68th Grammy Awards

Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, WizKid, Davido and Omah Lay Make Recording Academy Nomination List

The Recording Academy has unveiled the nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards; scheduled to hold on Sunday February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena Los Angeles United States.

Leading the 68th Annual Grammy Awards nomination list is American Rapper Kendrick Lamar with nine nods of the 95 Grammy categories.

The "Loyalty" hit maker Kendrick Lamar has been nominated in the Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Rap Album among other categories.

At the 2025 music awards Kendrick Lamar took home five awards: Best Rap Song, Song of the year, Record of the year, Best Rap Performance and the Best Music Video.

Next is American Rapper and Songwriter Lady Gaga with seven nominations, while Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny were nominated in six categories each.

Sitting pretty in the Best African Music Performance category are Nigerian superstars WizKid, Davido, Burna Boy, Omah Lay and Ayra Starr.

To qualify for the 68th Grammy Nomination a song or album must have been released between August 31st, 2024, and August 30th, 2025.

Fidelity Bank GAIM 6 Promo

From Market Stall To Millionaire: Fidelity Bank Transforms Petty Trader's Life

Are you still in doubt as to the Fidelity Bank GAIM Season 6 Promo aimed at deepening financial inclusion and rewarding customer loyalty? Well, here's the story of Francesca Ogbonnaya; a "Fufu Seller".

Question: Let’s start this interview with a general introduction of yourself. Tell us about yourself as a customer of Fidelity Bank?

Response: My name is Mrs. Francesca Ogbonnaya and I am from Delta State while my husband is from Ebonyi State, South – East Nigeria. I was born here in Kano State, which means I have been in the state for so long. I am a trader and as you can see, my business inside the market is trading. I sell fufu to different customers who buy and then resell in their restaurants or feed their families at home. I started banking with Fidelity Bank, about a year ago, that is sometime in 2024. And I have been with the bank since then.

Question: Talking of banking with Fidelity Bank, may we know what inspired you to register with the bank instead of any other bank?

Answer: I think that my relationship with my former bank was not satisfactory enough. I had been hearing about Fidelity Bank and what I heard was encouraging. And so, when it was time to change my bank, Fidelity Bank naturally came to my mind. And I can tell you that I have not been disappointed. This is because all those good things that were said about the bank before I opened an account, I have experienced them while banking with them. Their staff attend to customers very well, and whenever I call my account officer, he attends to me very well. Each time I call on him regarding my account, he is on standby to help me.

Question: When did you open an account with the bank?

Response: Like I said earlier, I opened an account with the bank last year, around January or February 2024. And I opened a Savings Account.

Question: What is your experience with the bank. Is it wonderful? And if yes, why?

Response: My experience with the bank can only be described as wonderful. Apart from all other services, this is the first time I am experiencing a thing like this. I have never experienced any bank in Nigeria where I won in a savings promo. With this alone, I will say that my experience with the bank has been wonderful, really wonderful because I never expected anything like this. I also never knew of the GAIM 6 promo. I just woke up one day and found that I have won such an amount of money from the bank. This is why I will repeat that they are a wonderful bank, they are a bank for the people.

Question: You mean you didn’t know about GAIM 6 or any promotion, that you were just putting in your regular money and you won?

Response: Yes! I had no idea of an on- going promotion by the bank. I deposit money with them every day. Every day, at the end of business, I put in something into my account, no matter how small. I make sure I put money every day and I withdraw when I want to withdraw. Any amount I seek to withdraw, they give to me without wasting time.

I really didn’t know about any promo. As you can see in the market, I don’t have time for myself, talk less of having time to know about the Fidelity Bank's Get Alert In Millions promo. I didn’t know of it. All I know is that one day, they called me on my phone number to inform me that I had won an amount of money in season 6 of GAIM. And that is all.

Question: When you received the news that you had won some money from the bank, how did you feel?

Response: The truth is I was sick on that day; I was actually lying on a sick bed when they called me to announce that I had won the sum of N1million from them. It was incredible. I was very, very happy and surprisingly, I jumped up and ran to my business outfit here to tell them the good news from the bank. At first, people around me did not want to believe, that it might be a scam. I told them that I trust my bank. And all they asked me to do was to go their branch to claim my money, which is what I did.

