nigeria in 2024, the journey continues with the third edition in 2026.

This year’s event is themed ‘The Royal Experience’ and is designed to go beyond the traditional concept of an awards ceremony by creating a full entertainment, fashion, media and networking experience.

Guests can expect a combination of awards, fashion, entertainment, red-carpet experiences, interviews, content creation, networking and opportunities for personalities from different parts of the creative economy to connect.

The aim is to create an environment where nominees, celebrities, creators, entrepreneurs, fashion personalities, brands and media professionals can celebrate achievement while building meaningful connections.

Fashion will form an important part of The Royal Experience. With the official dress code being

‘Royalty,’ guests, nominees and invited personalities will have the opportunity to express themselves through fashion while enjoying a glamorous red-carpet experience and fashion-focused conversations. The event will also create opportunities for interviews, media appearances and content creation throughout the evening.

The Magnified Influencer Awards believes influence should not be measured by follower numbers alone. Creativity, consistency, originality, growth, audience engagement, professional development and the value an individual brings to their community or industry are also important factors. This approach allows MIA to recognise established personalities while also creating visibility for emerging talents who are building meaningful careers and audiences.

The 2026 nominees represent different areas of today’s creative economy. Award categories include Best Influencer Male Musician, Best Influencer Female Musician, Best Influencer Actress, Best Influencer Actor, Best Influencer Film Director, Best Influencer Male Model, Best Influencer Female Model, Best Influencer Male Makeup Artist, Best Influencer Designer, Best Influencer Crochet Designer, Best Influencer Female Content Creator, Best Influencer Male Content Creator, Best Influencer Comedian, Best Influencer Podcaster, Best Influencer Entrepreneur and Best International Influencer.

The nominees currently being promoted by the Magnified Influencer Awards are competing for recognition, and winners have not yet been announced.

Public voting forms part of the journey towards the ceremony, giving supporters the opportunity to support their preferred nominees before the final honours are presented in November.

The evolution of the Magnified Influencer Awards tells an international story: from its first edition in the United Kingdom in 2022, to its second edition in Nigeria in 2024, and now to its third edition in 2026. Each edition represents another stage in MIA’s ambition to build a respected platform where influence, creativity, talent and achievement can be recognised across borders.

As the digital landscape continues to transform entertainment, business, fashion, media and popular culture, influencers and content creators are becoming increasingly important voices within society. Many are building businesses, creating employment, developing brands, entertaining audiences, influencing consumer behaviour and opening doors for the next generation of creatives.

The Magnified Influencer Awards aims to recognise this evolution while providing a platform where both established and emerging personalities can be seen and celebrated. Its wider mission is centred on giving recognition to people whose talent, consistency and impact deserve to be magnified.

From the United Kingdom in 2022, to Nigeria in 2024, and now The Royal Experience in 2026, MIA continues to develop its identity as an international celebration of influence, creativity, fashion, entertainment and achievement.

With its signature message, ‘Where Excellence Reigns,’ the Magnified Influencer Awards 2026 is preparing to bring together another generation of influential personalities for an evening of recognition, fashion, entertainment, networking and celebration.

The African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) are working to strengthen cooperation among African countries on taxation as part of efforts to increase government revenue, improve tax compliance and reduce losses from cross-border tax evasion and illicit financial flows.

The two continental bodies agreed to deepen their institutional partnership and develop more practical African-led approaches to domestic resource mobilisation following a high-level meeting at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The meeting brought together an ATAF delegation led by its Council Chair, Dr Johnston Makhubu, and the AUC Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, Francisca Belobe.

The discussions focused on how African countries can make better use of existing tax agreements and technical tools to collect more revenue and strengthen their fiscal systems without relying excessively on external financing.

A major area of discussion was the Agreement on Mutual Assistance in Tax Matters (AMATM), which provides a framework for tax authorities across Africa to cooperate in areas such as the exchange of taxpayer information, recovery of taxes and joint tax examinations.

The agreement is particularly important as businesses and financial transactions increasingly operate across national borders, making it more difficult for individual countries to tackle tax avoidance and evasion on their own.

Through greater cooperation, tax authorities can obtain information held in other jurisdictions, assist one another in recovering taxes and conduct joint investigations where necessary.

