1. Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga Agboola rings the NYSE closing bell.
Olugbenga Agboola, the Chief Executive Officer of Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payment technology company, recently rang the closing bell for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This event was part of the Founders Day celebration in honour of Black History Month, which recognises the achievements, contributions, and history of African-Americans making significant strides in all areas of life.
2. Bola Ahmed Tinubu wins Nigeria’s Presidential election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, the winner of the 2023 Presidential elections. Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, was declared the president-elect after he polled 8,794,726 votes. He won the election ahead of other contenders — the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar; the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi; and the New Nigeria Peoples Party candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The three leading presidential candidates won in 12 states each, while Kwankwaso claimed only Kano State.
3. U.S. extends visa validity to five years for Nigerians.
The United States is set to increase visitor visa validity from 24 months to 60 months for Nigerians who want to enter the U.S. temporarily for business and/or tourism, a statement by the U.S. Consulate General said. The statement added that the new policy would start on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The statement by the U.S. Consulate also assured that the cost of the visa fee remains the same.
4. Wizkid’s “More Love, Less Ego” Tour Postponed to Fall 2023.
International music star, Ayodeji Balogun, professionally known as Wizkid, has postponed his anticipated ‘More Love, Less Ego’ tour.
Big Wiz made this known in a statement shared via his social media accounts, citing logistical issues.
❤️🦅 pic.twitter.com/XGDFeCfFZu
— Wizkid (@wizkidayo) March 1, 2023
While he was not specific about the new dates, the singer stated that the tour has been rescheduled to the fall season, that is, September to December 2023.
“Due to unforeseen logistical circumstances, the Wizkid – More Love, Less Ego Tour has been postponed to Fall 2023. All tickets purchased for the originally scheduled shows will be honoured on the new dates at the respective venues. Stay tuned for more information,” the statement read.
5. Tobi Amusan Nominated for 2023 Laureus Award.
Nigeria’s 100 metres hurdles World Record holder, Oluwatobiloba Amusan, 25, has been nominated for the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards. She is the first Nigerian male or female athlete to be nominated for the prestigious Laureus Award. Amusan’s nomination for the World Breakthrough of the Year award is connected to her impressive performance on the track in 2022. She won every trophy available in the sport in addition to erasing American Kendra Harrison’s world record of 12.20secs set in 2016.
First held in 2000, the Laureus World Sports Awards honours the greatest and most inspirational sporting triumphs of the year and showcases the work of Laureus Sport for Good.
6. Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid to headline Afro-nation Portugal.
Nigeria’s hip-hop giants, Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido, have been named among the artistes to headline the 2023 Afro Nation concert in Portugal. In a post shared across its social media handles, the organisers announced the three music heavyweights alongside 50 Cent, the U.S. rapper, as its headliners. Afro Nation is an annual event celebrating Africans in the diaspora. The festival is arguably one of the biggest music concerts in the world. This year’s edition tagged ‘Phase Two’, is set to hold between July 28 and 30 at the Algarve Portimao in Portugal.
7. Ireti Kingibe wins FCT Senate seat.
Ireti Kingibe of the Labour Party has won the FCT senatorial seat in the general elections held on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
She defeated three-term PDP senator Philips Taminu Aduda by a significant margin to win the FCT Senate seat.
8. TikTok sets a 60-minute daily screen limit for users under 18.
Social platform TikTok has announced new features for teens and families, including a 60-minute daily screen limit for all users under 18. It will be automatically set to every account for one hour, but users can opt-out and set their limits. The app will also add more screen time management features, including a reminder for users that turned off the 60-minute limit but spent more than 100 minutes. Parents can control it, add a passcode and extend this period to 30 minutes.
9. Africa Magic announces 9th edition of AMVCAs, calls for entries.
Following the extravagant eight-day outing in 2022, the organisers of Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, MultiChoice Nigeria and Africa Magic are set to roll out the red carpet again for the 9th edition of the prestigious award ceremony. The organisers are calling all African filmmakers to submit their movies and films publicly exhibited or broadcast between December 1, 2021, and January 31, 2023, for this year’s edition of the awards. The entry portal opened on February 20 and will close on March 10, 2023. All films (aired in cinemas or otherwise), made-for-television movies or television series are eligible so long as they fall within the specified timeline.
10. Tiwa Savage directs new movie, ‘Water and Garri’.
Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage, is set to make her first acting role as the lead actress in a new movie titled ‘Water and Garri’. She will also be making her directorial debut in the movie.
View this post on Instagram
Speaking about the movie on her Instagram page, she wrote, “This is about to be an ICONIC moment. My first lead role as an actor and Executive producer. Directed by the GOAT @mejialabi. “Water And Garri the Film Coming soon.”
In the movie, she plays the part of a fashion designer with a promising career in the United States who returned to her native continent of Africa to deal with the guilt she left behind. It is set in the Ghanaian city of Cape Coast.
