Category: Business Day

The Premier League remains the world’s most popular and money-spinning football league. The league is home to the most valuable clubs and some of the best-paid managers in the game.

Interestingly, six of the ten highest earners currently manage London-based clubs, a testament to the city’s dominance in English football.

Below is the ranking of the highest-paid Premier League managers in the 2025/26 season, with data from the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola – Manchester City (£20m annual salary)

Spanish tactician Pep Guardiola tops the list, earning around £20 million annually. The Spaniard tactician continues to justify his massive salary, having guided Manchester City to multiple Premier League and Champions League titles. Guardiola remains the benchmark for tactical brilliance and success in modern football.

Mikel Arteta – Arsenal (£10m annual salary)

Former Guardiola assistant Mikel Arteta has emerged as one of Europe’s top young managers. Since taking over Arsenal in 2019, he has transformed the club into a consistent title contender. Arteta signed a lucrative contract extension in September 2024, nearly doubling his wages as he looks to end the Gunners’ 21-year title drought.

Unai Emery – Aston Villa (£8m annual salary)

Unai Emery’s career resurgence at Aston Villa has been remarkable. After short-lived spells at Arsenal and PSG, the Spaniard rebuilt his reputation at Villarreal before taking over at Villa Park. He has since guided the club to the Champions League for the first time in 41 years, earning a deserved £8 million annual salary.

Ruben Amorim – Manchester United (£6.5m annual salary)

Appointed in November 2024, Ruben Amorim is tasked with restoring Manchester United’s fading glory. The Portuguese tactician, who impressed at Sporting Lisbon, earns £6.5 million per year under a deal running through 2027. United fans are hopeful his progressive style can bring back the club’s winning mentality. Dutch manager Arne Slot replaced Jrgen Klopp and has adapted quickly to life in England. Known for his attacking philosophy and calm demeanour, Slot earns £6.2 million annually and has already guided Liverpool back into European contention.

David Moyes – Everton (£5m annual salary)

After returning to his former club, David Moyes has stabilised Everton and brought discipline and structure back to Goodison Park. His experience and longevity in the Premier League make him one of the most respected managers in English football.

Thomas Frank – Tottenham Hotspur (£5m annual salary)

Thomas Frank’s managerial stock continues to rise. Having impressed with Brentford, he made the move across London to Tottenham. The Dane earns £5 million annually, leading Spurs’ long-term rebuild with his attacking brand of football.

Oliver Glasner – Crystal Palace (£4.5m annual salary)

Austrian tactician Oliver Glasner has brought structure and modern tactics to Crystal Palace since his appointment. His £4.5 million salary reflects Palace’s growing ambition to consistently challenge mid-table and top-eight finishes.

Enzo Maresca – Chelsea (£4.2m annual salary)

Enzo Maresca, one of the Premier League’s youngest managers, is leading Chelsea’s new era of youth and rebuilding. Despite the club’s ups and downs, the Italian’s £4.2 million salary highlights the Blues’ faith in his long-term project.

Marco Silva – Fulham (£4m annual salary)

Rounding out the list is Marco Silva, whose steady leadership has kept Fulham competitive in the Premier League. The Portuguese manager’s tactical discipline and man-management have earned him a £4 million annual deal at Craven Cottage.

Tomilola Adeniran a playwright and performer, who is known as the viral valedictorian from Pan-Atlantic University has turned the regular Lagos bus banter into musical magic in his debut original musical play ‘The Wait’ at the Lagos International Theatre Festival (LITF) on the 15th and 16th of November at MUSON Center.

The Wait is a humorous and heartfelt 30-minute production set entirely at a Lagos bus stop, where three strangers, each in a rush for very different reasons, find themselves united by the frustrations, hopes, and humor of everyday Nigerian life. Through song, banter, and unexpected moments of connection, the play explores resilience, shared humanity, and the bonds that form in the most ordinary places.

‘I wrote The Wait as a story about Lagos – its chaos, its laughter, and its humanity. Having it come alive at LITF, surrounded by audiences who live these experiences daily, feels like the perfect beginning.’Tomilola said, speaking about the upcoming premiere. LITF, spearheaded by Bolanle Austen-Peters in collaboration with Lagos State, is Nigeria’s newest global stage for theatre and live performance. Premiering in 2024, the festival has gained recognition as a hub for storytelling, cultural exchange, and artistic innovation, with a diverse program of plays, workshops, and international collaborations.

