President Bola Tinubu has approved the enlistment of 94,000 new personnel into the armed forces and other security agencies as part of fresh measures to confront worsening insecurity across the country. The recruits will be spread across the Army, Air Force, Navy and paramilitary outfits to reinforce operations in insurgency‑hit and vulnerable areas.
Top security officials disclosed that the recruitment drive targets improved presence in rural communities, better border control and faster response to attacks. The government insists the expansion will be accompanied by new equipment, training and welfare packages, as it seeks to restore public confidence and protect economic activities disrupted by banditry and terrorism.
Source: Punch Newspapers – 12 Dec 2025
2025-12-12 10:00:00 Punch Newspapers – 12 Dec 2025 2025-12-12
ABIDJAN/YAOUNDÉ, December 2, 2025 — The African Development Bank Group has approved a €25 million trade finance facility for Cameroon’s Crédit Communautaire d’Afrique-Bank (CCA-Bank), aimed at expanding support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other businesses across key sectors of the economy.
The facility, cleared by the Bank’s Board of Directors at a session held on 1 December in Abidjan, will be deployed as a Transaction Guarantee, a risk-sharing instrument that provides cover to eligible African banks for their trade finance operations.
According to Lamin Drammeh, Head of the Bank Group’s Trade Finance Division, the guarantee will help unlock critical imports needed for Cameroon’s productive sectors.
“The facility will support Cameroon’s economy by facilitating imports of equipment for the industrial, agro-industrial and telecommunications sectors. It will also enable the African Development Bank to provide up to a 100 percent guarantee to confirming banks, to facilitate the confirmation of letters of credit and other similar trade finance instruments issued by CCA-Bank for the benefit of SMEs in Cameroon,” Drammeh explained.
Léandre Bassolé, Director General for the Bank’s Central Africa region, noted that the operation aligns with AfDB’s drive to deepen direct interventions in support of the private sector in Cameroon.
“It will strengthen CCA-Bank’s capacity to support the activities of SMEs, including those owned by women and young people, to boost the local productive sector, facilitate economic growth, and create and maintain thousands of jobs,” he said.
Welcoming what she described as a strategic milestone, CCA-Bank’s Managing Director, Marguerite Fonkwen Atanga, said the partnership would significantly enhance the bank’s ability to serve smaller businesses and emerging entrepreneurs.
“We would like to express our gratitude to the African Development Bank Group for this important trade finance facility. This strategic partnership marks a major milestone for our institution and will significantly strengthen our capacity to support small and medium-sized enterprises, women entrepreneurs and start-ups in Cameroon and Africa,” she stated.
Background: AfDB’s Transaction Guarantee
The Transaction Guarantee is a trade finance instrument introduced by the African Development Bank in 2021 to support commercial banks operating in Africa. It covers a range of trade-related instruments, including confirmed letters of credit, commercial loans, irrevocable repayment undertakings, endorsed drafts and promissory notes, among others.
The facility is available to banks registered and operating in Africa that have successfully passed the Bank’s due diligence process, helping them reduce perceived risk from international confirming banks and expand access to trade finance for their clients.
About the African Development Bank Group
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s leading development finance institution, comprising the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). With representation in 41 African countries and a field office in Japan, the Bank supports economic development and social progress across its 54 regional member states.
Source Credit:
African Development Bank Group (AfDB) – press release distributed by APO Group, 2 December 2025.
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen is trending for all the right reasons after being crowned Sportsman of the Year at the 2025 GQ Türkiye Men of the Year Awards.
According to entertainment and sports outlets, Osimhen received the honour at a colourful ceremony in Turkey, in recognition of his standout season and contribution to his club’s domestic double.
As photos and clips from the event filtered onto X and Instagram, Nigerians wasted no time in flooding timelines with congratulatory messages, edited graphics and playful “No be small flex” captions. Some fans joked that Osimhen is now “our own GQ model,” while others used the moment to reignite the long-running “best African striker” debates.
From memes about his trademark mask to serious conversations about his journey from the streets of Lagos to global stardom, the award has once again reminded fans why Osimhen remains one of Nigeria’s most loved football exports – both on and off the pitch.
Street-hop star Portable is stirring the waters again after boldly declaring in a fresh interview that he has helped more people than heavyweights Olamide, Davido and Wizkid.
Speaking on a televised entertainment programme, the controversial singer boasted that his street charity and constant support for the young boys around him beat anything the bigger stars have done. The comments were clipped and shared online, where they quickly exploded into a full debate.
