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‎Lagos / Nigeria - Top Stories
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‎1. Kara Bridge repairs start today
‎The Federal Government is beginning repairs on the damaged expansion joints at the Kara Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway today, September 8. Expect traffic diversions if you're on that corridor.
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‎2. Dangote Refinery IPO - historic sale moves forward
‎Nigeria's Dangote oil refinery signed offering documents yesterday for its landmark IPO, on track to be Africa's biggest-ever share sale.
‎Offer period: September 14 to October 13
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‎Plan: 4.1 billion shares at ₦525 each, raising about ₦2.15 trillion ($1.63bn) if fully subscribed, with option for 30% more in case of oversubscription.
‎The 700,000 b/d plant on the outskirts of Lagos has already reshaped Nigeria's fuel market. Dangote Sugar also just raised ₦486bn ($368m) in a rights issue yesterday.
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‎3. Lagos infrastructure
‎Opebi Link Bridge will open to motorists before end of September, according to Gov. Sanwo-Olu. 431f7d87
‎Lagos to host 500+ maritime leaders for Lagos Maritime Week from Sept 8-10, focusing on blue economy, trade and security. 50e4
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‎4. Politics & Economy roundup from papers today:
‎Headlines are dominated by clashes over social intervention funds, and opposition talks ahead of 2027. 4390
‎Vanguard leads with FG domestic borrowing up 90% to ₦24.7trn in 8 months, squeezing businesses.
‎Osun APC says it is not challenging the Aug 15 governorship result at the tribunal, clarifying earlier reports.
‎NDC party warns against misinformation on ticket sales for 2027.
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‎5. Exchange & other notes
‎Dollar to Naira remains pressured — NaijaNews is tracking today's official rate.
‎Boxing returns to Nigeria: Balmoral Group & Amir Khan Promotions announced a major fight night in Lagos to be broadcast live on DAZN.
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‎World - 5 stories you might have missed overnight
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‎1. Indonesia airports reopen — Jakarta's main airport and four others reopened early Sept 8 after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau disrupted nearly 3,000 flights and stranded 340,000+ passengers over the weekend.
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‎2. UK to ban trade with Israeli West Bank settlements — Britain is set to announce a trade ban on goods produced in Israeli settlements as early as today, plus possible sanctions on settlement builders — a major shift in policy.
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‎3. Paris investigates Eiffel Tower incident — City authorities are probing claims that female staff were asked to hide during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation on Sept 5, leading to a staff protest that closed the monument late Sept 7.
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‎4. Europe's telcos eye Starlink rival — Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Vodafone and Telefonica are in early talks for a joint satellite-to-mobile venture to bid on EU-reserved spectrum.
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‎5. US Open tennis — Elena Rybakina beat Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 yesterday to reach her first US Open quarter-final, where she'll face China's Zheng Qinwen. A semi-final spot would make her World No.1

Monday Briefing

‎🇳🇬 Nigeria - lead story today
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‎Dangote Refinery IPO signing happening today in Lagos. The Dangote Group will sign documents for its refinery IPO at a ceremony at Eko Convention Centre around 12:00 noon WAT (1100 GMT). It's being called Africa's biggest-ever share sale.
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‎The IPO could raise about 2.15 trillion naira ($1.63bn) by selling 4.1 billion shares at 525 naira per share.
‎The order book is set to open September 14.
‎The 650,000 bpd refinery, built for about $20bn on the outskirts of Lagos, has been exporting jet fuel across Africa and Europe.
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‎Also in Nigeria:
‎Emirates restarts Lagos flights today, September 7, and Abuja from September 9.
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‎Newspaper roundup: Manufacturers Association of Nigeria says Q2 GDP growth of 4.43% is masking industrial crisis, and UN envoy Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed claims President Tinubu could face arrest in the US.
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‎🌍 World
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‎1. AI existential risk warning: UN rights chief Volker Turk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva today that AI could become powerful enough to threaten humanity, calling for “cast iron guarantees” on safety.
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‎2. Middle East: Israeli strikes on a southern Lebanese town early this morning killed at least 11 people including two children and two medics, per Lebanon's state news agency.
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‎3. Europe:
‎Germany's industrial production fell 1.1% in July, driven by a 9.2% drop in auto production — analysts had expected a rise.
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‎Serbia's government will propose dissolving parliament later today for a snap election this year.
‎London and European stocks were muted — oil up after fresh US-Iran attacks is stoking inflation fears. The pan-European STOXX 600 fell 0.1% early.
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‎4. Markets to watch this week:
‎US Fed decision Sept 15-16: traders pricing ∼58% chance of a hike ahead of Friday's CPI.
‎ECB expected to hike on Thursday, Bank of Japan expected to hike Sept 18. Yen hit a 7-month high today.
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‎5. India: Rescue operations continue after a building housing a boys' PG near Delhi University's South Campus collapsed Sunday. Delhi High Court agreed to hear a PIL today.

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Here's what's making headlines today

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‎🇳🇬 Nigeria — Top Stories
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‎1. Politics - Wike vs Amaechi ahead of 2027
‎FCT Minister Nyesom Wike dominated the news cycle yesterday in Rivers State. Speaking at a grand reception in Ikwerre LGA, he predicted ADC vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi would tell supporters to boycott the 2027 election before 11am on election day, saying Amaechi would realize he can't defeat the Rainbow Coalition in Rivers. He also mocked Amaechi's base: "If he wins his village, Ubima, then he has won the election."
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‎Wike also said the Rainbow Coalition will "copy Amaechi's definition of brotherhood" from 2015 — when Amaechi chose Buhari over Jonathan — and use it to back President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
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‎2. House of Reps - All ad-hoc committees dissolved
‎Speaker Tajudeen Abbas has dissolved all ad-hoc committees of the 10th House, effective August 28. This includes the Yusuf Gagdi-led panel investigating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council controversy.
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‎3. Insecurity debate
‎The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has accused the Federal Government of downplaying killings and kidnappings, rejecting Defence Minister Gen. Christopher Musa's claim that security has improved. APM cited Nigeria moving to 4th most insecure in the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, up from 6th in 2025.
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‎4. Nasarawa 2027
‎Former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu has emerged as the SDP governorship candidate in Nasarawa, winning a replacement primary in Lafia with 28,637 delegates participating.
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‎5. Entertainment
‎Nollywood actress Oluebube Obio says she was forced to attend an APC campaign event and was being blackmailed, while Isabell Idibia, daughter of Annie and 2Baba, said her mom's friendship with stylist Swanky Jerry is genuine, "not just for camera".
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‎🏀⚽ Sports
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‎D'Tigress: Nigeria's women's basketball team suffered a second straight loss at the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin, losing 71-67 to Hungary after an earlier 99-81 defeat to South Korea.
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‎Premier League: Erling Haaland scored the winner as Manchester City beat newly promoted Coventry City 1-0 to make it 3 wins from 3.
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‎US Open: Day 7 on Saturday saw top seed Alexander Zverev beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-2 7-6(2) 6-2, while Elena Rybakina, Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek all advanced to the last 16.
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‎🌍 World / Business
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‎OPEC+: The oil producers' group is set to keep output policy unchanged for October at today's meeting, sources told Reuters. The group needs to review capacity and set 2027 baselines before unwinding further cuts, and the ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has limited its market influence.
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‎China Banks: Two major state banks announced $39bn in capital-raising plans today — Agricultural Bank of China up to 160bn yuan ($24bn) and ICBC 100bn yuan ($15bn).