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By Victor Okoye Ruby House emerged overall winner at Benford International School Inter-House Sports and facilities launch in Abuja, showcasing talent and grassroots sports development. Chairman, Board of Directors, Benaoyagha Okoyen, said the event highlighted the importance of sports in total child development. Okoyen expressed satisfaction with participation, noting that pupils, parents and guests turned out massively despite other engagements. “We are happy with the turnout and participation. Sports remain essential for children’s physical fitness, teamwork and leadership development,” he said. He emphasised the need to promote grassroots sports and early talent discovery among young Nigerians. “This is about catching them young. What we saw today shows great po...

By Genesis Ogiri ABUJA — In a move aimed at strengthening professional standards and enterprise capacity within Nigeria’s property sector, Crown Elite Realtors has convened its 2026 conference in Abuja, bringing together key practitioners, developers, and marketers for advanced business development sessions. The conference was organised under the leadership of Dr. Gbadewole Amos Kayode, Vice-Chairman of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria–FCT and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Crown Luxury Properties, as part of efforts to deepen professionalism and enterprise growth within the sector. Powered by Crown Luxury Properties, the conference held at The Blanc Hotels and attracted participants from different segments of the property industry, including market...

By Lucy Ogalue The Bank of Industry (BOI) says small and large enterprises have benefited from a N825 million clean energy financing window. The initiative is part of a 600,000-dollar GEF-UNIDO IEE and RECP project. Of the total, 550,000 dollars were disbursed to BOI for on-lending to eligible industries. The funding supports investments in energy efficiency, cleaner production technologies, renewable energy solutions, recycling infrastructure, and resource-efficient production systems. Mrs Ifeoma Uz’Okpala, Executive Director, Risk Management and ITD, GEF-UNIDO IEE and RECP, disclosed this during the presentation of the financing results to national stakeholders and financial institutions in Abuja on Thursday. She said the programme demonstrated how targeted financi...

By Victor Okoye The National Sports Commission (NSC) has pledged stronger collaboration with Nigeria’s bodybuilding and fitness federation to enhance talent development nationwide. NSC Chairman, Malam Shehu Dikko, made this known on Thursday in Abuja, during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation of Nigeria (ABBFN), led by its President, Mr. Soye Elekima. Dikko said the partnership would improve talent identification, training facilities, and competition standards across all levels of the sport. He emphasized that the NSC would support national teams, organise championship workshops, and promote school-level fitness programmes for sustainable athlete development. “We are committed to building a structured pathway from grass...

The Federal Government has directed civil servants working within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja to work from home on Friday, March 27, 2026.This is due to the national convention of the All Progressives Congress. The directive was contained in a circular issued and signed by Abdul Garba, Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, for the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. According to the circular, all access roads leading to and around the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phases I, II and III, will be closed from Friday, March 27, to Saturday, March 28, 2026. “All Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, Agencies and Offices located within the Federal Secretariat, Phases I, II & III are hereby informed of the closure of all access roads leading to and around...

The Central Bank of Nigeria has restricted banking services for “chronic defaulters” and large-ticket obligors with non-performing loans. This is part of the efforts to enforce credit discipline and safeguard the nation’s financial system, the apex bank issued a policy statement on Wednesday following remarks by CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso at the 4th Annual IMF/AFRITAC West 2 High-Level Executive Forum in Abuja. The Governor made it clear that the era of regulatory forbearance for delinquent borrowers is over. He emphasised that the bank is shifting toward a more aggressive stance on corporate governance to ensure that the N4.61tn in new capital recently attracted by the banking sector is protected from systemic abuse. “Our stance on corporate governance is unequivocal: z...

The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, Thursday 26 March 2026 submitted a framework for the creation of State Police to the Senate.Disu said the move is part of efforts to decentralize policing in the country.The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who chairs the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, received the documents at the senator’s office in the National Assembly, Abuja. In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, it was explained that the 75-page framework was submitted on behalf of the IGP by Professor Olu Ogunsakin, Chairman of the committee set up by the Nigeria Police Force to examine the modalities for establishing State Police in...

By Joan Nwagwu Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), has called for increased investment in youth development and social protection. Faleye, who was represented by his Technical Assistant, Dr Dayo Alao, made the call at the Students Mentorship Summit 2026, organised by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Abuja on Thursday. He described Nigerian youths as the nation’s greatest asset, noting that their potential must be nurtured through deliberate policies and programmes. “Nigeria’s greatest asset is not oil or infrastructure, but its youth, who are energetic, innovative and full of potential. “Potential alone is not enough; there is a need to guide, support and protect young people to enable the...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Prof. Thairu Yunusa as the fifth substantive Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, for a tenure of four years. The approval was conveyed through the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate. During the official handover ceremony held at the hospital’s Board Room, on Thursday, March 26, 2026, the outgoing Acting CMD, Prof. Bob Ukonu, commended the management and staff for their cooperation and support during his tenure. He pledged his continued support to the new leadership whenever called upon, in the collective effort to advance healthcare delivery within the institution. In his acceptance remarks, Prof. Thairu Yunusa expressed...

By Jacinta Nwachukwu A non-governmental organisation, Plan International Nigeria, has called for a national budget that reflects the needs of women and girls to ensure their wellbeing. The Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Plan International Nigeria, Dr Nana Chidi-Emmanuel, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja, at a roundtable hybrid session on promoting inclusive legislation. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the session was organised to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD). Chidi-Emmanuel, who was represented by a board member, Pelemo Nyajo, noted that many girls and women have continued to face barriers in education, economic opportunity, leadership and protection from harm. “Shifting this reality starts with making sure that girls and young w...

