Category: 📈Trends

Popular Sevilla striker Akor Adams will miss the rest of the 2024/25 campaign after suffering a serious thigh injury during the recent 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid on Sunday, the club have confirmed.

The 25-year-old Nigerian forward, who joined from Montpellier in January for €5.5m, has been sidelined with a rectus femoris muscle injury in his right thigh.

Sevilla confirmed he faces a minimum of two months out, effectively ending his season.

“Adams will begin his recovery process this Wednesday (today),” Sevilla’s medical team confirmed in a statement.

Adams had been brought in during the winter transfer window to help address Sevilla’s attacking struggles as the team battle relegation. However, his time in Spain has been plagued by setbacks.

After making his debut on February 1 in a goalless draw against Getafe, Adams picked up an injury just days later that kept him out for over five weeks.

Since returning, he has featured only three times — against Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis, and Atlético Madrid — and is yet to open his account for the club.

Adams, who made 47 Ligue 1 appearances for Montpellier, scoring 11 goals and providing two assists, had been expected to make an immediate impact in Spain.

So far, the former Flying Eagles attacker has played just four La Liga matches for Sevilla — starting once and coming off the bench three times. His most recent appearance was the full 90 minutes against Atlético Madrid on April 6.

Adams’ injury compounds Sevilla’s ongoing injury crisis, with fellow winter signing Rubén Vargas also ruled out for the remainder of the season. Vargas was also taken off in the early stages of their clash against Atletico.

Despite the setbacks, Sevilla remain eight points clear of the drop zone thanks in part to favourable results elsewhere, including a draw between Leganés and Osasuna.

 

 

 

The Federal Government fg has doubled down on its Naira-for-crude oil initiative, declaring it a permanent fixture in Nigeria’s long-term economic reform strategy — not a temporary fix.

In a statement posted Wednesday via the Federal Ministry of Finance’s official channels, the government emphasized that all domestic crude oil and refined petroleum sales will continue to be conducted in Naira, in a bid to strengthen the local currency and reduce pressure on foreign exchange.

“This initiative is not a stopgap solution,” the ministry said, describing it as a strategic national directive aimed at improving local refining capacity, bolstering energy security, and fostering economic sovereignty.

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Niger military government has officially made Hausa the country’s new national language, moving away from its colonial past where French played a central role.

The change was announced in a new charter released on March 31, published in a special edition of the government’s official journal.

According to the document, “The national language is Hausa,” and “the working languages are English and French.”

Hausa is already the most commonly spoken language across Niger, especially in the Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua regions.

Most of the country’s population of about 26 million people understand and speak Hausa. In comparison, only around three million people, just 13 per cent, can speak French.

The new charter also officially lists nine other local languages, including Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabic, as “the spoken languages of Niger.”

This language switch follows a national meeting held in February.

During that event, the military government received more support and General Abdourahamane Tiani, the junta leader, was given approval to stay in power for five more years.

Since taking over in a coup in July 2023, which removed the country’s civilian president, Mohamed Bazoum, the junta has been cutting off ties with France.

These actions include removing French troops from the country, ending diplomatic relations, and changing the names of roads and buildings that used to carry French names.

Like Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, which also have military governments and used to be French colonies, are taking similar steps.

They’ve also pulled out of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, a group similar to the Commonwealth that supports French-speaking nations.

 

 

The Federal Executive Council fec has officially directed the full implementation of the suspended Naira-for-Crude agreement with local refiners.

The Ministry of Finance disclosed this on its official X handle titled “Update on the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira Initiative,” on Wednesday.

Recall that the first phase of the six-month deal involving the Federal Government, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and Dangote Petroleum Refinery ended March 31, 2025.

It has not been renewed and the Dangote refinery has since stopped selling refined petroleum products in naira due to the non-renewal of the naira-for-crude deal.

In a new update on Wednesday, the committee said the policy is not temporary but a long-term plan to cut Nigeria’s dependence on foreign exchange for petroleum.

This came after a key meeting on Tuesday to review progress and tackle ongoing issues.

It added that the initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention, but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining, and bolster energy security.

The statement read, “The Technical Sub-Committee on the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative convened an update meeting on Tuesday to review progress and address ongoing implementation matters.

“The stakeholders reaffirmed the government’s continued commitment to the full implementation of this strategic initiative, as directed by the Federal Executive Council.

“Thus, the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention, but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining, bolster energy security, and reduce reliance on foreign exchange in the domestic petroleum market.”

The policy, which mandates the transaction of crude oil and refined petroleum products in Naira, is aimed at strengthening the country’s economic sovereignty, enhancing local refining capacity, and stabilising the foreign exchange market by reducing the demand for dollars in domestic petroleum transactions.

The ministry explained that this policy is structured to foster energy security and encourage investment in domestic refining infrastructure.

While acknowledging that the transition involves complexities, the government admitted that existing challenges are being systematically addressed.

“As with any major policy shift, the Committee acknowledges that implementation challenges may arise from time to time.

“However, such issues are being actively addressed through coordinated efforts among all parties. The initiative remains in effect and will continue for as long as it aligns with the public interest and supports national economic objectives,” it noted.

The statement added that the meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Implementation Committee, Hon. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; the Chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee and Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr. Zacch Adedeji; the Chief Financial Officer of NNPC Limited, Mr. Dapo Segun; the Coordinator of NNPC Refineries; Management of NNPC Trading.

Also present were representatives from Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Ports Authority, Afreximbank, and the Secretary of the Committee, Hauwa Ibrahim.