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A Death-Row Inmate Was Hosting TikTok Lives From Prison. Who Enabled Him? A death-row inmate built a TikTok audience from Ibara prison. How did he get multiple phones, internet access and virtual gifts while in custody?
By Adedoyin Oluwadarasimi•6 hours agoLocal
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A Death-Row Inmate Was Hosting TikTok Lives From Prison. Who Enabled Him? Nigeria Plans to Phase Out Electricity Subsidies From 2027. Should We Be Worried?Before Instagram and WhatsApp, Which Social Networks Ruled Nigeria?Nigeria's Double Standard: Why Pickpockets Get Lynched and Fraudsters Get Applauded
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A Death-Row Inmate Was Hosting TikTok Lives From Prison. Who Enabled Him?
A death-row inmate built a TikTok audience from Ibara prison. How did he get multiple phones, internet access and virtual gifts while in custody?
Read More ( 4 min. read)→
ADEDOYIN OLUWADARASIMINigeria plans to phase out electricity subsidies from 2027, but says no immediate tariff increase is planned. What will the reform mean for consumers?
Did South Africa deny Ayra Starr a visa in 2024? A fact-check of the evidence, South Africa's rebuttal, Steyn Entertainment's claims, and how the controversy became linked to Tyla's cancelled Lagos concert.
Namibia's reciprocal visa policy is more than an immigration change. Alongside Burkina Faso's language reforms and other recent policy shifts, it reflects a broader question: can African countries translate demands for equality into enforceable state policy?
Africa's informal economy employs millions of people outside traditional payroll systems, quietly creating jobs, driving economic activity and sustaining households in ways governments often overlook.
Business
Zamfara Governor Pledges Thousands of Jobs Through Revival of Textile Industry
Could Zamfara's once-booming textile industry make a comeback? Governor Dauda Lawal believes reviving cotton processing and manufacturing could create thousands of jobs and transform the state's economy. Here's how he plans to make it happen.
Read More ( 4 min. read)→
OGOCHUKWU MAGDALENE OBIA
MTN Made ₦3 Trillion in Six Months and Plans to Pay ₦26 Per Share. Why Is Your Network Still Buffering?
MTN Nigeria made over ₦3 trillion in six months and declared a ₦26 dividend, but why are customers still battling slow data and frozen video calls?Owobu Maureen
Sanusi Hails CBN Reforms, Says Nigeria's Economy Is Growing Faster Than Population
Is Nigeria's economy finally turning a corner? Former CBN Governor and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says the economy is now growing faster than the population for the first time in years. Here's why he believes the CBN's reforms could mark a major turning point.Ogochukwu Magdalene Obia
Behind Every Grocery Startup Shutdown Is A Bigger Question About Nigeria's Consumer Economy.
Nigeria's online grocery market has witnessed repeated startup failures despite growing demand for convenience. From consumer spending habits to infrastructure challenges and unit economics, these shutdowns reveal uncomfortable truths about Nigeria's eCommerce ecosystem.Precious O. Unusere
The Next Time You Hear "Iron Condemn," Remember You're Looking at a Multi-Billion Naira Economy
Nigeria's scrap metal industry is worth an estimated ₦200 billion, employing thousands of people and powering local manufacturing and exports. The next time you hear "iron condemn," you're looking at one of Nigeria's most underrated economies.Precious O. Unusere
Technology
70 Years Ago, Four Scientists Gave Artificial Intelligence Its Name
Seventy years ago, four scientists gave artificial intelligence its name. Today, we're living with the consequences of the idea they helped set in motion.
Read More ( 4 min. read)→ADEDOYIN OLUWADARASIMI
Airtel Money Wants a $10 Billion Valuation. Why Is It Choosing London?
Airtel Money is taking its planned $10 billion IPO to London, testing whether the exchange can still attract major African growth companies and global investors.Adedoyin Oluwadarasimi
An OpenAI AI Model Allegedly Stole Credentials and Breached a Rival's Systems During Testing. How Did This Happen?
The AI wasn't supposed to leave the test. It allegedly found its way online, hacked a rival company and tried to steal the answers. What really happened and why are experts saying this should worry everyone?Owobu Maureen
Why WhatsApp Channels Are Quietly Replacing News Sites
WhatsApp Channels are quietly becoming the go-to news source, reshaping how people consume journalism and leaving traditional news sites struggling to keep upzainab bakare
Voices in the Machine: Orange, OpenAI, and the Battle for African Tongue
The article discusses the partnership between Orange and OpenAI to deploy AI supporting African languages, framed as a step toward digital inclusivity. However, it raises critical questions about digital sovereignty, language representation, and cultural preservation in Africa. With over 2,000 languages, Africa's linguistic diversity is at stake as AI models may shape how these languages are digitized, interpreted, and controlled. The piece warns of potential "linguistic colonialism 2.0" if African oversight is lacking and highlights the need for local involvement in AI development.Olajide Ayodokun Felix
Discovery
Nigeria's Double Standard: Why Pickpockets Get Lynched and Fraudsters Get Applauded
From jungle justice to Yahoo Yahoo glorification, Nigeria's response to theft reveals a troubling double standard where poverty is punished and wealth is admired regardless of its source.
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ZAINAB BAKARE
Before Instagram and WhatsApp, Which Social Networks Ruled Nigeria?
