Category: Business Day

Bonny, the Headquarters of Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State is up for ‘rediscovery’ as the Island Chamber launches ‘Discover Bonny’ tagline to boost its $16 billion economy with ‘Orange Economy’ scheme.

The island is said to contribute 4% to Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) which could be estimated at $16 billion, going by the current size of Nigeria’s GDP at about $400 billion.

The project to launch the rediscovery of the island will be unveiled on August 18 -20, 2026, in Bonny, according to Constance Nwokejiobi, the President of the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (Bonny Chamber) at a media briefing on Wednesday held at the Penthouse of the NUJ House on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

The Chamber President, who stated that Bonny Island contributes 4% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), named Bonny’s economic pillars to include the NLNG, Renaissance Africa Energy (formerly SPDC), and many others.

She explained that Tourism is Bonny’s other economic front other than oil and gas, saying there is plan to connect Bonny with the Caribbean axis.

She said the ‘Discover Bonny Initiative’ is a three-year strategic programme to transform Bonny Island into a premier tourism destination.

‘Discover Bonny is not a slogan; it is a framework: it is a tourism concierge platform, a partnership framework spanning platinum, gold, silver, bronze, community tourism and international partnership tiers.

‘It is critically, a dedicated tourism centre driven by the private sector. That last point deserves emphasis: sustainable tourism cannot be built by government alone. A private sector anchored Tourism Centre ensures Bonny’s tourism economy is entrepreneurial, investable, and built to outlast any single administration or partnership cycle’, she noted.

She said this matters beyond Bonny.

‘Tourism is Nigeria’s orange economy, a creative, service-driven growth engine capable of diversifying and expanding our national GDP well beyond oil and gas.

‘Bonny Local Government Area alone already contributes an estimated 4% of Nigeria’s national GDP, largely from oil and gas. Our task now is to build a second, sustainable pillar alongside it, one rooted in tourism, heritage and hospitality, capable of outlasting any single resource cycle.’

She said the upcoming summit unveils Bonny’s ecotourism, industrial, cultural and heritage sites for development. ‘We are not only opening our Kingdom to visitors, we are opening a new front for Nigeria’s economic diversification. It is about a King’s vision, a nation’s endorsement.

‘None of this would be possible without the vision of His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III (who marks 30 years on the throne on December 21, 2026). It is His Majesty who first saw Bonny not only as an energy and industrial hub, but as a Kingdom of heritage, hospitality and history deserving global recognition. That vision is now backed in practice, with NLNG and Renaissance standing as anchor partners translating royal vision into funded reality.’

The Chamber President showed huge gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Tourism, the Rivers State Ministry of Tourism, and the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority for assessing and recognizing Bonny Island as a Premier Tourism Destination in Nigeria.

She equally thanked Governor Sim Fubara for making tourism development a genuine pillar of his administration, alongside the continued support of the NDDC.

The objectives of the summit were explained as four things: to formally launch the Discover Bonny brand and strategy to the world; to sign Tourism Partnership MOUs across every level, to present the three year roadmap for infrastructure and tourism development; and to bring investors, tourism experts, government officials, etc aligned for the future.

The Summit will be highlighted by royal tradition, investment dialogue, and the living culture of our Kingdom including courtesy visits, plenary sessions, launch of the ‘Discover Bonny Initiative’, golf tournament, Okoloama Fungumini Festival (a living showcase of Bonny’s masquerade tradition and communal celebration), and tours.

PSKorner, a security knowledge platform, launched in Nigeria to get businesses to treat security as part of risk management and business continuity rather than a physical protection function.

Buduka Addey, its founder and national general secretary of the Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN), said the platform will bring security professionals, business executives, policymakers, researchers and facility managers into discussions around emerging risks, technology, governance and professional practice.

Addey said organisations often approach security through measures such as guards, access control and surveillance, without sufficiently connecting those investments to wider business risks.

‘If people have the right information, they will take rational, informed decisions, transforming how individuals, organisations, and industries think about security,’ she said.

According to her, the platform will use interviews, case studies and practice to help organisations identify security risks and make better decisions about their security investments. ‘Better security begins with better thinking,’ Addey said.

PSKorner is also using international industry events to build its network and broaden its coverage. It took its platform to the 2026 ASIS Sub-Saharan Africa Security Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, where it interviewed security professionals on leadership, risk management, professional development and the changing security environment.

