The mobile industry will post nearly $11 trillion in economic value by 2030 or 8.4 percent of GDP. Last year, 2024, mobile technology and services generated 5.8 percent of global GDP, which is equivalent to $6.5 trillion of economic value. This was part of the highlights of the annual Mobile Economy Report 2025 launched by the GSMA at the Mobile World Congress (MWC25) which was held in Barcelona last week.

Much of this will be driven by countries around the world increasingly benefiting from the improvements in productivity and efficiency brought about by the increased take-up of mobile services and digital technologies, including 5G, IOT and AI, the report informed.

Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA sketched the scope of the industry when he said, “Our industry connects nearly six billion people, and powers economies worldwide. And, at MWC, over 50 percent of attendees come from outside the Mobile ecosystem, a clear signal that industries recognise the vast opportunities our networks create. This week will shine a light on those opportunities – from 5G to AI and many more – and their role in helping us to unlock new markets, drive innovation and shape the future of the mobile digital economy.”

No doubt the market is huge and there is so much money to be made from the industry and ancillary sectors by those who are bold and creative enough to invest their energy, resources and expertise in the components parts of the industry. Those who gathered in Barcelona last week would be interested in how much comes to their organisation, their sector and. above all, their country.

That is the question every sane person should ask and, without doubt, it won’t be a question for Nigeria but a matter of humility to admit that our country at this time really needs a heavy dose of fund injection from that mind-blowing projection. But we don’t have to wave a magic wand to attract it but a lot of hard work based on the gaps that are noticeable in the research details. So, what is going to be Nigeria’s share of this money?

Let’s take a look at the report. 5G enjoyed a lot of attention at the Mobile World Congress. The report also focussed attention on 5G as it periscopes trends that will affect the industry well into the future, and also marks it out as the technology that will dominate, being able to inspire other technologies to instigate growth. According to the report, 58 percent of the world’s population were using mobile internet at the end of 2024, representing 4.7 billion users – a number expected to rise to 5.5 billion users (65%) by 2030.

It also says that 5G connections worldwide surpassed two billion at the end of 2024 and will account for over half (57%) of total mobile connections in 2030, overtaking 4G adoption by 2028.

Here is another interesting observation which interpretation may translate to wealth for the industry and even nations. “With 2G and 3G networks accounting for less than 20 percent of mobile connectivity worldwide, legacy networks are being phased out in many regions. By the end of November 2024, a total of 152 networks had been shut down and another 131 networks were planned to be shut down by 2030. Asia Pacific and Europe lead the way, accounting for around 70 percent of networks sunsets to date. Network sunsets enable more efficient spectrum use while also reducing energy consumption,” the report stated.

But while legacy technologies are facing deserved sunset in the developed world, they remain very strong in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. For instance, 2G still controls 41.63 percent of network buildout in Nigeria while 3G has .8.60 per cent, and 4G, 47.23 percent. 5G has less than 3 percent.

The GSMA sees the world moving into the future with 5G, observing that Sub-Saharan Africa will contribute to strong Mobile connectivity growth before 2030. Between 2024 and 2030, operators will spend a whopping $1.5 trillion on their mobile networks. Nigerian operators will do part of this spending to expand services and aggressively pursue 5G deployment.

“This trend will not be uniform across all markets; in emerging 5G markets, CapEx will continue to accelerate over the forecast period on 5G network rollout. Overall, 92 percent of operators’ CapEx between 2023 and 2030 will be spent on 5G network deployment,” the report stated.

There are three 5G operators in Nigeria with a fourth license waiting to be issued at the right price. Rollout efforts of the three operators – MTN, Mafab and Airtel, could only yield less than 3 percent coverage. But the GSMA report gives Sub-Saharan Africa an interesting 2024 Technology mix which presents the following picture: 2G – 11 percent; 3G – 49 percent; 4G – 38 percent; and 5G – 3 percent.

However, by 2030, the picture will be progressively different: 2G – 2 percent; 3G – 28 percent; 4G – 52 percent; and 5G – 17 percent. It is not just a different picture but an entirely different game in terms of network deployment, service rollout and other industry support services that will be provided. Within the period, 2024 to 2030, smartphones will grow from 54 percent to 81 percent.

This is why the report notes that despite increasing mobile saturation in developed regions, there remains room for growth in many large, underpenetrated markets in developing regions. For example, India and Sub-Saharan Africa will account for around half of new mobile subscribers globally over 2022 to 2030.