Before Instagram, and WhatsApp dominated social media, forgotten platforms shaped Nigerian teenage culture, friendships and digital identity for an entire generation.Precious O. Unusere
The Nigerian Professor Who Drove a Brand-New Peugeot From London to Kano
In the 1970s, a young Nigerian academic bought a Peugeot 504 in Britain and drove it home to Kano, passing through France, Spain, and the Sahara Desert. This is the story of Professor Aminu Mohammed Dorayi, "The Adventurous Chemist."Adedoyin Oluwadarasimi
Every Nigerian Is Now a Media Company. What Does That Mean for Reputation, Work and Privacy?
Every Nigerian is becoming a media company. Your posts now shape your reputation, career, income and opportunities, often long before anyone meets you.Owobu Maureen
Who Should Be Held Responsible When Your Donated Clothes Become Someone Else's Pollution? - A Report
You donated your clothes hoping they'd get a second life. Instead, some end up in communities across Africa that are shouldering the environmental cost of the fashion industry's growing waste crisis. How can a simple act of goodwill become part of a much bigger global problem?Owobu Maureen
Opinion
Why Nigeria’s Births Should Not Worry Elon Musk
Elon Musk says Nigeria out-births the EU, but numbers alone won't build a country. What actually determines if 4 million babies become national power or national pressure?
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ZEALNEWS EDITORIAL
The War on Poverty is on Pause: What Tinubu’s Reforms Really Mean for the Average Nigerian
President Tinubu’s bold economic reforms promised long-term growth, but for many Nigerians, they’ve brought deeper poverty and hardship. Here’s what the reforms really mean for the average citizenzainab bakare
OPINION: Should Education Be Free To All?
This in-depth analysis examines the promise and pitfalls of tuition-free learning, from breaking cycles of poverty to fears of declining quality. With examples from Finland to sub-Saharan Africa, it explores how nations can balance equity, funding, and excellence in an age where knowledge is the key to progress.Eric Namso
Should Nigeria Adopt a Four-Day Work Week?
As countries experiment with shorter work weeks, Nigeria faces a pressing question: could a four-day schedule ease burnout, boost productivity, and reshape work culture—or would it clash with our unique economic realities?zainab bakare
How Remembering Ancestors Shapes Moral Philosophy
By reflecting on the lives of those who came before us—their virtues, mistakes, and choices—we uncover a deeper, more personal foundation for understanding right and wrong.Ibukun Oluwa
Lifestyle
World Breastfeeding Week: 10 Things Every Woman Should Know Before Having Her First Child
For World Breastfeeding Week, discover 10 important breastfeeding realities every first-time mother should know—from cracked nipples and mastitis to cluster feeding, breast engorgement, and postpartum emotional changes.
Read More ( 5 min. read)→ZAINAB BAKARE
Goodbye Corsets, Hello Oleku: Why Nigerian Women Are Falling in Love With Their Mothers' Fashion Again
Nigerian women are ditching uncomfortable corset gowns for stylish oleku-inspired buba and iro outfits. Discover why this nostalgic fashion trend is making a major comeback at weddings and owambes.Zainab Bakare
From Waist Trainers to Ozempic: The Body Standard Race
From waist trainers to Ozempic, the quest for the “perfect” body keeps evolving—but at what cost? Explore how social media, celebrity trends, and a billion-dollar industry fuel the never-ending body standard arms race.zainab bakare
10 Reasons Benin Republic Should Be on Your Travel Bucket List
Benin Republic is West Africa's most underrated travel destination from Ganvié's floating city and Ouidah's slave trade memorial to Pendjari's affordable safari and UNESCO royal palaces. Here's why it belongs on your bucket list before the crowds arrive.Zainab Bakare
Top 10 African Fashion Houses That Would Shut Down an African Met Gala
From Lisa Folawiyo to Thebe Magugu, these African fashion houses are redefining luxury and would dominate the red carpet if an African Met Gala ever became reality.Zainab Bakare
Entertainment
FIFA Wants Africa's Vote, But Is This About Football or the Future of Power?
FIFA needs Africa's 54 votes to push through one of the biggest commercial decisions in football history. But should the continent accept millions now or protect the future of the World Cup?
Read More ( 6 min. read)→
OWOBU MAUREEN
Who Is David Jonsson? The British-Nigerian Actor Chosen to Carry Black Panther Into a New Era
British-Nigerian actor David Jonsson has been cast as the adult T'Challa II in Black Panther 3. Here's everything to know about Marvel's new Black Panther and why his casting matters.Precious O. Unusere
WAFCON 2026: Malawi Stun Defending Champions Nigeria in Historic 3-2 Victory
Nigeria's WAFCON title defense suffered an early setback after a stunning 3-2 defeat to debutants Malawi. Here's how the historic upset unfolded and why the Super Falcons' clash with Zambia has become a must-win encounter.Ogochukwu Magdalene Obia
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Africa’s Tennis Renaissance: How Young Stars Are Shaping the Future of Global Sports
Africa’s young tennis stars are not just rising, they are reshaping the future of global sports through resilience, talent, and cultural prideAdedoyin Oluwadarasimi
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How Nollywood is Rewriting the African Narrative on a Global Stage
Nollywood is evolving beyond stereotypes and reshaping the global perception of Africa. From cultural preservation to streaming domination, this article explores how Nigeria’s film industry is impacting the world.Adedoyin Oluwadarasimi