Among those featured was Eddie Sorrells, president of ASIS International, who spoke about his career progression from working as a security officer on the midnight shift while attending college to eventually moving into senior leadership.

‘People need to hear our story, not so we can build ourselves up, but so we can build up other people through our story,’ Sorrells said.

PSKorner also recorded interviews with Evan Steinberg, Eva Nolle, Tobias See, Sienna Dutkowski and Capt. Joe Awuni during the Cape Town conference. The interviews are expected to be released as individual episodes.

Addey said the international engagement was intended to connect African security professionals with wider global discussions and create a platform for sharing experience across the profession.

PSKorner plans to cover security intelligence, technology, risk governance, leadership, resilience, professional standards and the evolving relationship between public and private security.

For six months, 73,000 young Nigerians competed for a place in a programme designed to solve one of Nigeria’s most persistent problems: the gap between academic potential and meaningful access to work.

On Thursday, August 13, EnterpriseNGR graduated the sixth cohort of its Youth of Enterprise (YOE) Internship Programme, marking another step in its effort to build a stronger pipeline of young professionals for Nigeria’s financial and professional services sector.

Since its launch in 2022, the programme has recruited, trained and placed university graduates in paid six-month internships with leading organisations at no cost to participants. For Cohort VI, the programme combined workplace experience with masterclasses, mentoring, assessments and a research competition focused on real national challenges.

The graduation ceremony brought together the interns, employer partners, mentors, volunteers and alumni, but its central message was forward-looking: the internship was not the destination. It was the beginning of a professional journey.

EnterpriseNGR CEO Obi Ibekwe urged the graduates to treat the opportunity as a responsibility. She challenged them to keep learning, pursue excellence and create opportunities for others.

‘Someone believed in your potential before you had the chance to prove yourself. Now it is your turn to believe in yourselves, and one day, to believe in someone else,’ she told the graduating class.

For EnterpriseNGR, the programme addresses a structural problem rather than simply an employment statistic. Anthony Bidokwu, Head of Corporate Communications, said the organisation recruits on merit from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones because talent is widely distributed, while opportunity is not.

‘Nigeria does not have a shortage of talented young people. What Nigeria has is a shortage of bridges between that talent and the workplace, and the Youth of Enterprise is that bridge,’ he said. The challenge for the graduates now is to turn access into contribution.

Keynote speaker Abraham Owoseni, human capital development expert and founder of MindMould, urged the young professionals to see their careers as part of a wider national responsibility. His message was direct: professional success should be measured not only by personal advancement, but by the value an individual creates.

‘Your profession is a trust. The question is not what you can extract from an organisation, but what will be better because you were there,’ he said.

The programme’s employer partners provided evidence of what such a bridge can achieve. Adedoyin Owolabi, Vice President, Human Capital at Chapel Hill Denham, said her organisation hosted three interns from Cohort VI and subsequently hired two. The outcome, she said, reflected more than academic qualifications.

‘Your qualifications may get you through the door, but what will determine how far you go is your character, your competence, your work ethic and your ability to keep learning.’

EnterpriseNGR also used the graduation to recognise performance. Interns were assessed through aptitude tests, orientation participation, weekly employer feedback, masterclasses and a group research competition.

The winning team developed a framework for improving transparency in Nigeria’s civil service. Other finalists addressed economic renewal and youth employment, and the influence of social media on political mobilisation among young Nigerians. Top-performing graduates received cash prizes, letters of recommendation and career coaching. The next test is scale.

Testimonials from graduates and alumni showed the programme’s potential to translate internships into longer-term employment, with several participants securing roles with their host organisations or elsewhere in the sector.

EnterpriseNGR is therefore seeking more employer partners to expand the pipeline. For participating organisations, the proposition extends beyond corporate social responsibility. Employers gain access to a pre-screened and pre-trained pool of young talent while contributing to a broader effort to address Nigeria’s youth employment challenge.

The graduation of Cohort VI therefore marks both an achievement and a test of the model. If Nigeria is to build a more competitive financial and professional services sector, the question is no longer whether young Nigerians possess the talent. It is whether institutions, employers and policymakers can build enough pathways for that talent to enter, grow and contribute. For EnterpriseNGR, the answer is being built one cohort at a time.