Beyond its festival debut, The Wait is also available as a licensable production for theatres, universities, and community groups looking to stage fresh, Nigerian stories with global resonance.

Sunderland stunned Chelsea with a dramatic 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge, as Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage-time strike lifted the promoted side to second in the Premier League table.

Back in the top flight for the first time in eight years, the Black Cats continue to defy expectations, showing the resilience and tactical discipline that have defined their impressive return to the Premier League.

Chelsea made a bright start and looked set to climb into second place themselves when Alejandro Garnacho fired home his first goal for the club after just four minutes. However, the Blues, missing Cole Palmer through injury and with teenage star Estevão starting on the bench, struggled to break down a well-organised Sunderland defence. Sunderland capitalised on Chelsea’s frailty at set-pieces in the 22nd minute, when Wilson Isidor bundled in from close range after a long throw caused chaos in the box.

Despite Enzo Maresca introducing Estevão in the second half, Chelsea lacked their usual spark in attack. Sunderland held firm and completed a stunning comeback deep into stoppage time, as Brian Brobbey broke on the counter and set up Talbi, who curled a superb finish into the bottom corner.

The victory moves Regis Le Bris’ side up to second in the table, just two points behind leaders Arsenal, while Chelsea drop to seventh, a setback that dents their early-season title hopes.

Lucrestack co-founders Damilola Parkinson and Olajide Bakare are rethinking how individuals and businesses across Africa send and receive money globally through their new platform, LupoFi.

For years, cross-border transactions have remained one of the biggest pain points for African entrepreneurs. Now, two Nigerian founders, Damilola Parkinson and Olajide Bakare, are tackling that challenge head-on with a new platform that aims to make global payments faster, safer, and more inclusive.

Their company, Lucrestack, recently launched LupoFi, a cross-border payment platform designed to help individuals and businesses send, receive, and settle international transactions seamlessly. The platform currently connects users across Africa with countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Canada, the United States, and parts of Europe, with plans to expand into other regions.

Parkinson, Lucrestack’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said the launch marks the next phase of their mission to simplify global financial connectivity.

‘We have spent years building and refining infrastructure that powers cross-border payments for banks and fintechs,’ he said. ‘LupoFi represents the evolution of that work, extending our enterprise-grade systems to individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses that need reliable access to the global economy.’ While Africa’s digital economy continues to grow, many businesses still face friction when sending or receiving funds due to slow settlements and compliance challenges.

Bakare, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, explained that the company’s solution is built around resilience and interoperability. ‘Our goal has always been to build systems that empower institutions to scale confidently,’ he said. ‘With LupoFi, we are extending that reliability to those driving trade and innovation across Africa.’

Unlike most fintechs that depend on external processors, LupoFi is powered directly by Lucrestack’s proprietary infrastructure. The platform leverages blockchain technology and an OmniChain engine that enables instant settlement across multiple currencies, while its automated compliance layer ensures every transaction is verified in real time.

For Parkinson and Bakare, this innovation is more than technology. It is a tool for inclusion. ‘LupoFi is not just a product; it is a movement toward financial equity,’ Parkinson said. ‘We are giving Africans the tools to participate fully in the global economy.’

As both founders put it, their mission is simple: to make it possible for Africans to trade and thrive without borders.

Bruno Guimaraes scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Newcastle United battled to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Fulham at St James’ Park on Saturday.

Eddie Howe’s side looked set for another frustrating afternoon after Sasa Lukic cancelled out Jacob Murphy’s first-half opener, but Guimaraes struck late to secure a crucial three points for the Magpies.

Newcastle took the lead midway through the first half when Murphy found space on the right and finished clinically past Bernd Leno. Fulham, however, refused to back down and levelled through Lukic, who reacted quickest to a rebound after Raul Jimenez’s thunderous volley struck the crossbar.

As the game appeared to be heading for a draw, substitute William Osula tested Leno with a powerful strike, and the Fulham goalkeeper’s parry fell perfectly for Guimaraes to slot home from close range, sparking wild celebrations inside St James’ Park. The win follows Newcastle’s midweek Champions League triumph over Benfica and lifts Howe’s men up the Premier League table as they continue to build momentum.

Fulham’s woes, meanwhile, deepened as Marco Silva’s side slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat.