The AUC and ATAF also discussed the need to strengthen Africa’s tax treaty network, with the ATAF Model Double Taxation Agreement serving as a guide for countries negotiating tax treaties with other jurisdictions.

Double taxation agreements are designed to prevent the same income from being taxed twice, but the African bodies said treaty arrangements should also protect the revenue interests of African countries and reflect their development needs.

For many African countries, the challenge is not only collecting taxes but ensuring that tax agreements do not unnecessarily limit their ability to raise revenue from economic activities taking place within their territories.

Commissioner Belobe also called for stronger engagement between tax authorities and the private sector, saying businesses should be part of discussions on tax policy and compliance.

She said closer engagement with businesses could encourage voluntary compliance, widen the tax base and support greater participation in African economies.

The discussions also recognised that businesses are more likely to comply with tax obligations when they have greater certainty about tax rules and can engage with authorities on policy and implementation issues.

Another area of concern is the taxation of extractive industries and other sectors that are difficult for tax authorities to monitor effectively.

The sectors can involve complex contracts, cross-border transactions, difficulties in determining the correct value of transactions and limited access to information required by tax authorities.

These challenges can make it difficult for governments to determine the correct amount of tax payable by companies operating in areas such as mining and other extractive activities.

The AUC and ATAF are therefore seeking stronger cooperation and technical capacity to help countries address these revenue gaps and ensure that economic activities within Africa contribute appropriately to public finances.

The two organisations also reviewed their cooperation through the African Union’s Specialised Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration (STC-FMAEPI).

Commissioner Belobe welcomed the progress made through the partnership and called for further work aimed at improving tax collection and strengthening national fiscal systems across the continent.

The broader objective is to translate continental tax policies, agreements and technical instruments into measures that can produce tangible results for individual African countries.

For governments facing pressure to finance infrastructure, healthcare, education and other public services, stronger domestic revenue collection could provide additional resources while reducing dependence on borrowing and external funding.

The AUC and ATAF are now expected to finalise the renewal of their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and prepare a detailed work plan covering their cooperation in the coming years.

The renewed agreement is expected to provide a framework for coordinated action on tax policy and administration, tax treaties, mutual assistance between tax authorities, private-sector engagement and the taxation of strategic and hard-to-tax sectors.

The partnership comes as African governments continue to search for ways of raising more domestic revenue from their economies, particularly as many countries face competing demands for public spending and limited fiscal space.

By strengthening cooperation between tax administrations and making it easier for countries to share information and assist one another, the AUC and ATAF believe African countries can improve their ability to collect taxes that are legally due to them.

The two institutions are expected to continue working together to ensure that continental tax instruments are not merely policy documents but are applied in ways that improve revenue mobilisation and strengthen Africa’s fiscal capacity.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has condemned the two-year extension granted to the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof. Clement Adegbooye, by Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The Nation reports that Adeleke, the university’s Visitor, announced the extension on September 1, 2026, during the inauguration of UNIOSUN’s reconstituted Governing Council.

ASUU described the decision as a bad precedent that could undermine the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.

The union also criticised the reported amendment of the UNIOSUN Law to accommodate the extension, accusing the governor of placing political considerations above legal and ethical standards.

ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said this in a statement on Friday on the controversy surrounding the tenure extension, expressing the union’s ‘serious disappointment’ with both Adeleke and Adegbooye.

The extension means Adegbooye, whose tenure was due to end in January 2027, will remain in office until January 2029.

Piwuna said the UNIOSUN Law under which Adegbooye was appointed was a domesticated version of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 2012, which provides for a single five-year tenure for vice-chancellors without provision for extension.

He said introducing a two-year extension through an amendment to the state university law could undermine the gains made by the 2012 legislation.

‘The enactment of the Principal Act was part of efforts to curtail the pervading atmosphere of rancour and bitterness thrown up by tenure extension or renewal for vice-chancellors in Nigerian universities,’ he said.

Piwuna warned that the development could heighten tension in the university system, including what he described as ‘pent-up anger, sycophancy, and administrative witch-hunt’, which he said could adversely affect the growth and development of the institution.

He said the decision could also make Osun State an example for other governors who might seek to alter the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous) Act for political considerations.

The ASUU president also criticised Adegbooye for accepting the extension, recalling that the Vice-Chancellor had previously served as a branch secretary of the union at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Piwuna said accepting the extension was inconsistent with ASUU’s principles and core values.