The All Progressives Congress plans to adopt a consensus approach for selecting its national leadership during the party’s convention scheduled for March 27–28, 2026, in Abuja, NewsSpecng learnt. The Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity for the APC National Convention 2026, Mary Ikoku, disclosed the plan during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday. Ikoku said the party had not yet decided how these would be handled, noting that decisions may vary depending on local political dynamics. She explained, “APC, for this convention, I am aware and can say that the party is adopting consensus for this convention. As to whether they are adopting consensus for elective positions, I do not have an answer to that because politics is local. “So, I bel...

The All Progressives Congress, North Central Zone, has unanimously adopted President Bola Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.The party stakeholders at the zone including governors, senators, and former ministers declared their full support for the President’s re-election bid at the North Central Zonal Congress held at the late Aliyu Akwe Doma Banquet Hall, Government House, Lafia, Nasarawa State. The event produced new zonal executives for the party through a consensus process, affirmed by voice vote and acclamation, in line with the approach adopted at the ward, local government and state levels of the congress exercise. Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, who doubles as the Chairman, North Central Governors Forum, seconded the motion, adopti...

By: Ayoade Esther Damola Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has replied the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), denying an allegation that he staged a press conference in the court. NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN) had warned on Wednesday that the courtrooms should not be used as a stage for media briefings. Osigwe issued the warning via a statement shared on the association’s official X account, in reaction to an incident involving Sowore on Tuesday. Reacting to the NBA and its President via a post on his verified X handle, Sowore said: “I have read the statement issued by the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association, and I must say this is yet another sad day for democracy in Nigeria. While I understand that the NBA may feel compelled ...

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted an order of final forfeiture of the sum of $13 million linked to a business woman, Ms Aisha Achimugu and her Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd, to the federal government. Justice Emeka Nwite held that the company failed woefully to establish how it came about the money.Justice Nwite held that the company failed woefully to establish how it came about the money.The judge, according to a statement by the Commission however, stressed that the EFCC succeeded in convincing the court that the funds are proceeds of fraud and should be forfeited to the government. The judge dismissed the claims that the $13 million was gifts received into the Oceangate Engineering Company by Aisha Achimugu adding that the said Aisha never showed u...

By Joan Nwagwu The Federation of Informal Workers Organisations of Nigeria (FIWON) has urged the Federal Government to provide matching pension contributions and subsidised health insurance for informal workers. The FIWON General Secretary, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, made the call during a rally in Abuja on Wednesday while addressing newsmen on the plight of informal workers. Participants at the rally carried banners with inscriptions such as: “Contributory pension with government support” and “Effective social protection is a right,” demanding a 50:50 pension contribution arrangement. Komolafe, in a letter submitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, called for the extension of social protection to millions of workers in Nigeria’s informal econo...

​In a monumental shift for Northwest politics, Senator Abdulaziz Yari took the lead in orchestrating a high-profile reception for Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, who officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Acting as a pivotal bridge-builder within the party, Yari—a former governor himself—demonstrated a strategic show of unity by standing alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle. The gathering signaled a definitive end to local rivalries, positioning Yari as the primary architect of a new, consolidated political front in Zamfara. ​During the welcoming ceremony, Senator Yari emphasized that the return of Governor Lawal to the "progressive fold" was not just a win for the APC, but a necessary step for th...

Nigeria children and adolescents have been charged to reject internal colonialism, instead hold firm to a nation where freedom of thought, conscience and belief is guaranteed for all. This was the take-home message during the 2026 Conscientising Nigerian Male Adolescents (CMA) public forum held in Calabar, the Cross River capital. The event, organised by the Socialist Library of Nigeria (SOLAR) in partnership with Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) Foundation and supported by Open Society Foundation (OSF) had gathered participants to honour the duo of Comrades Bene Madunagu and Biodun Jeyifo, who during their lifetimes displayed that ideas were powerful when used to challenge oppression. Madunagu posthumously turned 79 on the day of the public forum...

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction,  Dr Bernard Doro, has inaugurated the “One Humanitarian-One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS)” aimed at lifting 50 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.Doro unveiled the initiative at a National Technical Workshop for stakeholders in the humanitarian sector at the UN House on Tuesday in Abuja.The minister explained that the OHOPRS was unified national architecture for ending poverty in Nigeria, adding that over 63 per cent of Nigerians faced multidimensional poverty.He itemised the challenges facing the humanitarian activities as, structural gap-chronic fragmentation across MDAs, states, and local governments, visibility crisis, and coordination conflict.“Others include Siloed Data, un...

By Joan Nwagwu The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has expressed outrage over the alleged invasion of its national secretariat in Abuja, describing the incident as illegal and disturbing. The union’s General Secretary, Mr Kayode Agbeyangi, made the statement while addressing newsmen on Tuesday, stressing that the alleged takeover violated due legal process. It would be recalled that Mr Tajudeen Baruwa reportedly led his supporters to take control of the NURTW national secretariat in Abuja, asserting his claim to the union’s presidency based on court rulings. Agbeyangi noted that the alleged invasion was carried out without notice or legal backing. “The individuals involved came without notice or legal authority and forcefully gained access to the secret...