By Ayo Onikoyi

The Real Housewives franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, offering a front-row seat into the lives of powerful women balancing business, family, friendships and everything else in-between.

The franchise first became a global sensation in the U.S., and its influence extended to Africa, where Nigerian women are making waves both locally and internationally.

Across the Atlantic, The Real Housewives of Potomac (RHOP)’s Dr. Wendy Osefo has brought Nigerian representation, balancing her reality TV presence with a career as a professor, political commentator, and author. Born in Nigeria and raised in the U.S., Wendy has remained vocal about her heritage, often incorporating her cultural identity into conversations on the show.

Halfway through its third season, The Real Housewives of Lagos (RHOLagos) continues to deliver everything viewers signed up for, lavish lifestyles, power moves, and shifting friendships.

With RHOLagos setting new standards for African reality TV and Wendy Osefo expanding Nigerian visibility on an international stage, the franchise continues to evolve while keeping its signature mix of glamour and real-life drama.

As the season unfolds, RHOLagos has kept audiences engaged with shifting alliances, business triumphs, and high-stakes confrontations. The Lagos cast: Adeola “Diiadem” Adeyemi, Carolyna Hutchings, Dabota Lawson, Laura Ikeji, Mariam Timmer, and Sophia Momodu are making it clear that beyond the designer outfits and exclusive events, real-life relationships and ambitions are at the heart of the show. Meanwhile, RHOP’s Wendy Osefo remains a standout personality in the franchise, balancing academia, media, and personal life all while embracing her Nigerian roots.

With reality TV becoming a key part of entertainment culture, Showmax is making it more accessible this March with the Shikini Deal, offering a limited-time-only deal on its General Entertainment plans from as low as N1,000. For those looking to catch up on RHOLagos or explore other must-watch shows, this presents a timely opportunity to do so at a lower cost.

As RHOLagos Season 3 heads toward its finale and fans in Africa catch up on Season 9 of RHOP courtesy Showmax, one thing is clear—Nigerian women are shaping conversations in reality TV, both at home and on the global stage. And with Showmax leading the charge in showcasing these stories, fans have a front-row seat to all the drama, success, and sisterhood that make the Real Housewives universe so compelling.

The post From Lagos to Potomac: How Nigerian women are shaping the Real Housewives franchise appeared first on Vanguard News.

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has asked opposition leaders and aggrieved stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to drop the idea of a possible future coalition and join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) instead.

El-Rufai, a former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, specifically called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party presidential flag-bearer in 2023, Peter Obi, and former ministers Rotimi Amaechi and Rauf Aregbesola to join forces with him in the SDP.

He made the appeal in a recent interview with BBC Hausa, in which he pleaded with politicians to join the SDP to defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

This follows his resignation from the APC on Monday, March 10, 2025, citing a misalignment of values with the ruling party.

ALSO READ: El-Rufai meets Aregbesola, Bakare as speculations of APC defection grows

“My wishes and prayers are for Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf, and all opposition leaders to come and join SDP, not to do a merger or to register a new political party.

“What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in would do well because we saw what Tinubu did in Lagos despite his challenges.

“We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed,” he said.

The former Kaduna Governor affirmed that his presidential ambition in 2027 would depend on the party and the people’s will.

ALSO READ: SDP youths accuse El-Rufai of attempting to hijack the party, reject his defection

“It is not for me to decide; it is the party and the people that will decide. Even when I was contesting for governor, it was people that met and convinced (Muhammadu) Buhari, and he called me and asked me to contest,” he added.

  The African Industrial and Development Conference and Awards (AIDCA) is set to host the Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition (EPC) finals in Abuja, Nigeria, in partnership with SeedsPad Qatar and Keystone Bank. This event will spotlight the top 100 startups from across Nigeria, offering them a chance to compete for a substantial prize pool of 100 million Naira, alongside valuable business to business meetings with angel investors. These finalists, selected from an anticipated pool of over 200 applicants through www.aidca.africa, have already proven their mettle in national competitions and undergone rigorous training at a global boot camp.  The EPC finals will be a central feature of the Global Entrepreneurship and Investment Summit, scheduled for July 21st-22nd, 2025, at the International Conference Centre in Abuja. The summit, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s Economic Potential: Harnessing Entrepreneurship and Investment Opportunities,” is designed to connect innovative entrepreneurs with private equity firms, venture capitalists, family offices, angel investors, and other key stakeholders from across Africa and beyond. This prestigious gathering will offer a unique platform for organizations, entrepreneurs, and startups to engage in Business-to-Business meetings, explore exhibitions, attend insightful keynotes and panel sessions, and participate in the AIDCA Awards.   Adedotun Olaoluwa, the president of Dotmount Communications and an organizer for this summit, emphasizes its potential to cultivate a robust investment ecosystem, building upon the success of the recent Middle East Investor Expo. “We are excited to host this prestigious event, which will bring together key players in the entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem. Our goal is to create a platform that fosters collaboration, innovation, and growth, ultimately unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential.”  Building on Previous Success Following the success of the last Middle East Investor Expo, we are confident that this event will exceed expectations and provide a valuable experience for all participants.Registration and More Information To register and learn more about the Global Entrepreneurship and Investment Summit and the Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition, please visit www.aidca.africa. For sponsorship and enquiries.Email: info@aidca.africaTel: +234 808 709 7176        View this post on Instagram           A post shared by aidca (@aidca.summit) The post N100M Up for Grabs! AIDCA Hosts Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition Finals appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.