‘I feel unbelievable. We were very tired from Wednesday’s game, but we fought until the end. My family was here, and to score in front of the Gallowgate End was very special. This is the Newcastle I know, we fight until the end,’ Guimaraes said during a post-match briefing

As Nigeria works to diversify its economy beyond oil, attention is turning to a vast but largely untapped frontier, the ocean. With the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the United Nations’ recent approval of Nigeria’s extended continental shelf by an additional 16,300 square kilometres, experts say the country is beginning to unlock a new source of national wealth.

But for Musa Animashaun, hydrographic scientist, the real work has only just begun.

‘The creation of the blue economy ministry was a major policy shift. It shows Nigeria is starting to see the ocean not just as a trade route, but as an economic frontier,’ Animashaun told BusinessDay. ‘However, we must back that up with investments in data, bathymetry, seabed classification, marine geology, or the vision will remain abstract.’

Nigeria’s marine and blue economy sector needs about $10 billion in investment over the next decade to modernise ports and logistics, expand aquaculture and cold-chain systems for fisheries, restore mangroves and wetlands, and upgrade wastewater and pollution-control systems to tap into the $5 trillion global marine industry.

In May 2025, the Federal Government approved the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, a 10-year roadmap to develop the country’s ocean and inland water resources for growth, jobs, and sustainability. The policy aims to attract private investment into key areas such as shipping, offshore energy, fisheries, and tourism.

Animashaun welcomed the policy, describing it as ‘a crucial step towards building a science-based and investment-ready blue economy.’

Adegboyega Oyetola, Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, said the next important task is to mobilise the funding required to deliver results.

‘With collective commitment and innovative financing, Nigeria is well placed to secure leadership in Africa’s marine and blue economy and to create prosperity, jobs, and environmental resilience,’ Oyetola said.

Nigeria could access more than $1.5 trillion in global blue economy opportunities by 2030, creating millions of jobs and supporting livelihoods in coastal communities. But Animashaun warned that ‘potential without mapping remains a guess.’

‘Every dataset we collect on the seafloor can support multiple sectors, from shipping and offshore energy to aquaculture and coastal resilience,’ he said. ‘That’s why seafloor intelligence is national infrastructure.’

Unlocking the ocean frontier

Animashaun, International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) Category-A Hydrographer, completed his postgraduate studies through the Joint International Hydrographic Applied Science Program, a collaboration between the University of Southern Mississippi and the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office. He has worked on seabed mapping operations along the U.S. East Coast, supporting the offshore wind and dredging industries, where accurate seafloor intelligence is treated as critical national infrastructure.

He said Nigeria’s approval to extend its continental shelf in 2024 is ‘a once-in-a-generation opportunity’ to explore new areas of ocean wealth.

‘We’re talking about a wide seabed with reserves of cobalt, nickel, manganese, and polymetallic nodules, all key to the global energy transition,’ he said. ‘But these resources can’t be extracted safely or sustainably without hydrographic data. That’s the entry point.’

Mapping and national securityFor Animashaun, hydrography, the science of mapping and understanding the ocean floor supports everything from trade and offshore energy to national security.

‘You cannot secure or manage waters you have not mapped,’ he said. ‘Nor can you deploy offshore turbines, lay submarine cables, or extract seabed minerals without accurate mapping.’

He urged the government to see seafloor mapping as part of national infrastructure and to invest in technologies such as multibeam sonar systems, survey vessels, unmanned platforms, and marine data systems. ‘No serious maritime economy operates without detailed knowledge of its underwater territory,’ he said. ‘Seafloor data is like a road network or power grid. Without it, we’re blind.’

He also called for more public-private partnerships to speed up seafloor data collection across Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone and extended continental shelf, saying collaboration will be key to building a sustainable blue economy.

Building institutions and capacity

The National Hydrographic Agency (NHA), established in 2022, has improved Nigeria’s hydrographic capacity and promoted safe navigation. But Animashaun believes the next step is to create a central marine data hub where survey information can be shared and reused across sectors.

‘When a hydrographic survey is done, the same data that ensures safe navigation can also support offshore wind farms, fisheries management, and coastal defences,’ he said. ‘That’s how countries build efficiency, one dataset serving many uses.’