Nigeria’s small businesses must move beyond survival and build stronger corporate structures, financial discipline and trusted brands if they are to become major employers and contribute more meaningfully to the country’s economic growth, Gloria Michael, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pennyshelters Group, has said.

Gloria said Nigeria had millions of entrepreneurs with the ambition and resilience to build successful enterprises, but only a small proportion of small businesses develop into nationally recognised brands.

She said closing that gap would require entrepreneurs to combine ambition with systems that allow businesses to expand beyond their founders and immediate markets.

‘Nigeria’s next generation of national brands is already among us,’ Gloria said. ‘The challenge is providing the vision, discipline, and support required for them to grow.’

Gloria popularly known as ‘The Cashflow Queen’, said small and medium-sized enterprises remained important sources of jobs, household income, innovation and local production, making their development critical to Nigeria’s broader economic prospects.

She said businesses ranging from tailoring shops and farms to technology startups, manufacturing firms, logistics companies and retailers supported families and communities whose economic fortunes were closely linked to their success.

‘When these businesses grow, the economy grows with them,’ she said, arguing that investment in small businesses ultimately strengthened household incomes, employment and community development.

However, Gloria said many Nigerian entrepreneurs remained focused on keeping their businesses alive from month to month, leaving little room for long-term planning.

Moving from a small enterprise to a national brand, she said, required business owners to think beyond immediate survival and ask whether their products could maintain consistent standards across different locations, whether operations could continue without depending entirely on the founder and whether customers could trust the brand outside its original market.

She also urged entrepreneurs to distinguish between merely operating a business and deliberately building a brand.

Customers, Gloria said, were increasingly paying for trust, reliability and experience alongside the products and services they purchased. Businesses seeking national recognition therefore needed to deliver consistent quality, respond to customers, protect their reputations and invest in innovation.

Formal structures were equally important to expansion, she said, citing corporate governance, transparent financial management, documented processes, regulatory compliance, professional leadership and staff development as requirements for businesses seeking sustainable growth and investment.

‘Investment follows confidence, and confidence is built through discipline,’ Gloria said.

Access to finance remained an important challenge, she added, but warned that capital alone would not turn poorly managed enterprises into sustainable companies. Businesses seeking funding must maintain accurate records, manage cash flow responsibly and reinvest profits in growth rather than treating business income as personal funds.

Gloria said technology could also help smaller enterprises compete, adding that innovation did not always require expensive inventions. Digital ordering, social media, improved customer service and simpler ways of delivering products could help businesses expand their markets.

Government and financial institutions also had responsibilities, she said. Government needed to provide stable policies, infrastructure, security and business-friendly regulation, while financial institutions, investors and private-sector organisations could expand access to capital, mentorship and business-development support.

Gloria said Pennyshelters Group’s work across microfinance, cooperative economics, real estate, agriculture and financial technology had reinforced her view that financial inclusion and structured support could help entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.

She said Nigeria should aim for an economy where businesses founded in cities including Aba, Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kaduna, Uyo, Ibadan and Jos could become household names nationally and compete across Africa.

‘The future of our economy depends on the businesses we build today,’ Gloria said. ‘Let us build them with courage, integrity, innovation, and a vision that extends beyond our local communities.’

‘When small businesses become national brands, they do more than create wealth,’ she added. ‘They help build a stronger, more prosperous Nigeria for generations to come.’

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) have confirmed that the pilot of a private jet erased critical flight logs following a bizarre landing on a public road in Delta State.

The incident, involving a Bombardier Challenger 601 operated by VMO Aero, occurred on July 10, 2026. After missing the runway at Asaba Airport, the jet touched down on a parallel concrete road in nearby Ogwashi-Uku-a manoeuvre that immediately raised questions about crew judgment and flight operations.

Speaking at a virtual media briefing, Alex Badeh, Director-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), revealed that the pilot subsequently flew the aircraft back to Lagos without Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearance.

Because aircraft Flight Data Recorders (FDRs) rely on continuous loop memory-where newer telemetry automatically overwrites older recordings once storage capacity is reached- the unauthorised flight back to Lagos effectively wiped the performance data recorded during the botched landing.

‘It was discovered that the pilot who flew that aircraft overwrote the black boxes by the time he flew to Lagos. Everything that happened was overwritten. We are still investigating, but some of the data was destroyed,’ Badeh stated.