Question: Moving forward, what do you intend to do with the money you just won from the bank? Or put another way, what have you done with your money?

Response: Well, I have added it to my business capital and that has made my business bigger than what it was before the GAIM 6 promo money. I followed the advice of the bank when I won the money and I can tell you they did not just leave me. They told me what and what I should do and I can tell you that my business has recorded an improvement. We are now doing better than we were doing before the promotion money came.

Question: What is your message to the management of Fidelity Bank?

Response: First, I want to thank the bank for the efforts they are putting in ensuring that their customers are satisfied. I pray that they continue to support their customers and I beg them to continue. This is because if they extend this sort of promotion money for a longer time, they would be making more people to become rich. They would be helping hands. So, I am begging God that they should not stop or halt this promotion. It should continue and it should touch the poor, so that more customers will be made rich by the help of the bank.

Question: What is your message to Nigerians that are not yet banking with Fidelity Bank? What is your advice drawing from your experience?

Response: Well, I will say that Fidelity Bank is a good bank. It is a place you bank and you don’t have to worry about the safety of your money. Instead, your money can even make you a millionaire. The Get Alert In Million Season 6 promo can change their lives as it has changed my own. So, I urge my fellow Nigerians to come and join us at Fidelity Bank because Fidelity Bank is a bank you can trust and we their customers are proud of them.

Sterling Profit Surge

Sterling HoldCo Builds On Upward Earnings Trajectory With 127% Profit Growth

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc has announced its unaudited financial results for the nine-month-period ended September 30, 2025; posting an impressive 127% year-on-year growth in Profit After Tax (PAT) to ₦62.3 billion. 

The performance is testament to the Group’s robust earnings capacity, operational efficiency and disciplined execution.

The Group’s gross earnings rose by 44.1% to ₦341.7 billion (September 2024: ₦237.2 billion), driven by solid performances in both interest and non-interest income lines.

 Interest income grew by 38.7% to ₦262.4 billion, supported by an expanded earning asset base, while non-interest income surged by 65.1% to ₦79.2 billion; reflecting the Group’s continued success in diversifying its revenue streams.

Sterling HoldCo maintained a healthy balance sheet, with total assets rising by 15.5% from ₦3.54 trillion in December 2024 to ₦4.09 trillion in September 2025, driven by growth in loans, investment securities, and liquid assets. 

Customer deposits also grew by 14.3% to ₦2.88 trillion, while shareholders’ funds increased by 32.9% to ₦405.5 billion; up from ₦305.2 billion in December 2024, highlighting the Group’s solid capital base and its capacity to sustain future expansion.

Commenting on the results, Yemi Odubiyi; the Group Chief Executive, Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, said: “Our performance over the first nine months of 2025 demonstrates the strength and adaptability of our Group structure. 

The significant growth in profit after tax underscores the success of our strategy to operate as a diversified financial services Group delivering value through our conventional, non-interest banking and asset management subsidiaries.

Our results highlight disciplined risk management, innovative product delivery and an unrelenting focus on sectors that drive real economic impact. 

Hence the Group is grateful to its shareholders and the investing public for their confidence as reflected in the resounding success of the recently concluded public offer of 12.58 billion ordinary shares. 

As the Group continues to invest in technology and operational excellence, the goal remains 

clear: to build a resilient institution that consistently delivers sustainable returns.”

With deepening synergies across its subsidiaries, Sterling HoldCo remains firmly on course to sustain its growth momentum through the final quarter of the year. 

The Group is strategically positioned to scale its presence across Nigeria’s high impact

sectors, advance financial inclusion as well power innovation that drives real-sector growth.

Guided by its heritage of trust and a commitment to excellence, Sterling 

HoldCo continues to champion sustainable finance and technology-driven solutions 

shaping the future of African financial services.

With a heritage of trust built over six decades, Sterling HoldCo is committed to financial innovation, advancing inclusion and shaping sustainable growth in Nigeria’s economy.

 The Group champions customer-focused solutions and socially responsible initiatives while creating value for shareholders, employees, and the communities it serves. 

