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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced the estimated prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, to be sourced from the Dangote Refinery in September 2024.

The released pricing estimates forecast what Nigerians can expect to pay at NNPCL retail stations across different country regions.

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Housing market conditions are moving in favor of buyers as real estate experts see the home buying season shift away from a normally busy summertime into the fall.

With mortgage rates falling this year, the housing market may see more activity after facing a year of elevated mortgage rates and limited housing inventory. Easing borrowing costs may not only tempt buyers, but could potentially encourage more 'locked-in' homeowners to put their properties up for sale. 

Anticipated cuts to interest rates next week may drive down mortgage rates even further and more inventory coming to the market could have potential buyers busy house hunting in the coming months, Zillow reports.

“Affordability has improved substantially for homebuyers, and competition among them could extend into the fall instead of fading away as is typical at this time of year,” the report said. 

Several factors were moving in favor of homebuyers, starting with mortgage rates, which have moved low enough to make homeownership affordable again, the Zillow report found. After being over 7% in September of last year, mortgage rates have now dropped close to a full percentage point.

"Late summer may be an opportunity for buyers who have been waiting in the wings for a monthly mortgage payment they can qualify for," said Skylar Olsen, chief economist at Zillow.

Borrowing costs have fallen enough nationally to cut $100 from the typical monthly home payment, down from peak levels in May. Average payments are now less than one-third of the U.S. median household income, the report showed, meeting a widely-used definition of home affordability. 

Another positive sign for potential homebuyers is increased inventory, with 1.18 million homes now on the market—the most since September 2020. Also, 26% of the listings saw price cuts in August which was relatively high for the fall season, the Zillow report noted.

“More inventory is becoming available— enough to improve buyer negotiating power,” Olsen said.

There are opportunities for sellers too, as well-marketed houses were selling at a relatively quick pace of 20 days, almost a week faster than fall sales in the pre-pandemic era. And a third of home sales in July went for higher than the asking price, Zillow reported.

Zillow isn't the only organization tracking improvements in the housing market. A recent report from Realtor.com forecast that the week of Sept. 29 through Oct. 5 would be the best time to buy a house this year. 

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An influencer has advised men on a key decision they should avoid when it comes to marriage.

He said marrying a highly educated working women will be one of the worst decision you will ever make in your life.

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Some women has shared the silent battles they are facing but feel unable to discuss with their parents.

Some of them are having fertility, infid£lity and emotional issues in their marriages. There are some who have lost their jobs and could not get another. They were deceived by their husbands who promised to open a shop to them but f@iled. There are other whose husband has health issues while other have issues with in-laws.

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Sweden’s government on Thursday announced plans to significantly raise the grants for immigrants who voluntarily choose to return to their home countries.

Starting in 2026, immigrants can receive up to 350,000 Swedish kronor (approximately $34,000) as part of this initiative, according to Sweden’s right-wing government, which is supported by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.

Migration Minister Johan Forssell stated that this move is part of a ‘paradigm shift’ in the country’s migration policy. Currently, immigrants receive up to 10,000 kronor per adult and 5,000 kronor per child, with a maximum of 40,000 kronor per family. The new measure aims to increase the uptake of this offer, which has been available since 1984 but is relatively unknown and underutilized.

The announcement comes despite opposition from a recent government-appointed probe, which argued against a significant increase due to concerns over cost-effectiveness. The current administration, led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, is focusing on addressing immigration and crime as part of its broader policy agenda.”

Sweden has welcomed many migrants since the 1990s from conflict-ridden countries such as the former Yugoslavia, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, and Iraq, but has faced challenges integrating them.

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