The NSIB chief cautioned that evidence tampering is becoming an alarming pattern among flight crews attempting to shield themselves from disciplinary action. According to Badeh, this behaviour stems from a pervasive culture of anxiety across the industry.

Despite the Bureau operating strictly as an investigative body focused on preventing future accidents rather than assigning blame, pilots remain distrustful.

‘The crew don’t trust NSIB; they are scared of losing their jobs. It is a major problem we are dealing with,’ Badeh explained, reiterating that crew members are consistently assured they will not face penalties for providing truthful accounts.

Compounding these operational hurdles is a major funding squeeze that threatens to undermine safety oversight nationwide.

The NSIB is currently fighting a proposed reduction to its primary revenue stream. At a recent House of Representatives public hearing, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) pushed to cut NSIB’s allocation of the five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC)-collected by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)-from six percent down to four percent, seeking to reallocate those funds to bolster NAMA’s budget.

NSIB currently receives the smallest statutory slice among aviation parastatals. Badeh warned that any further reduction would severely hamper the agency, particularly as its mandate expands beyond aviation to cover maritime, rail, and road transport incidents.

‘We already get the lowest percentage of all the agencies,’ Badeh lamented. ‘With this proposed reduction, it’s going to severely affect the NSIB. The Bureau is already grappling with shortfalls in its current allocation; an additional cut is unsustainable.’

He revealed that the Bureau has not received its complete six percent allocation since roughly April or May. Furthermore, statutory remittances from other transport bodies remain stalled:

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) outstanding funds have yet to be remitted.

NIMASA continues to dispute its obligation to remit applicable charges.

The NSIB commended the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as the sole cooperative partner in meeting its obligations.

To secure long-term stability and operational independence, the NSIB is finalising its administrative transition from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to the Presidency.

Legislative amendments enabling the relocation have passed the House of Representatives and now await final review by the Attorney-General before submission to the Federal Executive Council and National Assembly.

In the interim, the Bureau is negotiating with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Presidency to establish a more resilient, sustainable funding framework capable of supporting its multimodal safety agenda.

The USD still ranks among the major forces that drive financial markets all over the world. When the USD gains in value, it rarely affects currency pairs alone; it may have implications for commodities, stock market indices, capital movement, and risk appetite.

As a trader, knowledge about the cyclical nature of the USD’s strength may help discover trading opportunities in several CFD markets at once. JustMarkets, a multi-asset CFD trading platform, allows traders to have access to various instruments in a single trading System.

What drives dollar strength

For example, there are several factors that play a role in determining the value of the dollar. First, the stance of the Federal Reserve plays an important role. An expectation of tighter US monetary policy and higher interest rates is likely to increase the demand for the US dollar.

Secondly, safe-haven flows of money play an important role. Investors tend to invest in dollars when there are high tensions in geopolitics or when risk appetite falls.

Thirdly, growth differentials matter. The perception of the US economy being healthier than that of other countries can lead to the expectation of a relatively more hawkish stance of the Fed against an easier stance of other central banks.

Why traders watch DXY

DXY is the name of the US Dollar Index. Even though this index is usually not used to generate any signals for trading directly, it may give some hints about how the USD behaves overall.

If the DXY is growing, then there is usually increased demand for the dollar. It can make pairs like EUR/USD and GBP/USD fall in value, USD/JPY rise, and have an impact on commodity markets. The decline of the index can potentially have the opposite effect. Impact on major currency pairs

The strength of the dollar impacts major FX pairs. The EUR/USD and GBP/USD tend to fall when there is an increase in the demand for the dollar. The USD/JPY can appreciate if the strength of the dollar is due to strong US yields; however, the flow into JPY due to safety concerns can make things more complicated.

Commodity-related currencies might also have a reaction. In the case of the dollar gaining strength due to risk-off conditions, commodity-related currencies could come under pressure.

Impact on commodities

The strong dollar can exert pressure on commodities, since most international commodities have been priced in US dollars. As the dollar appreciates, commodities could become relatively expensive for those who pay in foreign currencies.

Gold contracts tend to be particularly vulnerable to dollar strength and high interest rates. The appreciation of the dollar and interest rate hikes could affect the gold price, whereas the dollar depreciation could favor the precious metal.