The Group continues to pioneer offerings across its core businesses in banking,

 payments, and technology-driven financial services.

Extension: Fidelity Bank’s GAIM 6 Promo

A Timely Boost for Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment

Fidelity Bank Plc has taken a bold step to deepen financial inclusion as well reward customer loyalty by extending its flagship savings campaign, the Get Alert in Millions (GAIM) Season 6 promo; aimed at opening up the economy and empowering its citizens.

The promo now extended by three months campaign raises the total prize pool from ₦159 million to a record ₦189 million. 

The move, announced in September 2025, came at a critical time when the country’s economic landscape required innovative financial solutions and inclusive banking strategies.

Nigeria’s economy, while resilient, faces persistent challenges including inflation, currency volatility, and limited access to formal financial services. 

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), recent reforms such as exchange rate unification and bank re-capitalization are aimed at stabilizing the macroeconomic environment and positioning the banking sector to support a $1 trillion economy. The CBN’s Payment System Vision 2028 also underscores the importance of digital transformation and financial inclusion as tools for economic development.

Hence the Fidelity Bank GAIM 6 promo is more than a marketing campaign, it is a strategic intervention that aligns with national goals. 

By incentivizing savings and expanding access to banking services, the promo contributes to the broader mission of empowering underserved communities and fostering economic resilience.

The extension of GAIM 6 coincides with the 2025 World Savings Day which is being celebrated annually on October 31st; a global observance which promotes the importance of saving as a pathway to financial security and economic stability. 

Fidelity Bank’s decision to extend GAIM 6 during this period amplifies the theme of the 2025 World Savings Day - “This is not a savings account”, encouraging Nigerians to cultivate smart financial habits and leverage digital banking platforms for long-term growth.

Osita Ede, Divisional Head of Product Development at Fidelity Bank, while interacting with the media emphasized the bank’s commitment to listening to its customers. “They asked for more opportunities to benefit from the promo, and we listened. With management and regulatory consent, we’re thrilled to keep the excitement going for another three months,” Ede said.

L – R: Direct Sales Executive, Fidelity Bank Plc, Adegboyega Ademokunwa; GAIM 6 Eight Monthly draw Winner, Innocent Okoro Orji; Branch Leader, Fidelity Bank Plc, Gbagada, Chinwe Umez-Eronini; and Product Manager, Savings, Fidelity Bank Plc, at the GAIM 6 prize presentation ceremony held at Gbagada Building Materials market in Lagos recently.

While several Nigerian banks run savings promotions, GAIM 6 distinguishes itself through its scale, inclusivity, and strategic design. The campaign targets a wide demographic, including NYSC corps members, women, children, and market clusters—segments often excluded from formal banking. Winners are selected through electronic draws supervised by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), ensuring transparency and fairness.

Unlike promos that focus solely on high-value deposits, GAIM 6 allows participation with deposits as low as ₦2,000. This democratizes access and encourages participation from low-income earners. Moreover, the campaign integrates financial advisory support through the Fidelity SME Hub, helping winners make informed decisions about their rewards.

NDLEA Arrest

Anti- Narcotics Agency Uncovers Hard Drugs From A Lagos Laboratory 

The Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a secret laboratory being used for the production of Colorado; a potent synthetic strain of cannabis which was discovered in a residential building in  Ajao Estate area Isolo, Lagos State.

Spokesperson NDLEA Femi Babafemi gave the hint in a statement on Sunday November 2, 2025 that the lab owner 30-year-old Stephen Kelechi Imoh, was arrested during a raid following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering on the local production of the psychoactive substance.

The statement reads: “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a clandestine laboratory where Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis is being produced in a residential building located at Ajao Estate, Isolo Lagos with large quantities of freshly cooked Colos and various precursor chemicals for drug production recovered and the 30-year-old lab owner, Stephen Kelechi Imoh arrested.”

Babafemi, explained that the breakthrough came after NDLEA operatives intercepted multiple consignments of Colorado in March and May 2025, a discovery that suggested the substance, previously imported into Nigeria, was now being locally produced.

“The discovery followed months of intelligence gathering on possible Colos laboratories in Lagos after NDLEA officers intercepted consignments of freshly produced Colos in March and May 2025 in the state, a development that suggested that the dangerous psychoactive substance, which was hitherto imported into the country, was now locally produced.

