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  • Fintech, Micro-Lenders Boost Nigeria’s Credit Inclusion- Popoola

    Nigeria’s credit ecosystem has witnessed significant transformation in recent years, with improved access to consumer credit and increased participation from non-traditional lenders such as fintech firms and micro-lending institutions.

    This development was highlighted by Chairman of the Credit Bureau Association of Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Popoola during an interview in Lagos.

    According to Popoola, the nation’s credit infrastructure has undergone remarkable improvement over the past two to three years, with a growing number of players contributing to a more inclusive and efficient lending environment.

    He noted that the expansion of access to credit has been catalyzed by the presence of credit bureaus and the emergence of innovative lenders beyond the traditional banking sector.

    “Nigeria has done well in the last two to three years,” Popoola stated. “We’ve had significant improvement in access to credit, driven by developments in infrastructure and increased participation from micro-lenders and fintech companies.”

    Popoola explained that these new entrants have introduced flexibility and scale to consumer lending, offering credit to segments of the population that were previously underserved.

    While commercial banks continue to play a dominant role in deposit mobilization and loan disbursement, the involvement of smaller, tech-driven entities has expanded the reach of credit to individuals and small businesses.

    “Fintechs and micro-lenders are filling the gaps left by traditional institutions,” he noted. “These players are enabling Nigerians to access credit more easily, using innovative platforms and alternative data to assess creditworthiness.”

    Central to this progress, Popoola emphasized, is the role of credit bureaus, which has created a more transparent and structured environment for lending. Since their establishment in 2009, credit bureaus have become integral to Nigeria’s financial infrastructure, offering tools that allow lenders to make informed decisions based on borrowers’ credit histories.

    “The credit infrastructure was weak before the introduction of credit bureaus,” Popoola said. “Today, these institutions provide timely and accurate information that helps identify credible borrowers and monitor loan performance.”

    He also pointed out that the services of credit bureaus are instrumental in managing credit risk. Through data analytics and profiling solutions, lenders are able to reduce default rates and maintain healthy loan portfolios.

    “Even in cases of delinquency or default, the bureaus have developed products and services to help manage such risks effectively,” he added.

    Popoola reiterated the importance of collaboration between regulators, credit bureaus, and market participants to sustain the momentum in credit accessibility.

    He called for continuous innovation and regulatory support to enhance financial inclusion and strengthen Nigeria’s overall economic resilience.

    Fintech, Micro-Lenders Boost Nigeria’s Credit Inclusion- Popoola is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

    Source: The Whistler

  • Will home-court advantage matter in Warriors, Rockets series? Here’s what the numbers say.

    HOUSTON — If the Warriors want to win the franchise’s fifth championship of the Steph Curry era, they will have to do so without home-court advantage in their first-round series against Houston that starts Sunday and probably any other matchup along the way.

    That is not the end of the world, according to Golden State coach Steve Kerr, who recently said that having home-court advantage does not provide the upper hand like it once did. 

    “The 3-point shooting is such a variable, and it feels like in the old days, it was much more of a grind-it-out, 2-point game,” Kerr said. “It just didn’t feel like the opponent had as much of a chance to suddenly get hot and take over the momentum of the game.”

    The seventh-seeded Warriors (48-34) entered the postseason fourth in 3-point makes (15.4) per game, and the No. 2 seed Rockets (52-30) 21st at 12.7.  

    Having a roster filled with playoff-tested veterans such as Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler has also been touted by the team in recent weeks. 

    None of Golden State’s experienced core is going to be phased by raucous road atmospheres. Especially in Houston, where Curry, Green and veteran big man Kevon Looney faced the James Harden-led Rockets four times in five seasons between 2015 and 2019 – and won them all, including a seventh game in Houston.

    “We understand the environment, even just being in the city, how to spend time during a two-game-in-five-day stretch,” said Curry, while noting that the rest of the team was not around for those playoff battles.

    Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr talks with Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) after their 124-119 win over the Memphis Grizzlies for their NBA play-in tournament game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

    But are upsets, like the one Golden State seeks to pull off, really more prevalent in the modern NBA? 

    And how much does 3-point shooting really affect the outcome?

    The numbers paint a complicated picture. 

    From 2005 to 2024, there have been 160 first-round playoff series. Of those, the lower seed has won 34 times.

    But despite what Kerr said, upsets have not become more prevalent with the rapid increase in 3-point shooting.  

    Twenty of those upsets occurred before 2015, the season that Kerr took over the Warriors, Golden State won its first title in decades and the NBA’s 3-point revolution began in earnest. 

