Easter Sunday
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TWN NEWS
WEEKLY EDITION
Week Ending: Sunday, 5 April 2026
Easter Sunday Edition | Lagos, Nigeria
Easter Sunday Edition | Lagos, Nigeria
■ Nigeria's Premier Weekly News Digest
Sunday, 5 April 2026 | Lagos Time (WAT)
📰
Top Stories — 30 March to 5 April 2026
News Roundup
💳 Fintech & Banking
01
Flutterwave Secures Nigerian Banking Licence — Africa's Fintech Giant Steps Into Full Banking
In the biggest fintech milestone of the year, Flutterwave this week secured a Nigerian banking licence from the CBN — a watershed moment that transforms the continent's leading payments company into a fully integrated financial services platform. Having processed over $40 billion in payments and more than one billion transactions across a decade of operations, Flutterwave can now hold customer deposits, issue loans, manage payroll, and offer multi-currency accounts directly. The licence — acquired through the company's January purchase of open banking startup Mono — removes Flutterwave's dependence on commercial bank partnerships and dramatically improves its margins. CEO Olugbenga Agboola described it as "stepping into the core of the system." The CBN also selected Flutterwave and Paystack for a new virtual-asset supervision pilot, signalling a broader move to regulate Nigeria's digital asset ecosystem. Flutterwave expects group-level profitability in 2026, with an IPO beginning in Nigeria.
⚖️ Security & Politics
02
DSS Detains El-Rufai After Court; Plateau Attacks Spark National Outrage
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai was taken into DSS custody this week immediately after appearing at the Federal High Court in Kaduna for a hearing on his bail application in an ongoing corruption trial. DSS vehicles surrounded the court premises before proceedings began; El-Rufai was transported to Abuja under tight security. His bail ruling has been fixed for April 14. Separately, deadly attacks in Plateau State triggered a national emergency response: President Tinubu ordered security agencies to hunt down perpetrators and deployed additional Army units. The Federal Government also announced plans to deploy AI-enabled camera networks to improve intelligence-led security operations. The Benue, Bauchi, and Kogi state governments evacuated hundreds of UNIJOS students as a precaution. US Senator Ted Cruz condemned the killings, describing them as attacks by jihadist groups on Nigerian Christians.
📊 NGX Markets
03
NGX Closes Easter Week Higher at 201,698 Despite Holiday-Shortened Trading
The Nigerian Exchange operated for just four days this week — the Federal Government declared Good Friday (April 3) and Easter Monday (April 6) as public holidays — yet the market still managed a positive close. The All-Share Index rose 0.39% from 200,913.06 to 201,698.89, with market capitalisation climbing to ₦129.80 trillion. Total turnover for the shortened week was 2.85 billion shares worth ₦113.59 billion across 215,287 deals — a 43.57% decline in value compared to the prior week, reflecting the holiday effect. Financial services dominated, accounting for 63.41% of volume. Top gainers included Unilever Nigeria (+10%), Fortis Global Insurance (+9.82%), Multiverse Mining (+9.81%), and Legend Internet (+9.38%). The YTD gain now stands at approximately 29.60%, affirming Nigeria's equity market as one of Africa's top performers in 2026.
⚡ Economy & Policy
04
Senate Extends 2025 Budget Capital Implementation; Transport Minister Resigns for Gombe Governorship
Nigeria's Senate passed a bill this week extending the implementation of the capital expenditure component of the 2025 budget through to June 30, 2026, responding to perennial delays in project execution that have dogged public infrastructure delivery. In a surprise political move, Minister of Transportation Saidu Ahmed Alkali resigned his cabinet position to pursue the Gombe State governorship seat ahead of the 2027 elections — a signal that the pre-election jostling has already begun across the country. Senate President Godswill Akpabio used the Easter season to call on Nigerians to live in peace, show tolerance, and respect one another regardless of religion or ethnicity — a message that resonated deeply in the wake of the Plateau killings. INEC also moved to clarify its voter revalidation plans after leaked memos sparked confusion among political parties about the 2027 election timeline.
