- Dangote’s net worth hits $51.3 billion after releasing his IPO
- Lagos in darkness as Ikeja Electric blames TCN for outage
- Poco Lee granted bail in UK rape case as hearing holds today
- Dangote reveals he bought his first private jet at 22
- Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour over Palestine comments
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
Dangote’s net worth hits $51.3 billion after releasing his IPO
Aliko Dangote’s wealth has jumped to $51.3 billion, making him the world’s 36th richest person, according to Forbes’ Real Time Billionaires List. His fortune rose from $31.4 billion, marking a $19.9 billion increase.
The surge comes as Dangote Refinery begins its N2.15 trillion initial public offering (IPO) on the Nigerian Exchange. The company, valued at $50 billion, plans to expand production from 650,000 to 1.4 million barrels per day.
Dangote, who holds investments in cement, sugar, banking and oil, hopes the refinery’s value will reach $350 billion by 2030. The IPO closes on October 13.
Lagos in darkness as Ikeja Electric blames TCN for outage
Residents across Lagos have expressed frustration over power cuts lasting between three and five days. Customers in Akoka, Ojodu Berger, Ogudu and Shomolu took to social media to demand answers from Ikeja Electric.
The complaints come in the middle of rising fuel costs and charging fees, as some residents said they had experienced little or no electricity for days, affecting businesses and daily activities.
In a statement on Monday, Ikeja Electric blamed the outages on limited power supply from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The company apologised for the inconvenience, saying transmission network constraints had reduced its allocation and caused extended load-shedding. It added that discussions with TCN were ongoing to improve supply.
Poco Lee granted bail in UK rape case as hearing holds today
Nigerian dancer Iweh Pascal Odinaka, popularly known as Poco Lee, was granted bail on September 11, 2026, Snaresbrook Crown Court has confirmed. His plea and trial preparation hearing remains scheduled for September 15.
The clarification follows social media reports claiming the dancer had been released and that the complainant had withdrawn the case or reached a settlement.
Poco Lee faces charges of attempted rape, two counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration. During an Instagram Live session with VeryDarkMan, he denied committing the alleged offences and said his conscience was clear. The court has not announced a trial date.
Dangote reveals he bought his first private jet at 22
Aliko Dangote has revealed that he bought his first private jet at 22 and a half, reflecting on his business journey during the launch of Dangote Refinery’s IPO at the Nigerian Exchange in Lagos on Monday, September 14.
The billionaire said he had enjoyed his career but is now focused more on directing wealth into productive investments.
Dangote urged wealthy Nigerians with expensive private aircraft to invest in businesses that support economic growth. He said Nigeria could not reach its full potential without greater investment in production.
“We are not going to be a great nation without doing something productive,” he said.
Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour over Palestine comments
Macklemore says he has been removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after billionaire Robert Kraft objected to his comments about Palestine. The rapper made the remarks while opening for Sheeran at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
According to Macklemore, Kraft pressured Sheeran after the controversy, with other stadium owners allegedly issuing an ultimatum. Kraft confirmed that Gillette Stadium would not host the rapper, citing concerns over hate speech and alleged antisemitic rhetoric.
Tour promoter Messina Touring Group confirmed Macklemore would not perform at the remaining shows. The decision follows backlash after singer Pink reshared criticism of Macklemore.
