🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Anthony Joshua dedicates comeback victory to late friends after overcoming two knockdowns
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua dedicated his recent victory over Kristian Prenga to his late friends and trainers, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele. The win marked Joshua's first fight since a December car crash in Ogun State, Nigeria, claimed the lives of Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer. Joshua entered the ring wearing camouflage attire bearing the names of the deceased coaches and described the victory as a tribute to their memory, stating it was more than punch power, but spirit from Latz and Sina. Despite being knocked down twice in the first round, Joshua recovered to secure a second-round knockout. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised Joshua's resilience, highlighting the personal tragedy he had endured over the past seven months. Hearn also confirmed that contracts have been signed for a highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Joshua and fellow Briton Tyson Fury, though the date and venue are yet to be announced. Joshua welcomed the prospect of facing Fury, expressing respect for his achievements and readiness for the contest.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadNigerian manufacturers face significant competitive disadvantages due to high costs for electricity, credit, and logistics, according to Kamar Bakrin, Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council. He stated that Nigerian factories pay two to ten times more for these inputs compared to counterparts in countries like Vietnam and China. Bakrin highlighted that the primary challenge for Nigerian manufacturers is the cost of production, not weak demand. For instance, industrial electricity costs about 15 cents per kilowatt-hour on Nigeria's national grid, rising to nearly 30 cents with diesel generators, compared to 8-10 cents in Vietnam and China. Nigerian manufacturers spent an estimated ₦1.34 trillion generating their own electricity last year. Working capital costs are also substantially higher in Nigeria, at 27-35 percent, versus 9 percent in Vietnam and 3 percent in China. Nigeria ranks 88th out of 139 countries on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, far behind Vietnam 43rd and China 19th. As a result, manufacturing contributes barely 8 percent to Nigeria's GDP, and capacity utilization has fallen to 57.7 percent. Bakrin emphasized that while macroeconomic reforms have brought stability, the focus must now shift to industrial competitiveness. He proposed four key targets: power delivered to industrial clusters at 8-10 cents per kilowatt-hour, single-digit industrial lending, port clearance in under seven days, and doubled output per worker by 2030.
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Federal Government to account for an estimated ₦7.98tn in oil revenue windfall. He questioned why the administration continues significant domestic borrowing despite crude oil prices exceeding the 2026 budget benchmark. In a statement, Abubakar accused the Tinubu-led government of lacking fiscal transparency, noting that the government raised about ₦5tn from the domestic bond market in the first half of 2026, nearly double the borrowing from the same period in 2025. He highlighted that the 2026 Appropriation Act benchmarked crude oil at $92 per barrel, while actual prices have been higher, leading to an estimated $5.76bn ₦7.98tn in excess revenue between March 1 and July 14. Abubakar criticized the absence of transparent disclosure regarding these proceeds, contrasting it with previous governments' use of mechanisms like the Sovereign Wealth Fund. He argued that the benefits of higher oil earnings and fuel subsidy removal have not improved living conditions, citing UN findings that 80% of Nigerians cannot afford a decent daily meal. Abubakar pledged that an ADC administration would implement a rules-based fiscal framework, channeling excess oil receipts towards debt reduction, strengthening fiscal reserves, and investing in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and agriculture, rather than recurrent expenditure. The Tinubu administration has defended its borrowing
Must ReadBritish actor David Jonsson has been cast as the new Black Panther, taking on the role of Prince T’Challa II Toussaint, the son of T’Challa and Nakia, in "Black Panther 3," scheduled for release on December 15, 2028. Marvel Studios made the announcement at its Comic-Con Hall H panel in San Diego. Jonsson, 32, was born in London in 1993 and has described his family as Creole, with roots in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Caribbean, and Sweden. He is the youngest of four siblings, and his parents separated when he was 11. Jonsson has spoken about a difficult childhood, including being dismissed from school. He later joined the National Youth Theatre and earned a scholarship to study acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art RADA, graduating in 2016. His breakthrough came with the BBC and HBO drama "Industry" 2020-2022, where he played Augustus “Gus” Sackey. Jonsson has also appeared in films such as "Rye Lane" 2023, "Alien: Romulus" 2024, "The Long Walk" 2025, and "Wasteman" 2025, and is set to appear in "Scandalous!", "The Chaperones", and an untitled project by Frank Ocean. In 2025, he won the BAFTA Rising Star Award. Beyond acting, Jonsson is an executive producer on "Wasteman" and co-founded the production company greyarea. He has stated he is selective about his roles, saying he chooses projects carefully. The casting of Jonsson as Prince T’Challa II continues the Black Panther legacy after Chadwick Boseman's death, with the new film focusing on the character's coming-of-age