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More than 800 doctors trained at St. George’s University in Grenada will begin residency programmes across the United States , securing placements in 23 specialties across 42 states and the District of Columbia, according to 2026 Match results.

The number keeps the Caribbean-based medical school as the single largest source of new residents in the US system for the 12th consecutive year, with roughly two-thirds headed into primary care and many to underserved communities.

The school in a statement noted that graduates will begin residency training in a wide range of specialties, including highly competitive fields such as surgery and neurology, as well as essential primary care disciplines like pediatrics, emergency medicine and family medicine.

“Match Day is a pivotal milestone at the start of a doctor’s career. On behalf of the entire SGU community, I congratulate this remarkable class of medical students on their success. We are proud to see them take the next step in their journey to serve patients and communities,” the President of St. George’s University and dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Marios Loukas said.

It added that many will return to their home states and communities to begin their medical careers.

“Among them is Brigid Midwa, a Kenyan SGU graduate from the Class of 2025, who matched into Internal Medicine in New Jersey.

“Her achievement reflects the growing presence of globally trained medical graduates contributing to the US healthcare system,” the statement said.

Reflecting on her Match Day experience, Midwa said, “Matching into residency is a defining moment for me. SGU challenged me to grow across different healthcare settings, and that experience has prepared me to take this next step with confidence.
“I am eager to gain these specialised skills in the United States so that I can eventually bring this advanced medical expertise back to the healthcare system in Kenya.”
According to the school, approximately two-thirds of SGU School of Medicine graduates enter primary care specialties, and a significant number go on to practice in medically underserved areas.

“St. George’s University graduates have been meeting the medical needs of communities across the United States for decades.
“We look forward to the meaningful impact this newest class of SGU-trained physicians will make in the years ahead,” Loukas said.

Founded in 1976, St. George’s University is a center for academic excellence with students and faculty drawn from more than 150 countries.

The SGU School of Medicine is accredited by the Grenada Medical and Dental Council, which has been recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education.

The school offers a four-year Doctor of Medicine degree program, and students can also enter the MD program from many education systems worldwide via five-, six-, or seven-year tracks.

SGU has a network of more than 75 affiliated hospitals and health centers in the US and UK, with the option for students to begin their medical career in Grenada or the UK.

Over 800 Foreign-Trained Doctors Enter US Residency Programme is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Sporting Lagos have secured promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, following a 1-0 victory over Osun United, DAILY POST reports.

Alex Leme scored the decisive goal in the 17th minute of the encounter which took place on Thursday.

Jeffrey Butler’s side are making a return to the NPFL after two years.

Sporting Lagos finished top of Conference B table with 36 points from 18 matches.

Akwa United finished in second position despite a 2-1 victory over Solution FC.

The Promise Keepers opened scoring through Aniebiet Sunday in the 50th minute.

Michael Okenwa doubled the advantage three minutes later.

Solution FC reduced the deficit towards the end of the game.

Inter Lagos and Doma United have previously secured promotions to the NPFL.

NNL: Sporting Lagos clinch return ticket to NPFL

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that more than 20 million people across sub-Saharan Africa could be pushed into moderate or severe food insecurity due to rising global prices.

The warning was contained in the Fund’s April 2026 Regional Economic Outlook titled “Hard-Won Gains Under Pressure,” which examined recent growth trends in the region and emerging risks from global commodity shocks and geopolitical tensions.

According to the report, while sub-Saharan Africa entered 2026 with relatively strong economic momentum, external pressures are now threatening those gains. Rising inflation risks, weakening trade conditions, and tightening financial markets were identified as key challenges facing the region.

The IMF noted that the region recorded its strongest growth in a decade in 2025, but momentum is expected to slow slightly in 2026 amid worsening global conditions. The data points to a region facing both short-term inflationary pressure and weakening external balances as global commodity prices rise and financial conditions tighten.

“Poverty, food insecurity, and other social indicators, already weakened by the pandemic, face renewed headwinds from declining foreign aid and rising food prices.”

“IMF staff estimates that a 20 per cent increase in international food prices can push more than 20 million people into moderate or severe food insecurity across the region.”

Regional growth was estimated at 4.5 per cent in 2025, the fastest in ten years, driven by stronger global conditions and improved domestic policy management in several large economies. Inflation eased toward the end of the year, supported by falling global food and oil prices, tighter monetary policy, and reduced exchange rate pressures across multiple countries.

Fiscal positions also improved during the period, helped by stronger economic activity and favourable currency movements in key markets.

However, growth is projected to slow to 4.3 per cent in 2026, while median inflation is expected to rise to 5.0 per cent, up from 3.4 per cent in 2025. The IMF warned that renewed inflationary pressures and slowing growth signal a reversal of some of the macroeconomic stability achieved in 2025.