🛒 Cost of Living
05
Easter Shopping Rush Slows as Rising Food Prices Bite; Lagosians Cut Back on Festive Spending
The traditional Easter shopping surge across Lagos markets was notably subdued this year, as rising food prices forced millions of residents to significantly cut back on purchases, a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria confirmed. Traders across Mile 12, Oyingbo, and Balogun markets reported slower-than-usual patronage, with shoppers prioritising necessities over festive items. The cost-of-living crisis continues to reshape household budgets, even as macroeconomic indicators improve. Nigeria's digital economy, meanwhile, contributed over 18% to national GDP this quarter — though a significant gender gap in digital skills continues to limit women's full participation. Google also announced the global expansion of its Search Live feature and a new Gemini 3.1 Flash Live voice model, with Nigeria among the key African markets to benefit.
⚽ Sports
06
DR Congo Qualify for 2026 World Cup; Super Eagles' CAS Appeal Fails — Nigeria Watches From the Sidelines
DR Congo confirmed their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification this week after winning an extra-time intercontinental playoff, dashing Nigeria's hopes of a last-minute reprieve through the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Super Eagles' complaint over DR Congo's alleged use of ineligible dual-nationality players was not resolved in time, meaning Nigeria will not feature at this summer's World Cup — a bitter blow for a footballing nation of over 240 million. Italy also notably failed to qualify for the tournament, in what FIFA described as one of the greatest shocks in World Cup history. On a brighter note, Frank Onyeka's superb strike earned Coventry City a 3-2 win over Derby County in the Championship, with the club celebrating in Pidgin English on social media. Team Nigeria's Commonwealth Games ambassadors were unveiled ahead of the Glasgow Games (July 23–August 2), with JAMB also confirming the 2026 UTME starts April 16.
🌐 Global & Nigeria
07
US-Iran War Escalates; Nigeria Navigates Oil Price Volatility and Middle East Tensions
The US-Iran war entered a new and dangerous phase this week, with Iran claiming to have shot down a US A-10 aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz on April 3 — the fourth major strike incident since the conflict began on February 28. President Trump doubled down on his war posture in a prime-time national address, while oil markets responded with sustained volatility. CBN Governor Cardoso reiterated his warning that the Middle East conflict poses a significant risk to Nigeria's economy through elevated import costs and exchange rate pressure. On the positive side, Nigeria's Brent-above-$100 windfall continues to exceed budget benchmarks, providing fiscal breathing room. Iran's oil exports from Kharg Island have paradoxically continued even as the war rages, according to Iranian state media, complicating the global supply picture.
🎭 Culture & Entertainment
08
2Baba Marks 25 Years; Nollywood Arrives Globally; Wike Faces Backlash Over Journalist Threat
Nigerian music icon 2Baba (Innocent Idibia) delivered a spectacular performance in Lagos this week marking 25 years in the music industry — a milestone that underscored Afrobeats' generational depth. Nollywood also received major international recognition this week, with analysts declaring that Nigeria's film industry has "arrived" on the global stage, no longer merely "emerging." FCT Minister Nyesom Wike came under intense criticism and an Amnesty International rebuke after comments suggesting he would have "shot" a Channels TV presenter during a live interview. LASTMA also opened an investigation into officers allegedly extorting ₦100,000 from motorists on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. In a lighter moment, controversial singer Portable was filmed fighting on stage during an Easter show in Lagos's Agbado area.
⚡ Energy
09
PENGASSAN Suspends Strike Against Seplat; Adeleye Falade Named New NLNG CEO
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria suspended its industrial action against Seplat Energy this week after the company's management made fresh commitments to address workers' welfare concerns and finalise the 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement. The suspension averted what could have been a significant disruption to Nigeria's upstream oil and gas operations. In a key leadership change, Adeleye Falade was named the new Managing Director and CEO of Nigeria LNG, taking over one of Nigeria's most critical export infrastructure companies at a time of record global LNG demand. The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation also processed fresh payments to depositors of the defunct Heritage Bank, though families remain frustrated at the slow pace of the liquidation process.