CFD opportunities across markets

The dollar cycle can generate trades for CFDs in forex, commodities, indices, shares, and cryptocurrency marketplaces. Via the use of JustMarkets, traders can keep track and trade in the CFD markets from one single platform, thus comparing correlations and responding to changes. For instance, a stronger dollar and declining gold and indices can imply that there is a general risk-off scenario.

Turning USD movements into market insight

For traders, watching DXY and its market reactions may assist in finding other CFD trades. Sometimes, some of the important clues can be found when all three market groups tell the same story.

Risk warning: Trading CFDs involves a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. CFDs are leveraged products and can result in rapid financial loss.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have reached an agreement in principle to sign Barcelona forward Ferran Torres for almost pound 50 million ($57 million), according to Spanish media reports.

The 26-year-old Spain international is set to join the French champions on a five-year contract after the two European giants reached a deal on Thursday.

The remaining paperwork and Torres’ medical are expected to complete the transfer.

Barcelona reject first PSG offer

PSG’s latest agreement comes days after Barcelona rejected an initial pound 40 million offer for Torres.

The Spanish champions were reluctant to lose the forward with only one year remaining on his contract, but the improved offer has reportedly persuaded the club to sanction his departure.

Torres joined Barcelona from Manchester City in 2021 for more than pound 55 million.

Since Hansi Flick took charge in 2024, he has largely operated as a centre-forward and provided competition for veteran Poland striker Robert Lewandowski.

World Cup hero leaves Barcelona

Torres leaves Barcelona after scoring 40 goals in 94 appearances across all competitions over the past two seasons.

The former Valencia academy player also played a key role for Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring the winning goal in extra time of the final against Argentina to help La Roja claim their second world title.

His move to PSG will reunite him with former Spain coach Luis Enrique, who currently manages the French club.

PSG strengthen attack

For Barcelona, Torres’ departure creates another gap in an attack already undergoing significant changes.

The club are facing the departure of Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford and will now need to strengthen their attacking options further.

Barcelona have already moved to reinforce their forward line by signing England international Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund.

Torres’ departure also provides Barcelona with a significant transfer fee as the club continue to manage their finances while rebuilding Flick’s squad.

Routelink Group, a digital solution provider, has expanded its digital footprint in the financial services ecosystem with the launch of Routelink Microfinance Bank Limited, expected to support its digital payments platform, RoutePay.

Before entering the microfinance space, the group has spent several years developing technology infrastructure across payments, telecommunications and digital services. Over the years, the group leveraging RoutePay built payment capabilities designed to make it easier for businesses to collect and make payments through digital channels.

‘Our vision is to create an ecosystem where technology makes financial services simpler, more accessible and more useful to everyday Nigerians and small businesses,’ Femi Adeoti, group managing director, Routelink Group, said in a statement.

Adeoti said that the digital firm is leveraging technology, which is at the centre of its operations, with the microfinance bank adopting a digital-first operating model designed to reduce the complexity traditionally associated with accessing financial services.

According to him, the establishment of Routelink Microfinance Bank represents the next phase in the journey of providing broader services in Nigeria’s financial ecosystem. He added that RoutePay will continue to focus on payment technology, while Routelink Microfinance Bank will provide regulated banking services.

‘Beyond receiving payments, businesses need convenient ways to manage their money, build financial histories, access working capital and obtain financial services that can support their growth,’ Adeoti said.

He disclosed that RoutePay has enabled the group to build strong capabilities around digital payments; the microfinance bank will complement those capabilities with regulated banking services such as savings, deposits and credit as the two platforms play complementary roles.

According to him, the launch forms part of Routelink Group’s broader strategy of connecting payments, financial services and digital commerce while maintaining separate governance and regulatory responsibilities.

‘This is the beginning of a much larger journey for Routelink Group. Our ambition goes beyond making financial services more convenient. We are building a connected, technology-driven financial ecosystem capable of unlocking opportunities at scale,’ Adeoti said.

Catholic priests in Benue State have rejected the Federal Government’s plan to include Benue in the pilot phase of its National Ranching Policy, declaring that ‘our land is not for sale and has never been on sale.’

The Nigeria Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese, warned that imposing ranching on Benue, an ‘already bleeding and targeted state,’ amounts to a disguised agenda for land grabbing and the permanent displacement of indigenous communities.

This came as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Benue State, described it as ‘provocative and unacceptable’ to imagine that the scarce land in Benue would be taken from farming communities and converted into grazing settlements.

