The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the AFCON Morocco 2025 Local Organising Committee have confirmed that football fans travelling to the tournament will be entitled to free electronic visas. The announcement was made in a statement released on CAF’s official website on Friday.

CAF noted that the initiative targets citizens of countries that typically require a visa to enter Morocco. It stated that “Electronic visas to enter Morocco — obtained through the YALLA app — are now free of charge for supporters attending the competition, which runs from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026”.

The football body explained that the update comes at a time when global interest in the tournament continues to rise, with fans increasingly securing seats via CAF’s ticketing platform.

CAF also stated that the use of a fan identification system would be mandatory for entry into all stadiums and designated fan zones. According to the organisation, “CAF Supporters can apply for both the Fan ID and e-visa in one place inside the YALLA app, streamlining travel and stadium access.”

It added that “The Fan ID application and e-visa request are completed seamlessly within the YALLA app, ensuring a faster, easier, and secure experience for international visitors and local fans alike.” Fans are required to download the YALLA app from Google Play or the App Store, or visit the YALLA website, complete the Fan ID registration, and, where necessary, submit the e-visa request.

Once these approvals are granted, supporters can proceed to purchase match tickets through CAF’s ticketing platform.

CAF said the new processes are aimed at delivering a smooth and secure experience for spectators as the competition prepares to unfold across nine stadiums in six Moroccan cities. The body added that “CAF, with support from the LOC, reaffirms its commitment to delivering a world-class spectator experience throughout Africa’s greatest football celebration.”

It also confirmed that a total of 298,000 tickets have been sold so far during the first two phases on its ticketing platform, with buyers from 33 African countries and 106 nations around the world.

CAF highlighted that the highest ticket demand has come from Morocco, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The football tournament is scheduled to hold from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026 across the designated host cities in Morocco.

Nigeria has been placed in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania, with the Super Eagles set to begin their campaign against Tanzania on December 23.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Peoples Democratic Party to make arrangements for former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, to contest for the party’s national chairmanship position in its forthcoming convention.

Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the ruling on Friday, ordered the PDP to provide Lamido with the nomination form for the position and give him the opportunity to prepare for the election process.

In the judgment, Justice Lifu also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from supervising, monitoring, or recognising the outcome of any PDP convention conducted without including Lamido as a contestant for the position.

The court noted that evidence presented showed that Lamido was unjustly denied access to the nomination form required to contest for the National Chairmanship seat, in violation of the PDP’s Constitution and internal Regulations.

Justice Lifu held that the PDP had an obligation to create fair opportunities for its members to pursue leadership roles by putting in place deliberate mechanisms that allow them to realise their political aspirations.

The ruling further directed that the party’s planned national convention must be suspended until Lamido is allowed to obtain the nomination form, mobilise his supporters, and run his campaign in full.

The judgment stemmed from the suit filed by Lamido, in which he alleged that the PDP denied him the opportunity to contest the chairmanship position despite meeting all necessary requirements.

Paystack, the Nigerian payments company owned by Stripe, has suspended its Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, following an allegation of sexual misconduct said to involve a subordinate at the firm.

The development gained public attention on Wednesday after an individual who previously had a relationship with Olubi shared personal complaints online, leading to widespread discussion across social media platforms.

The post led to renewed circulation of several tweets authored by Olubi between 2009 and 2013, many of which contained sexually suggestive remarks involving colleagues and minors, prompting intense scrutiny and criticism.

The emergence of the old tweets sparked further debate about personal responsibility, workplace conduct, and the long-term consequences of past behaviour on social media. In response to the backlash, Olubi deactivated his X account.

Among the resurfaced tweets were comments that drew particular outrage, including: “I judge my female friends by the sound of their pee make. Thanks to the audio in my bathroom,” as well as another stating: “Save water. Take a bath with your neighbour’s daughter.”

One tweet posted on May 23, 2011, also generated strong public reaction. It read: “Monday will be more fun with an ‘a’ in it. Touch a coworker today. Inappropriately.”

A report published by TechCabal on Friday confirmed that Paystack had opened a formal investigation into the matter, following internal escalation triggered by the online controversy.

In its statement to the platform, Paystack said: “Paystack is aware of the allegations involving our Co-founder, Ezra Olubi. We take matters of this nature extremely seriously. Effective immediately, Ezra has been suspended from all duties and responsibilities pending the outcome of a formal investigation.”

The company added that it would not be issuing further statements while the review continues, saying: “Out of respect for the individuals involved and to protect the integrity of the process, we will not be commenting further until the investigation is complete.”

Paystack, established in 2015 by Olubi and Shola Akinlade, has grown into one of Africa’s leading fintech companies, providing digital payment infrastructure for businesses across the continent.

The firm became the first Nigerian startup admitted into the renowned Y Combinator accelerator in 2016, a milestone that helped it attract global attention and expand its merchant base rapidly.

Its profile rose further in 2020 when global payments giant Stripe acquired the company for over US$200 million, one of the largest exits recorded in the Nigerian fintech ecosystem.

As Chief Technology Officer, Olubi was instrumental in building the systems and technological framework that enabled the company to scale across Nigeria and into other African markets.