The Nigerian entertainment industry woke to devastating news on Monday. Veteran Nollywood actor and producer Solomon Akiyesi died in his sleep on Sunday night, April 26, 2026, in Abuja. He was a 26-year industry veteran who appeared in over 100 films. He was not ill. He simply went to bed and did not wake up.

According to the Actors Guild of Nigeria president Abubakar Yakubu, who confirmed the death, Akiyesi had complained of chest pain the night before and was taken to hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with an ulcer and prescribed medication. He returned home, went to sleep — and at around 4am, his wife tried to wake him. He did not respond. His remains were deposited in a mortuary in Abuja.

Akiyesi was a native of Ososo in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State. He began his Nollywood career in the late 1990s and built a reputation as one of the industry’s most versatile character actors. Colleagues took to social media to describe him as lively, energetic, and joyful on every set. He mentored younger actors and worked as both a director and entrepreneur — the kind of figure whose loss leaves not just a gap in filmography, but a gap in character.

Akiyesi’s death follows that of Michael Eneramo — the former Super Eagles striker who died of cardiac arrest on a football pitch in Kaduna on April 24. Two Nigerian creatives and sportsmen gone in four days. The frequency is striking and sits against a backdrop of ongoing national conversation about healthcare access, stress, and the physical and mental toll on Nigeria’s creative and sporting professionals.

President Tinubu met with FBI Director Kash Patel in Abuja on Monday, with the Presidency stating the federal government is “working hard to end terrorism.” The Cable reported the meeting as a significant security partnership signal — particularly given the ongoing threat from Boko Haram in the northeast, the Jilli Market airstrike fallout, and the broader insecurity crisis that killed over 1,400 Nigerians in Q1 2026. The meeting also comes as the House of Representatives announced plans to probe the Giwa Barracks fire and rising Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe States.

Peter Obi met with former President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday, alongside a delegation of South-East political leaders including former Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa and a mix of serving and former lawmakers. Obi said the discussions focused on the 2027 elections and the broader national situation. “Notable South-East leaders have come in consultation with our respected former president. That is essentially the purpose — discussions around the 2027 elections,” he told journalists.

The Jonathan meeting is strategically significant. Jonathan, who declined a third-party presidential run in 2023, remains arguably the most consequential political broker in Nigeria — his blessing or neutrality in the 2027 race could shape the South-South and South-East calculus significantly. Obi is building the widest coalition possible, and a Jonathan endorsement — or even a non-objection — would add enormous legitimacy to the ADC presidential bid.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu formally and publicly endorsed his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, to succeed him as governor in 2027. The announcement came Monday at Lagos House, Marina, following a private consultation. Sanwo-Olu called Hamzat “tried and tested” — someone who “knows every nook and cranny of Lagos” and has been groomed since the Fashola administration. “We are not going to hand over Lagos to charlatans who are coming to test their luck,” Sanwo-Olu said.

In a major development for the aviation industry, NMDPRA (Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority) has officially pegged aviation fuel (Jet A1) at between ₦1,760 and ₦2,037 per litre — a significant reduction from the ₦3,300 per litre that triggered weeks of airline shutdown threats. Simultaneously, President Tinubu has approved 30% debt relief for domestic airlines and ordered further discussions on pricing. The combination of a price cap and debt relief is the most concrete government response to the aviation crisis since it began escalating after the Hormuz blockade in early March.

The Dangote Refinery is simultaneously expanding its workforce to meet a planned 1.4 million barrels per day expansion. Nigeria also hit a record ICAO safety rating — recognition of aviation regulatory improvement even as the commercial viability crisis deepens. FAAN announced a strategic plan to transform the Nigeria-UK air cargo corridor — a long-term positive for trade but less immediately relevant to the fuel crisis.