    While the team that made more 3-pointers accounted for 19 series wins, of the six most-recent upsets over the past two years, only two of those teams made more threes than its opponent. 

    Golden State was one of those two in 2023, when Curry went to Sacramento and scored 50 in Game 7 while making seven 3-pointers himself in the first-round upset. 

    The Warriors’ veteran experience, at least on paper, is also not an overwhelming advantage. 

    Though bench players might skew averages, the team with an older average age accounted for just 12 of the 34 upsets. 

    However, Golden State has good reason to believe it does not need home-court advantage to win against the young Rockets. 

    During the teams’ epic seven-game series in the 2018 conference finals, Houston was the top seed. 

    The Rockets proceeded to infamously brick 27 straight 3-pointers, while Kevin Durant scored a game-high 34, to propel Golden State to a 101-92 victory in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. 

    James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets goes up against Kevon Looney #5 and Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter of Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 28, 2018 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
    James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets goes up against Kevon Looney #5 and Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter of Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 28, 2018 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

    And in 2022, the eventual champion Warriors earned the No. 3 seed and knocked off second-seeded Memphis in the second round.

    Once they reached the championship round, Curry’s Warriors won twice in Boston – including the series clincher in Game 6 – to capture the franchise’s fifth title. 

    “It always helps to have home-court advantage, and that’s why we fight so hard for it,” Looney said. “But with our experience, we know we can win on the road, and we know we can win at home, so we’re not scared to go into somebody else’s place and try to get a win.”

    The Warriors also have Butler, who twice (2020 and 2023) led Miami to first-round upsets en route to shocking runs to the NBA Finals. 

    And before Kerr arrived, Curry’s postseason coming-out party in 2013 occurred when he lit up the Nuggets to help the sixth-seeded Warriors win in six games, and the “We Believe” Warriors in 2007 captivated the NBA world by stunning the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks 4-2. 

    So while upsets have not become as common as long-distance shooting, there is still plenty of reason to believe the Warriors have a terrific shot at becoming just the third No. 7 seed to pull off a first-round upset in the past 20 years. 

    Source: Paradise Post

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  • I’ll work against Atiku if he runs again

    Former Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose has dismissed ongoing efforts to form a political coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, describing the move as futile and lacking broad support. 

     

    Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, April 18, Fayose, a prominent member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the proposed coalition, spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is “a dead horse ab initio.”

     

    In recent weeks, several opposition figures have reportedly held strategic meetings to explore the possibility of forming a united front to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election cycle. Atiku Abubakar, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has been at the forefront of the discussions, urging political actors across party lines to collaborate to wrest power from Tinubu and the APC. However, the proposal appears to be gaining little traction, especially within Atiku’s own party.

     

    Earlier this week, governors elected on the PDP platform declared that they are not considering any merger or coalition with other political parties, effectively distancing themselves from Atiku’s push for a unified opposition. Fayose cited this position as a clear signal that the coalition lacks foundational support, particularly from key stakeholders within the PDP.

     

    “Their coalition is a dead horse ab initio. Tell me one positive person or well-respected Nigerian that has given his voice in support of this coalition,” Fayose said during the programme. “The (PDP) governors’ actions and statement in Ibadan is to tell Atiku: we are not with you, we are going nowhere, we have our own identity. So, that coalition is just in the imagination of people trying to bring it to fruition. Let me say to you, it is a waste of time.”

     

    Fayose also argued that some opposition governors are more comfortable with Tinubu’s leadership than they were with Atiku’s candidacy. He maintained that the PDP’s internal crisis, which he attributes to the disregard of the party’s zoning principle, must first be addressed before any viable coalition talks can take place.

     

    “I publicly worked against Atiku, and I am saying for the second time, if Atiku comes again (to contest), I will work against him. It is time to learn our lesson,” Fayose said. “After eight years of a northerner, it is the turn of a southerner, which could involve someone from the east, south-west or south-south.”

     

    Blaming the crisis in the PDP on what he described as a breach of the party’s informal power-sharing arrangement, Fayose said party members must respect unwritten agreements such as zoning if the PDP hopes to regain political relevance. “Those who gave or zoned power back to the north caused all these problems,” he said, insisting that the root of the party’s disarray lies in its inability to honour internal consensus.

     

     

    Source: Linda Ikeji

  • Fisch Enchant Altar Location in Sea 2

    Ever since the introduction of the Second Sea in Fisch, there hasn’t been a way to enchant your rods in that location, requiring players to return to the First Sea. Well, with the latest Easter update, the game has finally added a new Enchant Altar in the Second Sea. Reaching the Enchant Altar is pretty easy, and unlike Sea 1, no NPC will charge you any money to enter the enchanting area here. So, let us learn how to enchant rods in Fisch Sea 2.

