General News
Etihad Airways Announces Patrick Vieira as Latest Brand Ambassador
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has welcomed international football star Patrick Vieira as the latest high-profile addition to its Guest Ambassador program.
One of the most accomplished sportsmen of his generation, Vieira has won nine league titles and five national cups during his 17-year career as midfielder with some of the world’s leading football teams, including Manchester City, Arsenal, Inter Milan and Juventus.
He was also part of France’s national football team during its 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 victories, and currently serves as Head of the Elite Development Squad at Manchester City Football Club, which is also sponsored by Etihad Airways.
In his new role as Etihad Guest Ambassador, Vieira will work on a number of initiatives to promote Etihad Airways in the UK and other key markets around the world.
The agreement builds uponthe success of several grass roots sporting initiatives run by Etihad Airways and Patrick Vieira in the past two years, focused on the athletic development of youngsters in key markets around the world.
Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial officer at Etihad Airways, said: “When we look for Etihad Guest Ambassadors, we look for remarkable men and women who follow their aspirations, excel in their chosen fields, and also reflect the brand values of Etihad Airways.
Patrick Vieira, who is one of the football world’s biggest success stories, fits the description perfectly.
“Etihad Airways already has a long-standing relationship with Patrick, as he’s a regular guest on our flights across the globe, and we have also run a series of collaborative projects that aim to develop the skills of aspiring footballers worldwide. We are delighted to extend this relationship even further by welcoming Patrick as our latest Etihad Guest Ambassador.”
The Etihad Guest Ambassador program was launched in October 2013 and features some of the biggest names from the global entertainment, art and sporting industries.
Current ambassadors include Australian celebrity Dannii Minogue, Indian actress Katrina Kaif, German golfer Martin Kaymer, Vietnamese Australian chef Luke Nguyen, and Australian cricketer Shane Warne.
Patrick Vieira, commenting on his appointment as Etihad Guest Ambassador, said: “I have been a regular traveller on Etihad Airways flights since the airline was first established a decade ago and really admire the superior service that is consistently delivered to guests.
“Aside from this, I’ve also had the pleasure of working with Etihad Airways on a number of projects, such as hosting community sporting events for youngsters in the UAE, Seychelles and China. In my official capacity as Etihad Guest Ambassador, I look forward to even more collaboration, with a number of exciting promotional initiatives planned for the future.”
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has detained Tunde Ayeni, former chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc, for alleged fraud involving N36.5 billion and $30 million.
Tunde Ayeni, former chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc,
This follows the probe of alleged diversion of N36.5 billion and $30 million secured as loans from Polaris Bank Plc through companies linked to Ayeni.
He was arrested by EFCC operatives in Abuja on April 23, 2026, and is still been held in custody as at the time of filling the report.
Dele Oyewale, spokesperson, EFCC, confirmed the arrest on Friday but declined to provide further details.
Ayeni is under investigation for diverting funds obtained for marine security, electricity distribution, and real estate projects into other unknown projects.
Investigators allege the loans were instead channelled into telecom investments tied to NITEL/MTEL assets via a NATCOM account.
About 12 firms believed to be connected to Ayeni are also under investigation for their role in securing the loans.
The EFCC is expected to file charges once the investigation is concluded.
Summit Household Solutions Limited has opened its ultra-modern manufacturing facility in Ota, Ogun State, as part of its efforts to scale production of home and personal care products in Nigeria.
The plant, which started operations in April 2025, produces items such as dishwashing liquids, handwash, sanitisers and multipurpose liquid soaps, with an annual capacity estimated at 7,000 tonnes.
Commissioning the facility on behalf of Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Investment, Mr Kehinde Akintomide, said the investment reflects growing confidence in Ogun State’s business environment.
He noted that the state hosts over 6,000 manufacturing firms and described the development as consistent with ongoing efforts to promote industrialisation, attract investment and reduce reliance on imports under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope initiative.
Akintomide disclosed that the factory has already employed more than 50 Nigerians, with projections to exceed 250 jobs as operations expand.
In his remarks, the General Manager of the company, Mr Sadiq Ali, said the facility represents a major step in Summit’s growth plans, adding that its flagship brand, 2Sure, currently leads production at the plant.