He urged Adegbooye to reconsider his position before January 2027, which he said marked the end of the Vice-Chancellor’s legally valid tenure.

Piwuna also criticised Adeleke’s decision to amend the law as the incumbent’s tenure approached its end, describing the action as ‘antithetical to democratic norms’.

The ASUU president said the action raised questions about the governor’s commitment to the rule of law and democratic credentials.

‘This is not good enough for a governor whose recent re-election against all odds drew a nationwide applause,’ he said.

Piwuna, however, warned that ASUU would not hesitate to challenge the development further if the matter was not resolved.

‘Should reasons fail to prevail, ASUU shall not hesitate to further challenge the absurdity at UNIOSUN before it gains a notorious national currency,’ he said.

The union also appealed to the reconstituted Governing Council to discharge its responsibilities without what it described as disruptive interference and intrigues.

‘UNIOSUN was established under an approved licence from the National Universities Commission (NUC) for the common good and should be allowed to fulfil its mandate of producing future leaders.’

He warned that the governor’s action could, knowingly or unknowingly, establish a precedent of disrespect for national standards in the administration of universities.

‘The reconstituted Governing Council must be allowed to carry out its mandate without disruptive interference and intrigues,’ he said.

AGCOMS International Trading Limited has launched the AGCOMS Academy, an industry-focused institution aimed at developing the skills and human capital needed to support Nigeria’s agricultural mechanisation drive.

The Chief Executive Officer of AGCOMS International Trading Limited, Mr. Chijioke Okoli, said the Academy was established to address a critical gap in the country’s agricultural transformation efforts-the shortage of skilled personnel capable of operating, maintaining and managing modern agricultural equipment.

According to him, while considerable attention has been devoted to the acquisition and deployment of tractors and other agricultural machinery, inadequate attention has been paid to developing the human capacity required to make such investments productive.

‘Machines are the easy part. The hard part, the part that decides whether a tractor works a thousand hectares or sits rusting behind a shed, is the person operating it and the business running it,’ Okoli said.

He said the Academy would focus on developing the human capital required to transform investments in agricultural machinery into higher productivity and commercially viable agricultural enterprises.

‘That is the gap I want the Academy to fill: the human capital that turns equipment into productivity, and productivity into profit,’ he added.

AGCOMS, an authorised dealer of agricultural equipment, has built experience in the sector through the sale, servicing and deployment of agricultural machinery.

Okoli disclosed that the company had, prior to the establishment of the Academy, trained more than 380 people across the public and private sectors.

He said the experience demonstrated that the success of agricultural mechanisation depended significantly on the availability of properly trained operators, technicians, managers and entrepreneurs.

‘You do not mechanise a country by shipping in equipment alone. You mechanise it by building the people who make the equipment productive before they arrive,’ he said.

The Academy’s initial programmes will target tractor and machinery operators, technicians, mechanisation-service entrepreneurs and managers responsible for agricultural operations.

Its flagship programme, Mechanisation Enterprise Management, is scheduled to commence in Abuja in November.

The institution is expected to subsequently expand its training portfolio across the agricultural mechanisation value chain, with programmes designed for supervisors, business owners and executives.

Okoli said the Academy would adopt a practical, industry-based training model, drawing on AGCOMS’s experience in operating and servicing agricultural equipment.

‘We teach what we operate,’ he said, stressing that the programmes would be based on practical experience with real equipment, field operations and the commercial realities of running agricultural enterprises.

The launch comes amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government and other stakeholders to expand agricultural mechanisation as part of measures to boost productivity, strengthen food security and modernise Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

AGCOMS has already participated in the training of tractor operators under the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) mechanisation programme, including an initiative to train up to 4,000 operators ahead of the deployment of 2,000 John Deere tractors.

Beyond addressing the immediate shortage of technical personnel, Okoli said the Academy would also seek to change young Nigerians’ perception of agriculture by presenting the sector as a modern, technology-driven and commercially attractive industry.

‘Modern agriculture is a technology business and an entrepreneurial one,’ he said.

He added that the broader objective was to develop a new generation of professionals capable of establishing viable agricultural businesses while improving the productivity and lifespan of mechanisation equipment.