The report noted that sub-Saharan Africa’s recent recovery was driven by improved policy decisions and supportive global conditions following years of economic shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier commodity price volatility. Despite the recovery, performance remained uneven between oil-importing and resource-rich economies.

The IMF attributed emerging risks to escalating global tensions, particularly the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted trade routes and increased the cost of key commodities such as oil, gas, fertilisers, and shipping.

It also highlighted broader spillover effects, noting that trade relations with Gulf partners have weakened, while tourism and remittance inflows are expected to decline in several African economies due to global uncertainty. Rising risk aversion has also tightened access to international financing, limiting fiscal buffers in many countries.

Oil-importing economies are expected to face higher import costs, while oil exporters remain exposed to price volatility.

The IMF further warned that a prolonged global conflict could reduce regional output by 0.6 percentage points and increase inflation by 2.4 percentage points.

Meanwhile, the Fund recently cut Nigeria’s 2026 growth forecast by 0.3 percentage points to 4.1 per cent, citing mounting global and domestic pressures.

It stressed that the most immediate concern remains the social impact of rising food and energy prices, particularly on vulnerable populations, warning that a sharp increase in global food prices could significantly worsen food insecurity levels already elevated by past economic shocks.

Over 20 Million Africans Face Food Insecurity, IMF Warns is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ogun State has assured that Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, the elderly, and pregnant women will be given priority during the 2027 elections in the state.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Ogun State, Feyijimi Shaseyi, gave the assurance during a media parley held at the Secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Abeokuta, on Thursday.

Shaseyi stated that the Commission has put in place deliberate measures to ensure inclusivity and ease of participation for vulnerable groups, stressing that no eligible voter would be disenfranchised on account of physical condition or circumstance.

According to her, INEC has developed policies and operational frameworks to cater specifically to the needs of PWDs, adding that dedicated departments within the Commission have been tasked with overseeing the welfare and participation of vulnerable voters, to ensure that they are attended to promptly and with dignity.

She said, “The provisions include the provision of assistive materials such as Braille guides for visually impaired voters, as well as support systems for those with mobility challenges.

“On election day, nobody will be excluded. We have structures in place to ensure that persons living with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women are given priority at polling units.

“I want to encourage PWDs not to stay away from the electoral process due to fear or uncertainty. Adequate arrangements have been made to guarantee their comfort and safety at polling units across the state.”

Speaking earlier, the NUJ Chairman, Wale Olanrewaju, affirmed that journalists are not mere observers in the electoral process but active partners in promoting transparency, credibility, and public trust.

“As journalists, we do not only see ourselves as critical stakeholders, but also as partners in ensuring transparency, deepening credibility, and building public trust in our electoral system.

“The media has taken deliberate steps to actively engage political actors by providing platforms where they can openly discuss their ambitions and policies,” he stated.

We will give priority to PWDs, elderly on election days – INEC

House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has resolved to approve financial relief measures and a 10-year debt restructuring framework for

Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, hosted a private roundtable with Invest Africa on the Digital Economy Roundtable on April 14, 2026, on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C.

Moderated by Shannon Stround, Chief Executive Officer, US, Invest Africa, the session gathered a distinguished group of global investors, development finance institutions, policymakers, and technology leaders to evaluate the current state of investment in Africa’s digital economy and the infrastructure needed to scale it.

In attendance was Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who spoke on the positive investment landscape in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Other attendees include Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President of Global Trade at Afreximbank; Wale Adeosun, Founder & CEO of Kuramo Capital; Yvonne Ike, Managing Director and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Bank of America; Bolaji Balogun, CEO of Chapel Hill Denham; and Miguel Azevedo, Managing Director EMEA at Citibank.

Flutterwave was represented by members of its senior leadership team, who led focused discussions across three strategic pillars, including: scaling digital infrastructure across borders, fintech integration and regulatory harmonisation, and mobilising investment capital for Africa’s digital economy.

Bankole Falade, Flutterwave’s Chief Legal, Regulatory, and Public Policy Officer, opened with a remark about Building Africa’s Payments Superhighway,” tracing the company’s decade-long journey from connecting fragmented payment networks to operating as a full financial operating system for Africa’s digital economy.

“When Flutterwave started 10 years ago, the primary goal was to connect fragmented payment infrastructure across the continent. When businesses are able to make and receive payments, economies grow and businesses thrive,” Bankole said.

“What we’ve done is connect these disconnected islands with one API. As we look forward to the next 10 years, what we want to do is connect Africa to the rest of the world, and the world to Africa, with seamless payment solutions.”

Bridgit Antwi, Head, Strategy and Operations, anchored the conversation on mobilising investment capital to enable ecosystem consolidation, while expanding access to short-term liquidity solutions that support real-time transaction flows and working capital needs.

