News

JUST IN: Banks, Emergency Services, Airports, Others Disrupted Over Global IT Outage

Published

2 years ago

July 19, 2024

Editor

Airlines’ operations in Singapore, the United States and Australia have been disrupted due to a major global cyber outage affecting services.

The massive information technology (IT) outage, which began in the early hours of Friday, also affected banks and media outlets.

According to international media, several airports and airlines have reported issues with their IT systems, as the outages spread.

In the UK, Govia Thameslink Railway’s four brands – Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, and Great Northern – reported widespread IT failures, impacting their services.

Australia’s Telstra Group, a telecommunications company, has also been reported to be facing disruption.

Sky News was off air briefly in the UK due to the widespread outages, leaving viewers without access to its broadcast.

An on-screen message on Friday morning, apologising for the interruption, read, “We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast. We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly.”

Flights are said to be grounded at Sydney airport, United Airlines has stopped flying, while the London Stock Exchange Group’s platform is reportedly experiencing interruptions.

In Germany, the Berlin airport reported issues with its IT systems, adding that delays experienced with check-ins “are due to a technical fault”.

Rail transportation was also impacted as UK firm, Govia Thameslink Railway, reported delays.

“We are currently experiencing widespread IT issues across our entire network,” the service said on social media.

In addition, Telstra Group, a telecommunications firm in Australia, reported service disruptions on its X account on Friday.

“Global issues affecting CrowdStrike and Microsoft are disrupting some of our systems. The issue is causing some hold ups for some of our customers and we thank you for your patience,” Telstra Group said.

Microsoft, in a statement, said a configuration change in a portion of “our Azure backend workloads, caused interruption between storage and compute resources” which resulted in connectivity failures that affected downstream Microsoft 365 services dependent on these connections.

The tech giant said the issue “may be impacting” any user attempting to use various Microsoft 365 apps and services.

The services affected include PowerBI, Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 admin center, and Microsoft Purview, the firm said.

“We’re continuing to progress on our mitigation efforts for the affected Microsoft 365 apps and services. We still expect users to see remediation as we address residual impact,” Microsoft said.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.