Finance

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) will examine recent changes at the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those potentially influenced by the White House or Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to a letter sent to Democratic lawmakers. The GAO, Congress's nonpartisan research arm, informed Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mark Warner that it will review the SEC's recent efforts to reduce staff, terminate leases, and consolidate operations, as detailed in an April 8 letter viewed by Reuters. The lawmakers requested the investigation last month following media reports about DOGE's involvement and other significant changes at the market regulator. A. Nicole Clowers, managing director of GAO's congressional relations office, confirmed in the letter that the request "is within the scope of (GAO's) authority" and that work would commence in approximately three months. Since President Donald Trump took office and […]

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has detailed his administration's focus on security improvement, educational reform, healthcare revitalization, and mineral resource development as cornerstones of his governance agenda. During a recent interview on ARISE NEWS, Governor Lawal emphasized the need for strategic prioritization: "The problems are multi-dimensional, and we have to prioritize. The first thing, like I said, is security because without security, there won't be anything. Second, fundamental is education… all the solid minerals we have in Zamfara are of no benefit if we are the poorest, and (harnessing them) is exactly what we are doing right now." When questioned about the feasibility of Zamfara's ₦500 billion budget amid economic uncertainties, Lawal expressed confidence. "We are ready to face those challenges because there's always an alternative in terms of budgetary process and execution," he stated. The governor highlighted diversification […]

U.S. President Donald Trump was set to implement broad new reciprocal tariffs on global trading partners on Wednesday, marking a significant departure from decades of rules-based trade policies. This move risks increasing costs for consumers and will likely trigger retaliatory measures from affected countries. Final details of the tariff plans, which Trump has characterized as America's "Liberation Day," were still being finalized ahead of a White House Rose Garden announcement scheduled for 4 p.m. Eastern Time (2000 GMT). The new duties will take effect immediately following Trump's announcement, while a separate 25% global tariff on auto imports is scheduled to begin on April 3. Trump has framed his reciprocal tariff strategy as an effort to equalize generally lower U.S. tariff rates with those charged by other countries and to counter non-tariff barriers that disadvantage American exports. However, the specific structure […]