Although the GSMA annual Mobile Economy Report 2025 paints Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, as a developing market for the mobile industry, a little analysis shows that countries in the region can make so much money only if they can achieve the projections that look very humble. For instance, 17 percent of the 5G market in Sub-Saharan Africa is pegged at 247 million lines.

It means that the regulator must create the right ecosystem to encourage operators’ activities that can directly and indirectly affect the market to create needed returns to both industry and the public, which includes the government.

For instance, in 2024, the mobile sector made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector with around $600 billion raised through taxes on the sector. The industry also directly created 24 million jobs while supporting another 16 million, bringing it to a total of 40 million. It is the responsibility of the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to ensure that Nigerian operators are spruced up to enable them. contribute their share of these global projections.

Through proper regulation and other interventions, there is much benefit that can accrue to the nation from the mobile industry. The report also harped on creative regulatory processes. My humble suggestion is for the regulator to encourage operators to offer good services, make more money and be able to support the government through tax remittances and other channels. The regulator must work hard to give Nigeria a decent share of that $30 trillion by 2030.

“We must ascertain who we are, how many we are, and how to manage our data. Without an accurate census, we can’t successfully plan for employment, agriculture, and food sovereignty. So many problems come up without accurate data.” – President Bola Tinubu on February 24, 2025.

How many are we in Nigeria? Sincerely, there is no reliable data to back up claims that Nigeria has a population of 220 million. It has all been unreliable estimates. According to the National Population Commission, a census was first conducted in the area known today as Nigeria in the year 1866 by the British colonial government within the Colony of Lagos. There were also decennial censuses conducted only for the Lagos Colony in the years 1871, 1881 and 1901, respectively. 10 years later, in the year 1911, the census exercise covered the Southern Protectorate, including Lagos and the Northern Protectorate. Thereafter, there had been a census in 1921, 1931, 1951/53, 1962, 1963, 1973, 1991 and 2006.

The importance of the national population and housing census cannot be overemphasised or underestimated. NPC listed 13 benefits of having this exercise at regular intervals. It says that accurate census data are critical for developing accurate assessments of economic well-being for the nation as a whole and helping the government in proper economic planning. Data from the census will help the government identify the special population, e.g. people living with disabilities and how the government can be of help to them. Census data also helps the government in designing programmes that aim to identify areas eligible for housing conditions, assistance and rehabilitation.

The data from the census helps in the allocation of funding for numerous educational programmes, such as vocational and adult education and provides data that can help estimate or even forecast the number of schools required, out-of-school children, percentage of literacy in the country, quality of the educational curriculum, et cetera. Census helps generate data that will help business forecasting. That is, identifying areas where businesses can thrive using the population size as an advantage. The resultant profit from this will enhance improvement in the amount of tax that will be generated by the government. Accurate census information helps the government plan disaster recovery and contingency initiatives. The census also provides information on the healthcare needs of the population.

Census data can help formulate, evaluate, change, and propose policies and programmes that help farmers. A population census can provide data that can help the government to be aware of the ratio of security officers to be proportionate to the nation’s population, which can help in improving the security of lives and properties in the country.  Census data also assists in the determination of the standard of living of the people. The number of people in a country is used to formulate policies for development.

A population census gives the government an idea of the different demographics in different parts of the country, which will in turn aid the government in the adequate provision of social amenities like water, electricity, roads, and hospitals, which are beneficial to the citizens of the country. Lastly, the census will provide reliable and evidence-based data for the implementation of the revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development and the realisation of the SDGs.

It is very heartwarming that President Bola Tinubu has shown renewed interest in conducting a fresh national population and housing census for Nigeria after 19 years. Recall that the last one was held in November 2006. It is also gratifying that the President wants the national population and housing census with biometric and digital components. Tinubu, at the February 24, 2025, meeting with officials of the National Population Commission at the Statehouse, said he would set up a committee to align the census budget to the government’s present financial realities. He said the National Identity Management Commission must be part of the review. The President told the delegation that biometric capturing should be central to the process, with multiple identification features, including facial and voice recognition.

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, said the census data would be central to future planning and resource distribution. He was quoted as saying, “Mr President, we have been having ecosystem meetings to link the identity agencies, even the geo-spatial chaired by the ministry, because of our mandate as the supervising ministry of the National Bureau of Statistics. So, the NPC, NBS, NIMC, Ministry of Digital Economy, passport, social register, voter register, and even telecoms data have been meeting with the National Space Research and Development Agency to see how much is available to the government regarding data and how much optimisation can take place.”