In the long term, Okoli said AGCOMS hoped to develop the Academy into a respected institution whose graduates would contribute significantly to the growth of Nigeria’s agricultural mechanisation sector and eventually extend their expertise to other African markets.

‘We are not trying to be the biggest school. We are trying to be the one that made the sector work,’ he said.

The Convener of the Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, has defended Senate President Godswill Akpabio against a purported anti-Northern statement circulating on social media, calling the claim fabricated and politically motivated.

Yakubu said the alleged statement could inflame ethnic sentiments and create unnecessary tension between the North and other parts of the country, particularly as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

His reaction followed a petition reportedly submitted by Akpabio’s Chief of Staff, Chinedu Akubueze, to the Department of State Services (DSS), seeking an investigation into a social media graphic attributed to the Senate President.

The graphic purportedly quoted Akpabio as saying: ‘Northerners, You Will Be the Ones to suffer the most if you allow Tinubu to lose the Election.’

Akpabio’s office has denied that he made the statement, describing the graphic as ‘manifestly false, inflammatory and dangerously divisive.’

Reacting to the development, Yakubu urged Nigerians, particularly those in the North, not to allow unverified social media materials to create distrust between regions and political leaders.

‘This is precisely the kind of dangerous misinformation that Nigerians must reject. Senator Godswill Akpabio has consistently operated within the constitutional framework of his office, and there is no justification for attributing statements to him that he did not make,’ Yakubu said.

The Arewa Think Tank convener called on security agencies to investigate the origin of the graphic, identify those behind its production, and establish whether its circulation was part of a coordinated campaign.

He said the matter should not be dismissed as an ordinary political disagreement, noting that fabricated statements that could provoke ethnic sentiments could have serious consequences in an already politically charged environment.

‘When you fabricate a statement and attach it to the President of the Senate, particularly one directed at Northerners, you are not simply attacking an individual. You are attempting to create suspicion between millions of Nigerians and deepen existing political and regional tensions,’ Yakubu stated.

He also welcomed the caution reportedly contained in Akpabio’s petition that individuals identified as early disseminators of the material should not be presumed guilty before an investigation is concluded.

According to him, investigators should follow the evidence and establish how the alleged graphic was created, who first circulated it, and the extent of the network involved in its distribution.

‘We support a proper investigation, not a witch-hunt. Anyone identified during the preliminary tracing should be treated as a person of interest until the facts are established. The real questions are: who created the graphic, who first published it, who financed or coordinated its distribution, and what was the motive?’ he asked.

Yakubu urged political actors and their supporters to allow the relevant authorities to conduct a professional and impartial investigation.

He also cautioned Northerners against being manipulated by unverified political content circulating online.

‘The North must not become a playground for political misinformation. We must learn to verify information before reacting to it. Nobody should allow a fabricated Facebook graphic to determine how he sees another Nigerian or another region,’ Yakubu said.

He noted that the approach of the 2027 elections would likely lead to increased political mobilisation on social media, making responsible communication and fact-checking more important.

He urged social media users to exercise restraint when sharing political materials, particularly those containing claims that could provoke ethnic, religious, or regional sentiments.

‘Politics should be about ideas, policies, leadership and development. It should not be reduced to manufacturing quotations and putting them in the mouths of political leaders in order to provoke Nigerians against one another,’ he said.

The Arewa Think Tank convener further argued that claims portraying Akpabio as hostile to the North should be tested against verifiable evidence, not speculation.

‘If Senator Akpabio made such a statement, let the video, audio recording, transcript, venue and date be produced. But if no credible evidence exists, Nigerians should reject the material for what it appears to be, an unverified claim that requires proper investigation,’ Yakubu said.

He maintained that Nigeria’s unity should take precedence over partisan political interests and urged political leaders across the country to discourage their supporters from circulating materials that could aggravate regional tensions.

‘We cannot build a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria by weaponising ethnicity. The North, South, East and West are all stakeholders in Nigeria. Anyone who deliberately manufactures falsehood to set one region against another is doing a disservice to the country,’ he added.

Yakubu therefore called on the DSS and other relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the alleged fake statement and make their findings public.

He said transparency in the investigation would help dispel speculation and prevent the issue from being exploited for further political or ethnic mobilisation.

The convener also appealed to Nigerians to remain calm and verify politically sensitive information through credible sources before sharing it online.