🏛️ Politics
10
ADC Crisis Deepens; Kwankwaso Defects; APC Warns of 2027 Consequences
Nigeria's opposition political landscape continued to fracture this week. INEC rejected Nafiu Bala Gombe's claim as Acting ADC National Chairman and deleted former Senate President David Mark's name from its official records — a significant ruling that deepened the ADC's leadership crisis. The APC warned that former Kano Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso's reported move to the ADC could create serious 2027 election complications for the ruling party in the North. Former Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun publicly expressed regret for not institutionalising the Whistle Blower Policy during her tenure. An anti-corruption group this week launched a whistleblower protection initiative and announced a competition to encourage Nigerians to expose graft and institutional abuse.
🕊️
Food for Thought
Easter Reflection
Peace, Love & Kindness — The Revolution That Never Trends
On this Easter Sunday, as the world pauses to remember the most radical act of love ever committed — a life given freely for the sake of others — it is worth asking ourselves a simple, unsettling question: What would change if we chose, deliberately and daily, to lead with peace, love, and kindness?
Not the passive kindness that waits for others to go first. Not the conditional love that requires a return. Not the fragile peace that shatters at the first sign of disagreement. But the deep, rooted kind — the kind that ancient mystics wrote about, that philosophers spent lifetimes pursuing, that every great religious and moral tradition has placed at its very centre.
Peace is not the absence of conflict. It is the courageous presence of justice — the willingness to sit with discomfort rather than inflict it on someone else. In a world that profits from outrage and rewards division, choosing peace is one of the most rebellious things a human being can do.
Love, in its truest form, is not a feeling but a decision. It is the choice to see the humanity in a person who looks different, thinks differently, or has wronged you. Every great civilisation in history — every lasting community, every resilient family — was built not on agreement but on the bedrock commitment to keep showing up for one another with care.
And kindness — small, daily, effortless kindness — may be the most underrated force in the universe. A kind word costs nothing and can change everything. Science confirms what the soul already knows: acts of kindness improve the mental health of both giver and receiver, reduce stress hormones, strengthen communities, and — remarkably — ripple outward to strangers who witness them.
Today, on Easter Sunday, we do not need to wait for a policy, a president, or a perfect moment. We can begin the revolution quietly, in our homes, our streets, our offices. With one kind word. With one deliberate act of grace. With the patient, persistent, unconquerable choice to love.
Not the passive kindness that waits for others to go first. Not the conditional love that requires a return. Not the fragile peace that shatters at the first sign of disagreement. But the deep, rooted kind — the kind that ancient mystics wrote about, that philosophers spent lifetimes pursuing, that every great religious and moral tradition has placed at its very centre.
Peace is not the absence of conflict. It is the courageous presence of justice — the willingness to sit with discomfort rather than inflict it on someone else. In a world that profits from outrage and rewards division, choosing peace is one of the most rebellious things a human being can do.
Love, in its truest form, is not a feeling but a decision. It is the choice to see the humanity in a person who looks different, thinks differently, or has wronged you. Every great civilisation in history — every lasting community, every resilient family — was built not on agreement but on the bedrock commitment to keep showing up for one another with care.
And kindness — small, daily, effortless kindness — may be the most underrated force in the universe. A kind word costs nothing and can change everything. Science confirms what the soul already knows: acts of kindness improve the mental health of both giver and receiver, reduce stress hormones, strengthen communities, and — remarkably — ripple outward to strangers who witness them.
Today, on Easter Sunday, we do not need to wait for a policy, a president, or a perfect moment. We can begin the revolution quietly, in our homes, our streets, our offices. With one kind word. With one deliberate act of grace. With the patient, persistent, unconquerable choice to love.
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."
— Rumi, 13th Century Persian Poet & Mystic
"Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. Help someone's soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd."
— Rumi
"No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
— Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
— Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself."
— Rumi
This Easter, TWN News invites you to carry one truth forward: You are already equipped to change the world around you — not with power or position, but with peace, love, and one act of genuine kindness at a time.
Happy Easter from all of us at TWN News. 🌸✝️🕊️
Happy Easter from all of us at TWN News. 🌸✝️🕊️
TWN
© 2026 TWN News | Easter Sunday Edition · 5 April 2026 | All Rights Reserved
✝️ He is Risen! Happy Easter to all our readers. ✝️
✝️ He is Risen! Happy Easter to all our readers. ✝️
Lagos, Nigeria | Trusted · Weekly · News
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