He also revealed that the company is preparing to introduce new home and personal care products later this year.
Summit Household Solutions manufactures the 2Sure brand and has expanded into the personal care segment with Lewar, a premium beauty soap line positioned for quality and affordability.
Among dignitaries present were the Onikotun of Otun, Ota, Oba Abdulakeem Odunaro, representing the Olota of Ota, Prof. Adeyemi Abdulkabir Obalanlege; the Agba Akin of Ota, Chief Dada Olusola; Director of Investment, Ms Yemisi Folarin; Director of Industrial Promotion, Mr Femi Adeboye; former Managing Director of 7Up Bottling Company, Mr Ziad Maalouf; and the Chief Executive Officer of OmniRetail, Mr Deepanker Rustagi.
Speaking at the event, Maalouf, who conceived the 2Sure brand during his time at 7Up Bottling Company, expressed satisfaction with its growth and commended Summit Solutions Limited for advancing the brand.
The special guests were conducted around the facility, and the programme was concluded with a luncheon.
The administration of Donald Trump has frozen $344 million in cryptocurrency allegedly linked to Iran, marking a sharp escalation in financial pressure on Tehran.
The move comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts and a fragile ceasefire in the region.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that authorities are sanctioning multiple crypto wallets tied to Iran. “We will follow the money that Tehran is desperately attempting to move outside of the country and target all financial lifelines tied to the regime,” he said.
Tether, which facilitated the transactions, said it worked with U.S. authorities to freeze the funds across two wallet addresses after receiving intelligence linked to unlawful activity.
A U.S. official said blockchain analysis revealed “material links” to the Iranian regime, including transactions routed through intermediary addresses connected to wallets associated with the Central Bank of Iran.
Responding to the development, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said the company does not tolerate illicit use of its stablecoin. “USD₮ is not a safe haven for illegal activity. When there is credible linkage to sanctioned entities or criminal networks, we act immediately,” he stated.
The crackdown underscores the growing reliance of sanctioned states on digital assets to bypass traditional banking restrictions. Data from Chainalysis shows Iran’s cryptocurrency holdings reached $7.8 billion in 2025, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly controlling about half.
Analysts say while the freeze is significant, Iran has historically adapted to sanctions. Daniel Tannebaum of the Atlantic Council noted that targeting third-party actors enabling such transactions may be key to increasing pressure.
NCC Blames Growing Data Demand Network Quality Issues
EFCC Detains Ayeni, Ex-Skye Bank Chairman over Alleged N36.5Bn, $30m Fraud
Bank Customers to Pay N1,500 for ATM Card Issuance, Replacement – CBN
Summit Factory Opens in Ogun, Targets Hygiene Market Expansion
Kaspersky Discovers Vulnerability in Qualcomm Snapdragon Chips that can Lead to Data Loss & Device Compromise
NBC Boss Urges Content Ceators to Participate in DSO
NITDA Takes Over National Digital Architecture System
FG Shifting Focus to “Meaningful Connectivity” to Drive Inclusion – Minister
FG to Gift Nigerians over 100 Free TV Channels from May 15
Jury Finds Meta, Google Liable for Woman’s Social Media Addiction
E-Business3 days agoFCCPC Licenses 5 Firms for Airtime, Data Lending as Telcos Step Aside
E-Financial3 days agoCBN Warns of Cyber Hack Attempt Days after CAC Attack
E-Financial3 days agoEcobank in Talks with Bank of China for Direct Yuan Settlement
Telecom3 days agoDeadline Extended! MTN Nigeria Offers More Time for Media Innovation Programme
Telecom2 days agoMTN to Pay Subscribers After NCC Cracks Down on Service Failures
E-Financial2 days agoEXPLOSIVE: How Titan Trust Bank Allegedly Used Union Bank’s Own Assets to Fund Its Takeover
Telecom3 days agoPayments Forum Nigeria (PAFON 3.0) Holds This Friday in Lagos
E-Business3 days agoGovernment, Industrial Sectors became the Primary Targets for Cybercriminals in 2025 – Report