Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

Trash Recycling Technology has emerged as the winner of the 2026 Pitchathon organised as part of The Gathering On 100 event sponsored by MTN Nigeria in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, which is worth ₦2.5 million. Our correspondent reports that in the Aba edition of MTN’s youth cultural and lifestyle event “The Gathering”, which was held at the Prime Event Centre, Osisioma Aba, on Sunday, June 14, 2026, a ₦5 million prize was shared among the first, second and third positions, as ₦2.5 million was given to the first position, ₦1.5 million was given to the second, and…

The people of Idodo Zone, Governor Peter Mbah’s immediate zone in Nkanu East LGA of Enugu State have hosted him to a grand civic reception, describing him as a son in whom they are well pleased. They also donated the sum of N50m towards the governor’s reelection. The people, who trouped out in their thousands, said Mbah had not only lifted the zone from the backwaters of Enugu State to reference point in development, but had equally put Enugu State on the national map in all indices of national development. Speaking through the Chairman of the organising committee, Barr. Osinachi…

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga at the weekend, led the Presidential Communications Team to an extensive tour of strategic federal government projects in Ebonyi State. According to information available, the essence was to showcase the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the complementary development initiatives of the state government. The movement which is a in continuation of the Renewed Hope Media Tour of federal and state government projects across the South-East geo-political zone had other members of the team include Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public…

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has dismantled a wildlife trafficking syndicate, leading to the interception of 22 pieces of elephant tusks weighing a total of 130.84 kilogrammes. The interception as gathered, came through a joint operation conducted between NCS, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC). The Nigeria Customs Services also arrested four male suspects and confiscated the vehicle used to convey the contraband. According to a statement issued by the Customs Zone A Command, the operation was made possible through extensive intelligence gathering,…

Governor Chukwuma Soludo has disclosed that approval has been secured for the establishment of an Army brigade in Anambra State, with hundreds of soldiers expected to be deployed to further strengthen security operations across the state. Speaking at the third anniversary of the Anambra State House of Assembly, which coincided with the June 12 Democracy Day celebration, the Governor said, “Yesterday, I received a delegation from the Army that is working to set up a brigade. That has been approved and will be established. They will be building their barracks here, and hundreds, if not up to a thousand, soldiers…

THE PUBLIC RECORD: RT HON. BARR. NKEIRU ONYEJEOCHA, PhD – A series on infrastructure, human development, and public value across Isuikwuato and Umunneochi …Read as a record of constraints removed – not a list of works completed Part I – The Roads That Changed Communities: Infrastructure, Connectivity and Economic Opportunity Political seasons are temporary. Public value endures. Every community lives within the limits of its own connectivity. Where a road ends, opportunity tends to end with it. The distance between a farm and a market, between a household and a clinic, between a child and a classroom, is rarely just…

Veteran and upcoming Nollywood Movie Starts, toured around the infrastructure projects of Governor Alex Otti in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia state and hailed the governor for his massive impact. This is even as the governor assured of his administration’s commitment to supporting the creative industry and positioning Abia as a major hub for film production, entertainment, tourism, and cultural promotion. Governor Otti made this known yesterday in his office while receiving a delegation of Nollywood practitioners led by Mr Francis Ifeakandu, who is currently working on a film, The Chronicles of Enyimba City, an Aba-made film project that…

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has described his Chief of Staff, Mr Sam Hart as a dependable ally and a key pillar behind the successes of his office, and celebrated on the occasion of his birthday. Kalu in a birthday message said behind every successful leader are committed individuals whose dedication, wisdom, and sacrifice often go unseen, noting that Hart has been one of those rare individuals whose loyalty, professionalism, and commitment to excellence have strengthened their shared vision and service to Nigerians. “Today, I celebrate my Chief of Staff and dependable ally in…

MTN’s Youth cultural and lifestyle event “The Gathering” will hold in Aba at the Prime Event Centre from June 14 to 15, 2026, with a high-stakes Pitchathon designed to spotlight and reward the most promising early-stage founders in the city, offering a total prize pool of ₦5 million. The competition will award ₦2.5 million to the winning startup, ₦1.5 million to the first runner-up, and ₦1 million to third place, giving young entrepreneurs not just funding, but a direct platform to validate their ideas in front of investors, consumers, and industry stakeholders. The Aba Pitchathon follows a highly successful Lagos…

In an era when many young people are derailing, with many wallowing in ignorance, Ted Chinekezi (22 years old) and Jesse Chinekezi (20 years old), software programmers, have used their tech company, Avatar and Qantum AI Technologies Limited, to build what can be described as one of the most dynamic and agentic artificial intelligence (AI) builders in our world, a vibe coder called Multiverse. Presenting the product to newsmen in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, the brothers who spoke separately on the product acknowledged that Multiverse is not the first vibe coder ever produced, not even in Africa,…