    Fisch Adds Enchant Altar in Sea 2

    The Enchant Altar in Sea 2 is located on the Lushgrove island of Fisch. The Island is located to the north of Waveborne. Having reached there, follow the steps below:

    • First, climb up the ledge and walk to the left of Shipwright.
    • Then, head straight to reach the Angler NPC on Lushgrove.
    • Take the bridge behind the hut, and you will find a cave with the Professor Gunk NPC standing at its entrance just ahead.
    • Head inside this cave to find an elevator similar to the one in the Statue of Sovereign at the first sea. However, heading down won’t cost you any money here.
    • Now, interact with the Elevator by holding down the ‘E‘ key.
    • Image Credit: Fisch/Roblox (screenshot by Bipradeep Biswas/Beebom)
    • Fisch Enchant Altar entrance
      Image Credit: Fisch/Roblox (screenshot by Bipradeep Biswas/Beebom)
    • Fisch Altar
      Image Credit: Fisch/Roblox (screenshot by Bipradeep Biswas/Beebom)
    • Next, you are required to perform an obby, jumping over the gaps in the platform that leads you to the Enchant Altar.
    • At the end of the path, you will find the pedestal on which you can stand and use Enchant Relics to apply enchantments.
    Enchant Altarr Fisch
    Image Credit: Fisch/Roblox (screenshot by Bipradeep Biswas/Beebom)

    How to Use the Sea 2 Enchant Altar in Fisch

    The Sea 2 Enchant Altar can be used with any Fisch rods, whether they’re from Sea 1 or Sea 2. So, having reached the Enchant Altar, follow the steps below:

    • Walk up to the pedestal and make sure that it’s nighttime in your server.
    • If not, you can use a Sundial Totem to turn the time of the day into night.
    • Now, equip the rod you want to enchant and hold an Enchant Relic or an Exalted Relic in your hand
    • Finally, press the ‘E‘ key and click the ‘Yes‘ button to enchant your Fisch rod in Sea 2.
    Fisch Sea 2 Enchant Relic Use
    Image Credit: Fisch/Roblox (screenshot by Bipradeep Biswas/Beebom)

    That’s all about the Enchant Altar in the second sea of Fisch and how you can use it in the game. So, have you discovered this new location yet? Let us know in the comments below!

    Bipradeep Biswas

    A Computer Science graduate with a passion for gaming, currently specializing in Minecraft and popular Roblox games.


    Source: Beebom

  • Suspected killer of Lead Varsity student extradited to Nigeria from Qatar

    The Nigeria Police Force has completed the extradition of a fleeing murder suspect from Doha, Qatar, to the country.

    The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement he posted on his official X handle @princemoye1 on Saturday.

    He said the suspect, who had been on the run for the murder of Miss Augusta Onuwabhagbe in Lagos, was returned to the country on Saturday.

    The spokesman said: “The suspect returned in the early hours of today through coordinated efforts with the Ministry of Justice, International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), National Central Bureau (NCB), Force Headquarters Abuja, and the Qatari Judicial Authorities.

    “The extradition followed a petition from the family of the deceased, submitted through their legal representatives, and was dated September 29, 2024.

    “The matter was assigned to INTERPOL NCB Abuja for investigation.”

    According to Adejobi, investigations revealed that the suspect murdered Onuwabhagbe, a 21-year-old first-class student of Lead City University, Ibadan, at his residence in Abiola Apooyi Street, Oral Estate, Ajah, Lagos, on July 13, 2023.

    He added: “After committing the crime, he fled Nigeria and later released an online video purporting to confess to the act, a deceptive strategy to derail investigative efforts.

    “Following the declaration as a wanted person by the NPF Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department on October 13, 2023, an INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his global apprehension.

    “He was initially apprehended in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in October 2023 under the false identity ‘KANU PRINCETON SAMUEL,’ but escaped custody during a prison break on November 26, 2023, in Freetown.

    “Further intelligence gathering revealed that the suspect continued to evade law enforcement, traversing multiple regions including West Africa, East Asia, and the Middle East, under forged identities before relocating to Doha, Qatar, on January 24, 2025.

    “Operating under the alias ‘TOURE ABDOULAYE’ with a fraudulent Guinean passport, he secured illegal employment and concealed his identity.