Many social media users laughed off the claim as classic Portable drama and started listing scholarships, giveaways and life-changing opportunities linked to the three superstars. Others argued that the singer has also put upcoming artistes and crew members in the spotlight and deserved some credit for that.
As usual, the conversation ended up bigger than the quote itself, touching on visibility, receipts and how to measure who truly does the most for the streets. One thing is certain though: Portable has once again turned a simple chat into prime timeline content.
Nollywood powerhouse Funke Akindele is currently on a major promo run for her latest cinema projects, but it is a random fan’s request that has stolen the spotlight on social media.
In a clip that spread quickly across Instagram in September this year, a fan publicly begged the actress and filmmaker to buy them a phone. Rather than ignore the plea, Funke responded with her trademark humour, explaining that she cannot meet every personal demand while still encouraging fans to keep hustling and believing in their own journey.
The exchange instantly became meme material. Users chopped her response into short skits, captions and sound bites, joking about how many people want celebrities to solve all their problems. Some praised her for keeping it real about boundaries, while others laughed that they would still try their luck if they saw her.
All of this comes as red carpet photos from her recent movie premieres continue to dominate the timeline, proving that even when she is dropping life lessons, Funke Akindele knows how to keep both the box office and the banter busy.
Fans of Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo are breathing easier after colleague IK Ogbonna shared a rare video of him at a party, months after Ekubo quietly disappeared from social media.
In the short clip, Ogbonna records himself at an event before turning the camera to reveal Alex sitting beside him. The actor smiles when he realises he is on camera and the playful moment quickly went viral, with fans expressing relief and excitement in the comments.
Alex had stepped away from online platforms without any detailed explanation, which led to constant questions from his followers. His surprise appearance has now been taken as a reassuring hint that he is fine and living low key away from social media pressure.
Under the reposted video, users dropped messages such as “We missed you, chief” and “King is back, even if it is soft launch.” Many are now calling on the actor to return fully to Instagram and reclaim his spot on Nollywood’s playful side of the internet.
Nollywood star Regina Daniels appears to be choosing soft life over online drama as new photos and clips of her in the United Kingdom light up social media. She is currently spending time with her brother after weeks of intense conversations about her marriage to politician Ned Nwoko.
In one recent post that went viral, Regina spoke about the kind of revenge she loves, hinting that her preferred response is happiness, peace of mind and levelling up rather than clapbacks or arguments. Fans immediately linked the message to the noise around her private life and flooded the comments with support.
The updates show the actress looking relaxed and radiant, with many followers declaring that glow is the best revenge. Her decision to focus on family time and enjoyment abroad is being read as a clear signal that she is prioritising her wellbeing over social media chaos.
While she has not issued any long statement on her marital status, her content is sending a simple message to Nollywood watchers: she is choosing joy, travel and fresh energy, and leaving speculation to the blogs.
There is a fresh catchphrase trending in Nigerian pop culture and, as usual, Davido is at the centre of it.
Shortly after reports that Burna Boy allegedly ordered sleepy concert goers to leave his show, Davido shared a playful new line on social media. He did not mention any names, but fans immediately linked the timing to the viral sleeping fans story and turned the phrase into instant meme material.
Across Instagram, X and TikTok, users remixed the catchphrase into skits, captions and freestyles. Some interpreted it as gentle shade aimed at Burna Boy, while others treated it as harmless banter in the long-running rivalry between different fan bases.
Comment sections lit up with jokes and hot takes as people updated their imaginary scoreboards for subtle jabs. Whether the moment fades quietly or fuels a fresh round of stan wars, one thing is obvious: Naija pop culture does not sleep, even when some concert goers allegedly do.
Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy has once again become the centre of social media conversation after a video of him receiving medical treatment surfaced online. Fans shared the clip across Instagram and X, claiming he has been unwell for a while even as he tried to keep up with his United States tour dates.
The viral video shows the Grammy award winner lying down while hooked up for treatment. Comment sections quickly filled with prayers and well wishes, while others questioned whether his team should have forced a longer break much earlier in the tour.
Online, the discussion has shifted from show refunds to the intense pressure that comes with global touring. Some fans are urging the singer to prioritise his health over December performances, while others insist they would rather wait for a fully healthy Burna Boy than see him pushing through illness on stage.
As at the time of this report, there has been no detailed statement beyond confirmation that the Orlando concert was cancelled, but the video has intensified calls for the African Giant to slow down and reset.
A father, mother and child have died after a truck rammed into their vehicle on Lagos’ Otedola Bridge, with the driver reportedly fleeing the scene. The crash involved multiple vehicles and has renewed concern about reckless driving on Lagos highways.
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