At the February meeting, the NPC Chairman, Nasir Kwarra, said 760,000 tablets had been acquired and stored with the Central Bank of Nigeria, promising that the commission would engage with development partners to seek support whenever President Tinubu proclaimed the new census date. It was reliably learnt that the development partners bore 40 per cent of the costs of the last census exercise. With the mopping up of funds and foreign aid freeze by different countries, it is doubtful if Nigeria can rely much on international development assistance for its national census exercise.

It will be recalled that the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had planned to hold the national population and housing census in 2023, but the wrong timing did not allow it to sail through. Historically, it is dangerous to hold a census close to an election year. Not only are the two—election and census—capital intensive, but political interference will most likely not make the census credible. This is why the Tinubu administration must strive to have the census in 2025 because next year will be suffused with preparations for the 2027 general elections.

When the census was to be held in 2023, the cost was estimated at N400bn. However, information in the news media over the weekend shows that the National Population Commission has submitted a bill of N942bn for the 2025 exercise. Now, a lot of people are shouting that it is a padded budget. However, I do not think so. As the saying goes, the best time to buy anything in economics is yesterday. With the devaluation of the naira and the floating of the currency, prices of commodities now cost three or four times their cost in 2023. That is why it is popularly said that “delay is dangerous”. If Nigeria fails to have the census this year, we may have to be looking for trillions by the next time we want to have it done.

The Yorubas say, “A sweet soup costs a lot of money to prepare.” To have a digitised census will cost a fortune more because many of the hardware and software equipment are not manufactured locally and have to be imported using foreign exchange. If the Federal Government can award N15tn Lagos-Calabar Super Highway, we can also source for whatever financial resources will be needed for a long overdue national population and housing census. The funding for the census could come from the federation account since it is a national exercise; states and LGAs should share the cost of the exercise. The critical factor should not just be the cost but how to have credible, reliable, usable, and acceptable exercise.  I do not need to remind readers that previous exercises have been enmeshed in controversies and litigations. I fully endorse all cost-cutting measures the Federal Government may want to take, including using youth corps members as enumerators. However, the standard should not be compromised so that the outcome can be fully endorsed by all sections of the country.

Chief Ayo Adebanjo ,  Afenifere leader  who died, aged 96 ,and  last of the original Awoists,  was a  vivacious,  joyous soul.   He was a zestful political warrior who embraced political combat  with gusto.  In his usual ebullience, he embraced death and  even  humorously  cast the news headline for  the media on his imminent  passage :   “ Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, the controversial man, is gone”.  He had added :  ‘’He last spoke with his daughter’’.  It was his last video chat.  For a man who preached fairness, equity and love of country for a united Nigeria,  it was symbolic that   he took his  last bow on February 14, 2025, Valentine Day ,  a day  humanity celebrate love.    

 I first made contact with  Mr. Ayo Adebanjo,  as he was then , the  ebony black handsome lawyer , as a village child  in  Okelamuren,  Ogbo  community, near Ijebu-Ode , Ogun State when he made a triumphant  homecoming on his return from England in 1961. .  The then  33- year old lawyer rode into the village in the same car with Chief ( Mrs.)  H.I.D. Awolowo.   It was a glorious day for us villagers.  We, the children,  crowded the slow moving car, as it waltzed its way to the village square, to get a glimpse of  this illustrious son  of the soil just returned from  ‘ilu Oyinbo’ ( the White man’s land) . In those days,  we village children used to wave at any aeroplane  passing over our  village asking  the passengers, in  Ijebu dialect, to  help us greet our relations in ‘Ilu Oyinbo’  !!!  A childhood blissful ignorance  !  We got heightened excitement when we found out  that the  lady who  rode in the car with him was  the wife of the legendary AWO !   Mythical Awo  !!  My maternal grandmother, Olori Adejoke  Adebambo, wife of  Ilamuren of Okelamuren,  Oba Julius Adebambo,  referred to  Ayo Adebanjo as   ‘omo Bada ‘  ( son of Bada )  a  Lagos-based , successful goldsmith.  Chief Ayo Adebanjo inherited his handsomeness and sartorial elegance from his father, who was always resplendently dressed , with  long  gold chain.