He also encouraged universities and maritime institutions to train new marine scientists, engineers, and hydrographers. ‘Our coastline is one of the richest in West Africa,’ he said. ‘The question is whether we have the data and skills to manage it. If we don’t invest in those now, we risk falling behind while others define the blue economy for us.’

Execution will determine success

Looking ahead, He said Nigeria’s success will depend on execution, turning policy into practical results through coordination, funding, and scientific planning.

Oyetola shared that view. He noted that the government alone cannot bear the cost of modernising ports, maintaining maritime security, expanding aquaculture, or building climate-resilient infrastructure.

‘It will take partnerships, long-term private capital, and international financing to turn the national policy into real outcomes,’ the minister said.

Animashaun agreed, ‘Nigeria is making the right moves, from creating a ministry to securing our maritime territory. What comes next is execution. We need a clear marine geospatial strategy, strong coordination among agencies, and partnerships with international experts.’

He remains hopeful. ‘As a hydrographer, I see great potential. I look forward to a future where our oceans drive jobs, innovation, sustainability, and national progress.’

Nigeria’s U17 women’s team, the Flamingos, booked their place in the Round of 16 at the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco after a dominant 4-0 victory over Samoa in Rabat.

Queen Joseph scored twice to take her tournament tally to three goals, while captain Shakirat Moshood converted a first-half penalty and defender Azeezat Oduntan added a superb strike from the wing.

After a 4-1 loss to Canada and a narrow defeat to France, the Flamingos knew only a convincing win would secure qualification, and they delivered in style. Joseph opened the scoring in the 13th minute, before Moshood doubled the lead from the spot after a handball by Holly Leapai.

Joseph added a third following fine work from Nguemo Terlumun, and Oduntan sealed the win midway through the second half.

The victory ensured Nigeria, bronze medallists at the 2022 edition in India, advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament.

An NBA player and coach are among dozens arrested in a sweeping FBI crackdown on illegal sports betting and mafia-linked gambling operations across the United States.

Federal prosecutors announced two separate indictments implicating Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups in connection with illegal betting and poker games allegedly rigged by organised crime groups. Both men have denied any wrongdoing. Rozier, 31, was one of six individuals charged over alleged betting irregularities, including accusations that certain NBA players faked injuries to influence gambling markets.

Prosecutors say Rozier conspired with friends to profit from bets placed on a 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans, where he left early, citing injury, after just nine minutes of play. The group allegedly wagered over $200,000 on Rozier to underperform.

Billups, meanwhile, was charged in a separate case involving illegal high-stakes poker games said to be linked to mafia operations. The FBI alleges that former and current athletes participated in rigged games and money-laundering schemes run out of exclusive venues in New York and Los Angeles.

Both Rozier and Billups have been placed on immediate leave by the NBA pending further investigation.

‘The integrity of our game remains our top priority,’ the league said in a statement.

US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. warned the defendants: ‘Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out.’

Rozier was released on bail after posting his $6 million Florida home as collateral, while Billups, arrested in Oregon, is preparing a substantial bond for release.

The FBI confirmed that at least seven NBA games between February 2023 and March 2024 are under review as part of the investigation.

Auwalu Yadudu, former Nigeria Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, says there are currently enough provisions in Nigerian law to prosecute people deliberately broadcasting, and those rebroadcasting AI-generated content that is harmful to individuals and Nigeria, at large.

Yadudu, who is a professor of Law at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), stated this while delivering a closing lecture entitled ‘Can AI have legal Personality: Challenges, Controversy, and Contemplations’, at the 6th Kano Social Influencers Summit, which concluded the weekend in Kano.

‘My take in this is that rebroadcasting of harmful contents on social media has landed some people in serious trouble, which anyone involved in this should be prepared for, in law, the issue of right violations is very technical, but in Nigeria there are many provisions in the country for punishing anyone that participated in creating or rebroadcasting falsehood against anyone’, he stated

Yadudu said there is a difference between human personality, which has an existing date of birth, emotion that makes one identifiable, and conferred a legal personality on him, separate from personality, that is an artificial entity in nature made up of data and information.

According to him, human beings have physical existence and legal personality, but AI does not have the same physical and legal existence in the nature of humans. But, noted that AI products are owned by legal entities, which are responsible and accountable for any content or narratives traced to them.

The legal luminary argued that owners of AI products can be legally accountable for every content or narratives traceable to it, as the technology is a creation of program based on internet devices that some entities owned, noting that, however, the process for making the entities accountable could be difficult and complex.