The party, in a statement by Bright Antyo, its Publicity Secretary, argued that the best approach to modern ranching was for livestock owners to acquire land lawfully and establish ranches as private businesses just as farmers acquire land for agricultural enterprises.

Terfa Beba, Chairman of NCDPA, in a statement, quoted the priests as condemning what they described as the exclusion of the Benue State Government from the decision-making process.

‘Had the elected leadership of Benue State been genuinely consulted, we believe it would never have consented to any arrangement capable of undermining the rights, dignity, security and ancestral heritage of our people,’ the statement said.

The FG had announced that the pilot implementation of the National Ranching Policy would kick off at the Wase Grazing Reserve in Plateau State, with Benue listed among States for the rollout.

But, NCDPA said Benue, which had suffered years of killings, displacement and destruction of communities, cannot be used for such a policy.

‘We cannot accept a policy imposed upon a people whose communities have suffered killings, displacement, destruction and prolonged insecurity. Ranching must never become a disguised instrument for land grabbing, forced occupation or the permanent displacement of indigenous communities’, Beba said.

The Association threw its weight behind the position of the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, whom it said, had ‘consistently and courageously spoken against this injustice.’

‘There is no going back on this as long as as we still draw breath,’ the priests declared.

The priests called on the Federal Government to respect the Constitutional Rights of Benue people and engage the State Government, traditional and community leaders transparently.

They demanded that displaced persons be enabled to return safely and take possession of their ancestral lands before any discussion on ranching.

‘Let this be on record: Benue is predominantly an agrarian state, not a pastoralist society. Ranching in Benue State is therefore NOT VIABLE, and WE REJECT THIS PROJECT IDEA WITH ALL LEGAL AND SPIRITUAL RESOURCES.

‘Our ancestral homes are not bargaining chips. Our people must return home. Benue must not be enslaved through policy. There will be no surrender of our ancestral heritage in whatever form or guise being proposed or presented’, the statement read.

Benue has in the last decade been at the centre of farmer-herder conflicts that have claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands. The State in 2017 enacted the Anti-Open Grazing Law to regulate livestock movement.

The priests insisted there is ‘no land in Benue State for commercial ranching.’

However, the opposition PDP further affirmed that the majority of people in the State depend on farming for survival, and with growing population and expanding communities, most farmers still struggle to obtain sufficient land.

‘The PDP wishes to state without ambiguity that Benue land is not available for grazing reserves, grazing settlements or any policy, whatever name it is given, that seeks to carve out portions of our ancestral lands for the exclusive settlement of herders.’

‘What we will never support is a scheme under which government takes land belonging to communities and farmers and converts it into grazing reserves or settlements for a particular group. There is no idle land in Benue State waiting to be donated for grazing reserves,’ it said.

The FIFA World Cup, the Africa Cup of Nations, geopolitical tensions, celebrity feuds and the viral ‘Six Seven’ meme were among the biggest stories that captured Nigerians’ attention between January and July 2026, according to new Google Trends data.

The review of anonymised Google search data offers a snapshot of the issues, personalities and events that dominated public interest in Nigeria during the first seven months of the year.

At the top of the rankings was the FIFA World Cup in North America, which generated search interest several times higher than any other major topic during the period.

Nigerians closely followed the Super Eagles’ campaign, the tournament’s opening ceremony featuring Shakira and Burna Boy, and the eventual final between Spain and Argentina.

Individual players and teams also drove search activity, with Erling Haaland recording a surge in July as Norway’s campaign ended against England.

France’s run to the latter stages of the tournament and Morocco’s historic quarter-final campaign also attracted significant attention.

The tournament has since extended into discussions around the Ballon d’Or.

AFCON heartbreak

Before the World Cup took centre stage, the Africa Cup of Nations dominated searches in January.

The Super Eagles’ semi-final against hosts Morocco generated particularly strong interest after Nigeria suffered a penalty shootout defeat.

Searches around the fixture, AFCON results and the final reflected Nigerians’ intense engagement with the tournament.

Senegal eventually won the competition on January 18.

Winter Olympics surprise Nigerians

The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics emerged as another unexpected source of interest in February.

Despite Nigeria having no team competing in ice hockey, the Winter Games generated substantial search traffic, highlighting Nigerians’ appetite for major global sporting events beyond football.