Chief Ayo Adebanjo  was committed to his local Ogbo  community, comprising 11 villages ( Ogbo mokanla ) . His country home , a compact, elegant  bungalow built on a landscaped expanse of land, in the centre of Ogbo community, straddles Isanya and Okelamuren villages.  He was the Asiwaju of Ibido-Ogbo, the Baba Oba of Okelamuren , Grand Patron of Okelamuren  Progressive Union ( OPU )  and leader of Ogbo  Christian community . For decades, he hosted  Ogbo community members in Lagos to annual new year party  at his Lagos residence on the second Sunday of every January. He paid his tithe and regularly packaged  money for the local clergy at Saint Phillips Anglican church, Isanya-Ogbo.  On one of my visits to the country home, I witnessed his doling out two envelopes of money to the assistant pastor of his home church.  After the pastor left, I had asked Baba why at age 95 he was  still giving out money.  He had smiled , pointing out that as church leader , there were some expectations of him, adding   that even his wife, also in her  90s, made similar donations.  What a devotion !    

As  is the tradition with Afenifere,  Chief Ayo  Adebanjo,  as Afenifere Leader,  hosted  the organization’s meetings at his Isanya-Ogbo  country home, usually under a canopy provided for the occasion, with entertainment sponsored by various groups. At such meetings,  where he presided , Chief Adebanjo stamped his authority , as the man in charge . Meeting must follow procedure as laid out in items in the agenda. If you got up to speak on item 6 while discussion  was on item 4, he shuts  you up , mid sentence.  Also, you don’t go back to an item that had been treated , he would dismiss you as  absent-minded,  inattentive and a time waster.  Some did not like the brusque manner,  but to him meetings must be ordered business.  

The point is, whoever got to interact with Chief Ayo  Adebanjo  saw  him as a Strong Man  !  Strong in intellectual  articulation and elocution, a strong robust physique,  strong vocally in his emphatic tone  and very, very  strong in his convictions.  With him , there is no ambivalence, no ambiguity  – he takes a reasoned  stand  and sticks with it – his last unequivocal stand  being  his endorsement of Peter Obi of Labour Party  for president in the 2023 presidential  election, based on justice and equity.   It turned out his last political battle.  With Bola Ahmed Tinubu as presidential candidate of the All Progressives Party ( APC ),   a large section of Yorubas went into ethnic mode to pillory the Afenifere leader  for supporting  an Igbo against a fellow  Yoruba.  Some members of  Afenifere left to form a splinter group that endorsed Tinubu for president.  Chief Ayo Adebanjo  was the target of  a bruising campaign of calumny to which  he  usually responded with   infectious , boisterous  aplomb in  stoutly  defending  the logic of  his  stand on equity among  Nigeria’s  tripod of North, West and East to the presidency.  When Peter  Obi , the one they said had no structure on ground,  scored the landmark, upset  victory of defeating, Tinubu,  the Lagos Landlord, in his Lagos domain, in the presidential election,  the opposition went for broke in the virulence of their attacks on Chief Adebanjo.  Nothing was spared in the demonization of the  old  political warhorse . One character, in a social media post that went viral,  even claimed Chief Ayo Adebanjo was half Igbo, that his mother was Igbo !!! Imagine the audacity of that blatant lie. Of course, Chief Ayo Adebanjo’s  mother was  Yoruba,  of Ijebu stock.  I had raised the issue with Baba at his Isanya-Ogbo country home, that we should counter this big lie.  But he had  told me , with a wry smile,  “ Bisi, leave them alone. It is not worth it “.  Days later, I had an appointment with a Professor  of Ophthalmology  in Lagos who repeated the lie of  Chief Adebanjo not  being a full blooded Yoruba because his mother was Igbo. I tried to correct the misinformation but she was not convinced, telling me why was it not refuted. But my greatest shock was on  Saturday, February 15, 2025, the day after the passing on of Chief Adebanjo, when at Ede, where I live, people gathered  at  the vendor’s place in Oke Gada while discussing the late  Afenifere leader’s last political stand  also said he supported his kinsman Obi because his mother was Igbo !!.  It then dawned on me gravity of the menace posed by  disseminators  of fake news and why it must be tackled  by the government with the urgency  and severity of sanctions it deserves.  If someone can brazenly  peddle such  a lie about  a national figure like Chief Ayo Adebanjo,  what can  they  not publish about us regular folks ?

