Pope Leo XIV on Sunday appealed to nations involved in the escalating Middle East conflict to recognise their moral responsibility to pursue peace, following airstrikes reportedly carried out by the United States and Israel on Iran.

According to Vatican News, the Pope made the call during his Angelus address on Sunday, where he expressed “deep concern” over recent developments in the region, particularly in Iran.

“Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue,” he said.

The Pontiff warned that an uncontrolled escalation of violence could result in catastrophic consequences.

“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions. “I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss!,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV also prayed that diplomacy would regain prominence in resolving the crisis.

“May diplomacy recover its role and may the good of peoples be promoted, peoples who long for peaceful coexistence founded on justice. And let us continue to pray for peace,” he said.

On Saturday, Israel and the United States reportedly began joint airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran targeting Israel and several Gulf countries hosting American military bases.

In a dramatic development, Iranian state-run news agencies later announced the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had ruled the country for nearly 37 years.

NEXIM Bank Disburses N179.79bn to Exporters in 2025 

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM),’ Abubakar Bello, says a total sum of N 179.79 million was disbursed to Nigerian exporters in 2025.

Bello disclosed this at the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) in Abuja, with the Theme: “Actualizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s $1 Trillion Economy Agenda.

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Represented at the event by a Senior Manager in the Strategic Planning Department, Dr. Babagana Musti, the NEXIM bank boss said by empowering the Nigerian Exporter, the bank is aggressively providing targeted, low-interest funding and guarantees.

He noted that the goal was to ensure that a ‘Made in Nigeria’ label is synonymous with global quality. Adding that by de-risking the export business, the bank is ensuring that local businesses—from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to large conglomerates—could compete and win in the international marketplace.

Bello said to reach a $1 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the math is simple, but the execution is rigorous, saying that Nigeria must diversify.

“We cannot float a trillion-dollar economy on the back of a single commodity. The cornerstone of this vision lies in the Non-Oil Export Sector,” he said.

He said “at NEXIM Bank, this isn’t just a policy statement; it is our daily mandate. We see the $1 trillion target as a call to arms to unlock the untapped potential in our solid minerals, agriculture, and creative industries. We are moving from a ‘resource-based’ mindset to an ‘export-led’ growth model.”

According to him, the NEXIM Bank is practically moving the needle toward the $1 trillion milestone by ensuring that Nigeria not only participates in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), but also leads it.

“We are facilitating trade across borders, helping Nigerian businesses navigate new markets from Accra to Cairo, ensuring that our wealth is generated through a robust intra-African trade network,” he said.

The MD said the bank is also working towards achieving the $1 trillion target by removing bottlenecks in the system. This, he said was being done through its Sealink project.

“We recognise that high logistics costs are the ‘silent killers’ of trade. Through our Sealink Project, we are supporting the development of maritime and inland waterway infrastructure. By reducing the cost and time of moving goods, we are making our economy more efficient and more attractive to foreign direct investment,” he said.

Bello called on the journalists, especially those under the umbrella of FICAN, to build confidence required to hit that $1 trillion mark through their effective reportage of the sector.

“We recognise that for the public and the international community to truly appreciate the milestones on this road to $1 trillion, we need you. There are over 200 finance journalists and editors represented in this body—that is a massive intellectual engine.” he said.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has highlighted a multi-layered financing as Key to actualizing Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy.

Vice President of the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund at the NSIA, Abraham Durosawo, who disclosed this emphasized that a diversified, “village” approach to infrastructure financing is essential for Nigeria to achieve its ambitious $1 trillion economy target.

Speaking at the 2025 FICAN AGM, Durosawo—who represented NSIA Managing Director/CEO Aminu Umar-Sadiq—addressed the critical theme of “Actualising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s $1 Trillion Economy Agenda.”

Bridging the Infrastructure Gap, Durosawo highlighted the sheer scale of the challenge, noting that Nigeria requires an annual investment of $100 billion to $150 billion to close its current infrastructure deficit.

He noted that the NSIA continues to play a pivotal role through the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), ensuring that projects are executed to international standards.”It takes a village to deliver this $1 trillion economy,” Durosawo stated, urging a shift in public perception regarding how projects are funded.

He explained that the “universe of infrastructure” in Nigeria is currently powered by several distinct layers:The PIDF: Managed by the NSIA in conjunction with the Federal Government.Tax Credit Initiatives: Leveraging private sector resources for road construction in exchange for government tax benefits.Private Capital: Independent financing within the financial ecosystem for specific projects.State-Led Interventions: Projects funded and managed at the sub-national level.Policy Reviews and Project ContinuityAddressing concerns regarding the status of certain road projects from previous administrations,

Durosawo clarified that while some projects were subject to review due to fund control factors and policy updates, the ultimate goal remains value creation for the Nigerian people. He confirmed that a comprehensive review of the national infrastructure strategy is ongoing to ensure future implementations are both sustainable and efficiency.

By David Torough, Abuja

The Presidency on Sunday firmly denied viral social media claims alleging that a member of the kitchen staff at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa was arrested for attempting to poison President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The allegations, contained in a widely circulated video, claimed that a presidential chef had been taken into custody following intelligence reports of suspicious activities linked to food preparation within restricted areas of the Villa.

The video further alleged that a special police squad was deployed and that security had been heightened around the presidential complex in response to a credible threat.

According to the narration in the footage, authorities had discreetly launched a coordinated investigation to neutralise potential risks and prevent public panic.

It claimed that the unnamed kitchen staff member was arrested for questioning while investigators examined evidence related to the alleged poisoning attempt.

However, the Presidency categorically dismissed the claims as fabricated.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, reacting via his verified X account, described the report as entirely false.

“No Aso Rock kitchen staff arrested. No Aso Rock kitchen staff attempted to poison President Tinubu. Please ignore this fake news being disseminated by this video,” he stated.

Also addressing the matter, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said the trending video was “fake and totally unfounded,” urging Nigerians to disregard it.

The Presidency emphasized the importance of relying on official communication channels for accurate information and warned against the spread of unverified reports capable of causing unnecessary alarm.

The poisoning allegation surfaced months after security agencies arrested some military personnel over an alleged plot to topple the government. In a related development at the time, a staff member of construction giant Julius Berger Nigeria Plc deployed to the State House was reportedly among those questioned in connection with the alleged coup plot.

Sources said the staff member, attached to the electrical department and deployed to the State House in 2022, was being investigated over his alleged involvement. A company official, speaking anonymously, expressed surprise at the development, noting that the employee was relatively new at the State House.

Despite the resurfacing of security-related narratives online, the Presidency maintained that there was no poisoning attempt and no arrest of any kitchen staff, urging citizens to remain calm and disregard the viral claims.