Iran, Strait of Hormuz and rising costs

Geopolitical tensions also translated into strong search activity.

As the conflict involving Iran intensified and the Strait of Hormuz became a major focus of international attention, Nigerians searched for terms including ‘Iran news’, ‘Israel Iran war’ and ‘Strait of Hormuz meaning’.

The interest was closely linked to economic concerns. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for global oil shipments, meaning disruption there can affect crude prices and, indirectly, fuel costs in oil-import-dependent markets.

For Nigerians, a geopolitical crisis thousands of kilometres away therefore became connected to an everyday concern: the cost of transportation and living.

Blord, VeryDarkMan feud dominates social searches

The prolonged dispute involving cryptocurrency entrepreneur Blord and activist VeryDarkMan also maintained significant search interest.

The saga peaked around Blord’s arrest and remand in Kuje prison in April, followed by his release on bail 16 days later.

Searches for ‘who is Blord’ alongside the main queries suggested that the controversy attracted both existing followers and people attempting to understand the personalities at the centre of the dispute.

Deaths that captured national attention

Several high-profile deaths also drove significant search activity during the period.

Afrofuji singer Destiny Boy died in January at the age of 22, with the circumstances surrounding his death and subsequent investigation generating sustained interest.

Internationally, actor Eric Dane, known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, died in February after battling ALS.

In May, Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo also became a major search subject following reports of his death at 40. Search interest surged again in June during his burial in Arochukwu.

Politics, corruption and the Epstein files

Political and accountability-related stories featured prominently in Nigeria’s search trends.

Saleh Mamman, former minister of power, attracted attention after the EFCC arrested him in Kaduna in connection with a corruption case involving N33 billion. He was later sentenced to 75 years in prison.

In Lagos, the political drama surrounding Mudashiru Obasa’s return as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly also generated sustained interest.

Beyond Nigeria, the release of millions of pages of documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein prompted Nigerians to join a global search for information about the case.

‘Six Seven’ and the internet’s latest mystery

Not all the major searches were driven by politics, tragedy or geopolitics.

The ’67’ or ‘Six Seven’ meme became one of the internet’s biggest talking points, particularly among younger Nigerians.

The phrase, drawn from a US rap song, became a viral expression used by teenagers in seemingly random contexts, often accompanied by a hand gesture.

Its popularity left many Nigerians, particularly older users, searching for an explanation of what the phrase actually meant.

The trend illustrated the speed at which global internet culture can move into Nigeria’s digital mainstream.

Another viral story emerged in April when OPay customer Opeyemi Awodoyin reportedly received N100,000 in error and declined to return the money.

The incident triggered a wider debate online about honesty, ownership and what Nigerians should do when money is mistakenly transferred to their accounts.

In May, searches for ‘what is hantavirus’ also spiked following reports of an outbreak aboard a cruise ship.

Celebrity controversies remain powerful search drivers

Celebrity news continued to attract Nigerians’ attention throughout the period.

Frank Edoho, Veteran broadcaster trended in May following confirmation of his divorce and allegations involving his former wife.

In July, Sam Larry, music promoter survived a crash on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road that killed his bodyguard. The incident also revived public discussions around the death of singer Mohbad and events surrounding the controversy three years earlier.

Music, film and football exports

Nigeria’s entertainment industry remained a consistent source of search interest.

Wizkid and Asake’s ‘Jogodo’ generated strong attention in January, while Asake’s album sparked another wave of searches in May.

The 2026 Grammy Awards also attracted interest, with searches for the winners rising around the ceremony. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance generated additional attention among Nigerian audiences.

In film, Mortal Kombat 2 and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey were among the movies attracting searches.

Football also produced another Nigerian storyline, with teenager Zadok Yohanna’s reported pound 28 million move to Brighton becoming a significant talking point and highlighting Nigeria’s continuing pipeline of young football talent.

Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, communications and public affairs manager, West Africa, Google, said search data provides a window into what Nigerians genuinely care about.

‘Search data is the most honest record of national attention we have, because nobody performs for a search bar,’ he said.

According to Google, the rankings are based on each story’s peak monthly search interest in Nigeria between January and July 2026, with related queries grouped together.

The trends show that Nigerians’ attention in 2026 has moved fluidly between sport, politics, global affairs, entertainment, internet culture and everyday economic concerns.