The  2023 elections which triggered the lie about Chief Adebanjo’s maternal nativity, also drew editorial attacks. Three days to the gubernatorial election, I had written a piece captioned ‘ The Igbo & the battle for Lagos’, published in many newspapers, including The Guardian and The Nigerian Tribune, both on March 16, 2023. In that write-up, I had , among others, stated  : “ Whipping up  Yoruba  ethnic sentiments  against the Igbo portrays the APC as a drowning  party seeking any straw to cling on. It  is a manifestation of the desperation of  Tinubu and the APC, apparently destabilized  by the Obidients’ phenomenon “.   Surprisingly, on the same day the write-up was published , the Tinubu media gladiators published  a counter in  The Nation newspaper, which did not publish the article itself.  Rather than responding to the points raised ,  the surrogate writer,  Ayodele Ola Daniels,  described the write-up as ‘’ malicious , malevolent analyses’’ . However, it was a manifestation of their obsession with  Chief Ayo Adebanjo that they  implied that  he sponsored the  write-up by noting that :  “ After all,  Olawunmi’s  kinsman , mentor  and sponsor, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, endorsed  Peter Obi  in the presidential election”.  Then the clincher : “Pa Adebanjo is  not known to have won any election anywhere in his  life ! ‘’. This is what had confounded  critics of Chief Ayo Adebanjo over  the  years , how in spite of his not having occupied  any  of those lofty , aphrodisiac ,  public offices like minister , senator or governor, he had, by strength of character,  attained prominent public visibility and earned respect for  his articulate position on issues, from restructuring to a united one Nigeria. He had only been pioneer organizing secretary of the Action Group in the 1950s.  One concedes that Tinubu’s  thunder in Abeokuta – the Emilokan battle cry – was seen by many  as tantamount to committing political hara-kiri, but in spite of the odds stacked against him, still  triumphantly  clinched  the presidency.   But  the question arises : after the victory, where is the beef ?  Back then in 2023, Daniels had assured us that ‘’ Tinubu’s presidency  will usher in a new , brighter , more prosperous , stable, secure  and United Nigeria’’  and  that ‘’ The Bisi Olawunmis of this world would have a long, inconsolable winter ahead.’’.  Well,  getting to two years on in the Tinubu Presidency,  prosperity and  security remain elusive  and millions of Nigerian Bisi Olawunmis, nationwide, are experiencing  inconsolable, harsh economic  winter !!  

Chief Ayo Adebanjo had opposed Tinubu’s presidential bid on  principle of equity and often said  it was not a declaration of war, which was why he visited Tinubu during the time he had   health challenges before the election.  This  gesture was lost on the Tinubu boys.  However, in spite of the  irreverent  Tinubu political gladiators, among the glowing tributes  to Chief Ayo Adebanjo,  I found the one  by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu  ( a.k.a. Emilokan ) quite gratifying for the humility  in publicly acknowledging the pivotal role of Chief  Ayo Adebanjo , as acting chairman of the Alliance for Democracy party , in getting him elected as Governor of Lagos state in 1999, a position that launched his political trajectory.  “ His ( Adebanjo )  unwavering  commitment to truth  and justice  extended to my journey as governorship candidate  in 1999.     Baba Adebanjo’s  steadfast support was instrumental in my election as Governor of Lagos State under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy’.  Tinubu had added :  ‘’Until his death, I shared a deep personal bond with  Baba Adebanjo; he was like a father figure’’ .  Those Tinubu laudatory words about Chief  Ayo Adebanjo ,  ‘’ unwavering commitment to justice ‘’ played out in 1999 in commendation  but  played out in 2023 in condemnation !!!    Chief  Ayo Adebanjo, a man of politics without bitterness,  died on Feb. 14  - Valentine Day - a day of showing amity, which hopefully,  may  create a pathway  to restoring  harmony  to Afenifere, the  umbrella Yoruba   body,   which he led with passion and dedication.  

Chief Ayo Adebanjo lived  a frank , unpretentious and fulfilling life.  He  harped on life’s transient nature  and  had always jokingly reminded  people of his imminent passage.  He used to say :  Ayo  Adebanjo ti se ti e , o ku siyin lowo ( Ayo  Adebanjo has done his beat, it is left for others to carry on).. He ran a good race and ended well. He left a legacy of political fidelity to justice,  equity  and a principled stand in furtherance of  Nigerian  brotherhood.    

Dr. Bisi Olawunmi,  Senior Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Adeleke University, Ede, is a former Washington Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria and Fellow, Nigerian Guild of  Editors. PHONR  : 0803 364 7571    Email : olawunmibisi@yahoo.com.             