    “Through robust international cooperation and the use of advanced biometrics, INTERPOL NCB Abuja, in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB Doha, confirmed his identity, leading to his arrest by Qatari authorities in February 2025.

    “An official extradition request, processed via the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, was subsequently approved by the Qatari judicial authorities, resulting in his repatriation to Nigeria.”

     

     

    Source: Ripples Nigeria

  • Easter: Atiku Preaches Unity, Love, Sacrifice

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has urged Nigerians to imbibe the enduring virtues of unity, love and sacrifice as exemplified by Jesus Christ.

    This was conveyed in a goodwill meaasge released by his media office on Saturday, on the occasion of the Easter celebrations.

    He emphasised that these noble virtues remain indispensable to fostering the unity and cohesion Nigeria so urgently requires, especially in a time when narrow, sectional interests threaten to erode the bonds that hold the nation together.

    “This weekend, we join our Christian brothers and sisters in celebrating Easter, a sacred moment that commemorates the profound sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is a season that calls for deep introspection, compassion, and reaching out to those in need,” Atiku stated.

    He called on Nigerians of all faiths and ethnicities to unite in prayer and purpose for the peace and progress of the nation. 

    “Let us remain steadfast in the pursuit of unity across every divide. Our strength as a people lies in our togetherness. A nation united shall always endure and flourish,” he affirmed.

    Expressing optimism, Atiku declared his belief that Nigeria shall overcome her present trials. “Though evil may momentarily cast a shadow, the collective goodness and resilience of Nigerians will prevail. In unity and shared purpose, our nation shall rise,” he said.

    He urged the nation’s leaders at every level to use the Easter period as a time of introspection, embracing the spirit of the season to recommit to their sacred duty of service.

    “Our leaders must be guided by the principles of sacrifice, love, and charity. It is only through sincere collaboration that we can heal our divisions and renew our national hope.

    “We must resist every attempt to deepen fault lines, for our challenges are not born of ethnicity or religion, but of a failure to build common understanding.”

    Easter: Atiku Preaches Unity, Love, Sacrifice is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

    Source: The Whistler

  • A lot of Mortal Kombat’s special moves were added after the developers had captured the actors



    Limited resources were a big factor in the development of the original game








    While it’s nice to know your exact destination when you set out on a journey, it’s not always easy to plan where you’re going to end up in advance, especially when it came to video game development 30 years ago.






    Take the 1992 release of the Mortal Kombat for example, as series co-creator Ed Boon was asked if the original’s special moves were all fully planned out in advance, or if the team was just experimenting with things during the development process.









    “There weren’t that many special moves that we actually captured,” said Boon, noting that Scorpion’s spear and Sonya’s leg grab were two attacks they had actually intended to capture during the filming session with the actors.


    “A lot of [special moves] came long after we had video taped the actors,” Boon stated. “They were just using existing frames of animation, so we just put something in.


    “Johnny Cage’s Shadow Kick was just his side kick, we just made a whole bunch of duplicates of it and it’s this really cool effect,” Boon mentioned.


    “So a lot of these things were just constructed, Sonya’s Square Wave Punch, we never captured that, it was long after the fact,” noted Boon.


    “A lot of it was very spontaneous, keep in mind, this is four guys in their 20s set loose, that’s why it’s so visceral, we grew up in the 80s watching action movies, Enter the Dragon, Star Wars, everything like that,” Boon said.




    Next, Boon discusses the limited resources the development team on the original Mortal Kombat had to work with, citing low memory as a big hurdle to work around.


    “Everything was on EPROM chips, and each one of those cost money, so every time we added memory that added cost to the game and lowered profits, so it was all a constant negotiation,” he said.


    “That was so instilled in us, that when we came up with a new move, we were just counting our resources,” Boon stated.


    “That was a big part of the development of [Mortal Kombat] was to make it fit in this box, you don’t have unlimited space for your ideas, so it was ideas that could fit in this box,” Boon noted.


    “Scorpion’s Teleport move was using his jump punch move, there was no extra frames of animation for it,” Boon mentioned.


    “There was quite a bit of reusing of frames and images, it was just a management of that thing,” he added.


    “That was a big part of [Mortal Kombat], but that was always the case with arcade games back in the day, make something really cool that will fit in a box,” Boon concluded.


    One of these moves, which we previously documented, was Kano’s helicopter knife special, which couldn’t be included because it was too many frames of animation.




    You can check out the rest of this interview in the video embedded above, which was put together by Brian Tong.







    Source: Event Hubs

  • Logistics Officer at MelonyPine Fruithub April, 2025



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    • Planning deliveries and supervising drivers to deliver our products on time

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