Bolanle Baruwa, Head, SME Business, contributed to the discussion on scaling digital infrastructure, advocating for the Payments Superhighway as a bridge for global capital deployment into Africa’s $1.5 trillion digital economy. She emphasized the importance of building systematic talent pipelines, shifting the narrative from basic digital training to creating sustainable employment that aligns with infrastructure growth.

Bankole Falade championed “Regulatory Passporting” to reduce cross-border entry costs and deepen continental integration for digital scale. Today, Flutterwave has built the robust financial infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and bank-grade governance required to turn these strategic objectives into reality.

This reinforces a growing conviction that Africa remains one of the most compelling long-term investment opportunities globally, particularly across digital infrastructure, payments, fintech, and broader technology-enabled sectors.

Reform momentum is improving the investment climate, with macroeconomic adjustments, regulatory reforms, and policy modernisation in key markets creating stronger foundations for capital deployment. While individual market opportunities are significant, scaling across borders was identified as the key to unlocking the next level of growth. Deeper regional integration and interoperable systems will be essential for accessing larger addressable markets.

The roundtable was also attended by senior representatives from Afreximbank, Bank of America, British International Investment, Chapel Hill Denham, Citibank, Dalberg, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Gates Foundation, Google, Helios Towers, Kuramo Capital, Premier Invest, and the Nigerian Exchange Group.

Others were the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), UBA, and the World Bank Group. It reflected a broader shift in investor sentiment: execution matters more now than narrative, with investors increasingly backing businesses and platforms capable of delivering at scale.

Flutterwave convenes dialogue on Africa’s digital economy at IMF-World Bank spring meetings

POS agents across Nigeria may be operating under performance expectations that are never clearly defined, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in agency banking agreements issued by platforms such as Moniepoint Microfinance Bank Limited.

New details from the agreement show that POS agents in Nigeria are required to meet monthly performance targets that are not explicitly defined in the contract, yet can determine whether their business continues to operate.

According to the document, agents are obligated to meet “all targets set as communicated” by the company, with a clear warning that failure to do so can lead to operational consequences.

“You shall meet all targets set as communicated… The POS terminal may be withdrawn… or restricted if You fail to meet the monthly targets…,” the contract read.

The agreement does not specify what those targets are, how they are calculated, or what benchmarks agents are expected to meet before onboarding. Instead, the targets are determined and communicated separately, outside the core contract.

Further provisions show that failure to meet these targets over time can directly trigger termination of the agent relationship.

This introduces a second layer of uncertainty. Not only are the targets undefined in the contract, but the timeframe for enforcement is also flexible and subject to change at the company’s discretion.

Agents who fall below internally defined benchmarks risk account restrictions, reduced support, or outright termination, sometimes without prior warning.

Because the targets can be adjusted “from time to time”, agents may be evaluated against shifting benchmarks they do not fully control.

For small-scale operators, particularly in low-traffic or rural areas, this creates uncertainty around business sustainability.

In practice, performance is typically measured using a mix of transaction volume, frequency, and account activity.

However, without fixed thresholds communicated upfront, agents may struggle to know whether they are meeting expectations until enforcement actions are taken.

The agreement also ties performance expectations to broader discretionary powers. Under separate clauses, the company retains the right to act where it determines, “in its absolute discretion”, that the relationship poses a risk or no longer meets operational standards.

Regulatory frameworks from the Central Bank of Nigeria require financial institutions to maintain oversight of agent networks, but they do not mandate public disclosure of performance benchmarks at the agent level.

This leaves room for providers to manage their networks using internal metrics that are not always visible to participants.

For now, many operators are left to interpret a moving target, one that ultimately determines whether their business remains active or is quietly phased out.

Undefined Targets Expose Moniepoint Agents To Arbitrary Termination is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched a scathing verbal attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as a “serial failure”…

Rapper Tochukwu Ojogwu, popularly known as Odumodublvck, has spoken about age-cheating in the Nigerian music industry….

Media personality, Chude Jideonwo, has opened up about his secret battle with Tourette Syndrome.

DAILY POST reports that Tourette Syndrome is an incurable neurodevelopmental condition that
causes people to make sudden movements or sounds they can’t control.

Speaking about his battle with the disorder in an interview with BBC News Africa, Chude who disclosed that he was diagnosed in his 20s, explained that his doctor advised him to keep it secret to avoid being stigmatised in the society.

“When I was diagnosed, my doctor warned me not to talk about it in public that people are going to judge me. Especially in Africa. I began to consciously notice Tourette Syndrome in my late 20s. Is a neurological where it feels like your body misfires,” he said.

Watch him speak.

Chude Jideonwo opens up on secret battle with Tourette Syndrome [VIDEO]