Protesters are on the rampage over the killing of three community guards in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, setting ablaze the council secretariat and palace of the traditional head of Naka, Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse.

Our correspondent reports that the hotel belonging to Senator Titus Zam was allegedly torched by the rampaging protesters in Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West LGA.

Residents said that trouble started in the early hours of Tuesday after youths from the area retrieved the bodies of the guards killed by bandits on Monday evening at a village in Gwer West and brought same to the local government headquarters.

“The youths are angry because the bandits are killing our people and the state government appears not to be doing anything. Since the corpses of the guards arrived this morning, protesters have burnt the council secretariat, Ter Nagi’s palace and a hotel belonging to Senator Titus Zam, representing Benue North West at the national assembly,” a resident who preferred anonymity said.

Victor Ormin, the Chairman of Gwer West LGA told our correspondent on the phone on Tuesday morning that the protest started by youths in the area over the killing of three Benue Civil Protection Guards was hijacked by hoodlums who set the council secretariat and the palace of Ter Naka on fire.

“Yes, they have burned the secretariat and the Ter Naka’s palace. Three protection guards were killed in Garuwa (council ward in Gwer West) by armed invaders so when their bodies were brought to Naka, it sparked protest from the youth and it’s now being taken over by hoodlums,” he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Catherine Anene, had yet to respond to calls to her telephone by our correspondent.

[DailyTrust]

The Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Mark Rutte, has urged European Union leaders to engage with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to enhance cooperation on security matters.

This comes following the EU’s efforts to bolster its defense posture in response to the US President Donald Trump’s criticism of European security spending.

Trump’s call for NATO member states to increase their defense contributions to 5 percent of GDP has prompted discussions about strengthening ties with non-EU countries, including Turkey.

Trump, in January, criticised the EU for its low investments in NATO’s defense capabilities, while US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth affirmed that Washington had no plans to reduce its military presence in Europe.

Recall that during the Munich Security Conference, US Vice President JD Vance met with Rutte, stressing the need for EU countries to raise their defense spending and for NATO to ensure a more balanced distribution of defense contributions among its members.

[DailyPost]

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi challenging the competence of the joint ticket of Lucky Aitedatiwa and his running mate in the election, Olayide Adelami.

In a judgment on Tuesday, a five-member panel, presided over by Justice Mohammed Garba, was unanimous in holding that the appeal was without merit and that the appellants lacked the locus standi to query Adelami’s nomination.

The court awarded a cost of N8million against the PDP and Ajayi, at N2m each for the four respondents – Adelami, Aitedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The PDP and Ajayi had claimed that Adelami presented forged West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate to INEC and that he equally possessed multiple identities.

They had prayed the court hold that Adelami was not qualified to contest the election by virtue of the alleged forged certificate and proceed to void the joint ticket on which Aitedatiwa and Adelami contested the election on the platform of the APC. 

Details shortly…

[TheNation]

Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies tumbled on Tuesday as concerns over the US economy and trade tensions grew.

Bitcoin dropped 3.2% to $79,937 after hitting a low of $76,624. Ethereum fell sharply by 7.5% to $1,911. The global crypto market cap declined 4.3% to $2.6 trillion, The Economist reports.

Solana, XRP, Cardano and Dogecoin also suffered losses, with Dogecoin plunging 8.5%.

Investor confidence weakened after former US President Donald Trump, in a Fox News interview, mentioned a “period of transition” but did not clarify if his tariff policies might lead to a recession. 

His remarks caused declines across cryptocurrencies, stocks, and the US dollar while Treasury yields also dropped.

“The crypto market is seeing its major downturn with Bitcoin falling under $80,000 and Ethereum recording a 16-month low of around $1,800,” said Avinash Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO of Pi42.

“Fears of a coming recession and the overall market sell-offs are spurring this pullback.”

Macroeconomic factors like inflation and interest rates continue to drive volatility.

“The upcoming Job Openings and Labor Turnover data would be crucial for bulls to take control.

“A positive outcome data could help BTC reclaim the $84,000 mark,” said Edul Patel, CEO of Mudrex.

Bitcoin’s market cap fell to $1.585 trillion, with a dominance of 61.04%.

Trading volume surged 53.14% to $58.13 billion.

“Bitcoin’s ability to reclaim and hold $80,000 remains critical for overall market stability,” noted Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus.

[Punch]