“Recovered items included 16.2kg of freshly cooked Colos, 1.7kg of ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinol, 4.5kg of Potassium Carbonate, and 91 litres of Dibromobutane, all used in the manufacture of synthetic cannabis.

“The effort paid off on Thursday 30th October 2025 when NDLEA officers raided the residential apartment in Ajao estate, Isolo Lagos which Kelechi converted to a laboratory for cooking Colos, a strain of cannabis produced with the psychoactive plant and various chemicals.

“In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 1st November raided the enclave of a 28-year-old drug dealer Afeez Salisu (alias Malu) in Mushin where 16 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis as well as designer sachets and bottles of Colorado weighing 16.4kg were recovered from him,” the statement read.

Similarly, a 20-year-old music artist, Godspower George Osahenrumwen, popularly known as Steady Boy, was arrested while attempting to take delivery of 77.2kg of Loud cannabis concealed in three cartons of bathtubs imported from New York, United States.

Abuja/London Flight Operations

Fidelity Bank Lauds Air Peace On Maiden Heathrow Flight

Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has lauded Air Peace for its historic inaugural direct flight from Abuja to London Heathrow, a milestone described as a bold testament to Nigeria's excellence in global aviation.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe in a statement issued following the launch, commended Air Peace for its resilience and vision; noting that the airline’s expansion into the London Heathrow route is a reflection of the strength of indigenous enterprise and the growing confidence in Nigeria’s aviation sector.

“We warmly congratulate Air Peace on the launch of its direct flights between Abuja and London Heathrow. This remarkable achievement marks another significant milestone in Air Peace’s journey and reflects its unwavering commitment to advancing the Nigerian aviation industry.

“Fidelity Bank is honoured to have been a trusted partner to Air Peace since it began operations 11 years ago. Our relationship has been built on shared values, strategic collaboration and a deep commitment to national progress. Today’s success is not only a triumph for Air Peace, it is a proud moment for Nigeria.

“We celebrate the Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Dr Allen Onyema, his dedicated team and all Nigerians who share in this achievement”.

The Fidelity Bank CEO also highlighted the bank's longstanding role as a financial partner to key players in the aviation industry, reaffirming its position as a market leader in aviation financing and support services.

“Our partnership with Air Peace reflects our belief in the potential of Nigerian businesses to compete and thrive on the global stage. We have consistently backed the airline’s growth ambitions and will continue to do so as it opens new routes".

The MD also extended congratulations to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for his proactive support of local operators. “The Honourable Minister’s efforts to create an enabling environment for indigenous airlines are yielding tangible results. This Heathrow route launch is a clear example of what is possible when government and private sector work together”.

Air Peace’s new Abuja–London Heathrow route marks its second direct flight service to the United Kingdom, following the successful launch of the Lagos–London route earlier in the year. 

This development is expected to boost connectivity, reduce travel costs and enhance Nigeria’s presence in international aviation.

Fintech Operations

House of Reps Passes Bill To Regulate Fintech Operations In Nigeria 

A bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Fintech Regulatory Commission; a regulatory body whose statutory function is to monitor and regulate the rapid growth of the Fintech industry in Nigeria has passed through its second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill sponsored by Fuad Laguda, lawmaker representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency 1 of Lagos State underscored the need to address public concerns on commercial protection, financial stability and the prevention of financial crimes.

Laguda explained that the legislative framework became necessary following the exponential growth of Fintechs in recent years; with millions of Nigerians having to rely on digital payment platforms, mobile money services and other Fintech products for their financial transactions.

The lawmaker described as worrisome the lack of a clear regulatory framework which has led to concerns about the commercial protection, financial stability and prevention of financial crimes.

He explained that the objective of the proposed Nigerian Fintech Regulatory Commission bill is to give a clear regulatory framework for the operations of the Fintech industry.

The legislation, the lawmaker said would ensure that Fintech operators comply with the established standards and guidelines protect consumers by ensuring that fintech companies operate fairly, transparently, securely as well promote innovation in the Fintech sector; while minimising the risk to financial stability.