‘The biggest question that need to be answered is whether it is possible for AI technology companies’ owners, such as: Meta, Google, and others, that are based far away in USA, and European countries, to be held responsible legally in Nigeria, for any of misuse that the AI that they owned cause here, taking into the consideration the difference in the legal realities in the two countries.

‘My submitting is that despite the difference in legal realities between the two countries, the entities owning AI products can be held legal responsible, but doing that can be a bit difficult, as it has tremendous cost implication, and because of the difficult process that it entails the best that anyone can do when he or she is a target of harmful AI deployment is to block, himself from having contact with the content. ‘I want to cite the case of Former President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, who was a target of misrepresentation in an AI-generated content, and that the best the Nigerian government could that time was to ban Google’s operation in Nigeria.

‘My position on this is that in the context of the above submission, the question is, does AI have legal personality that one can take legal action against in case of any violation of rights? My answer is affirmative. In the context of an argument, some entities owned the generated products.

‘However, unfortunately, in Africa, doing that can be very difficult and expensive, because most countries on the continent do not have adequate legal and functional legal regimes for seeking redress.

‘In the case of former President Buhari, the best that the government could do was to ban the Google, and when that was done, it wasn’t effective as people who require the service of the company, find ways of connecting, despite the ban’, he stated.

Yadudu noted that the danger of over-dependence on AI is that most dangerous of the disadvantages is that most of the citizens, particularly students in educational institutions, have stopped depending on their own intelligence and knowledge in solving contemporary and academic questions.

‘Now people depend more on computer, and handset devices abled by AI technology in creating answer, which they thrown back at their teachers, and in most cases can’t be held accountable, in some other instances, there people who leverage the technology for misinform, misrepresent, and to create outright harmful contents about other people, which they broadcast, and many other people joined in rebroadcasting is generating confusion, and escalating conflicts in the country.

‘While holding the creators of these harmful AI contents may be a bit difficult because of the inadequacy of the law and regulatory environment in Nigeria, they should be reminded that they can`t escape the judgment of the Supreme Being, as all the Religions prescribed responsibility on creators of the acts in the hereafter. The judgment of the Supreme Being will also fall on all the people who are involved in sharing, liking, and rebroadcasting harmful content either on social media or through AI.

‘In call to action, urged the citizens to instead of misusing AI for negative purpose, they should be an active participant in its constructive deployment, especially, in areas that bring positive change in the society, while, suggesting a careful consumption of AI, by being responsible with it’, he cautioned.

A non-governmental organisation, Plan International Nigeria, in collaboration with Hope and Rural Aid Foundation (HARAF), has trained 293 youths on various skills acquisition as well as cash grants to the trainees after graduation in Borno and Adamawa States, respectively.

Emmanuel Nuhu, the head of humanitarian programme Plan International, while speaking during the graduation ceremony with the theme ‘Seeds of Change,’ of the 133 trainees from Borno State held in Maiduguri.

Emmanuel explained that youth unemployment in Nigeria remains alarmingly high, particularly in the Northeast, where years of conflict and displacement have limited access to education and economic opportunities.

Nuhu noted that as of 2020, the national youth unemployment rate stood at 33.3 per cent, with higher figures recorded in conflict-affected states such as Borno and Adamawa.

According to him, to tackle this challenge, Plan International established four Livelihood Incubation Centres across Damboa and Mafa LGAs in Borno, and Girei and Fufore LGAs in Adamawa, respectively. He added that the initiative was targeted to build resilience, promote gender inclusion, and enhance self-reliance among vulnerable youth through skills development, entrepreneurship training, and agricultural innovation.

‘We are excited to celebrate 132 young graduates in Borno today who have completed our skills acquisition program under the BMZ project.

‘Over a six-month training cycle, participants received technical and life-skills education, business coaching, and monthly stipends of ?30,000 for transportation within the period of the training period.

Upon graduation, each beneficiary received ?100,000 in seed capital to launch microenterprises in agriculture and related sectors. These young people are now equipped not only to earn a living but also to train others in their communities,’ Nuhu said.

The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), supported by Plan International Nigeria and jointly implemented the Livelihood Incubation Centres (LICs) under the Youth Learn, Earn and Prosper in the Lake Chad Region project.