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President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday received former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in what officials described as part of ongoing high-level consultations on regional and continental issues. The meeting, which was held behind closed doors at the State House, began at about 4 pm, although details of the discussions were not immediately disclosed as of press time. Sources familiar with the engagement indicated that the interaction aligns with a pattern of periodic consultations between both leaders, particularly on political developments in West Africa and Nigeria’s broader diplomatic and continental engagements. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the visit in a brief post on X (formerly Twitter), ...

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dan Ulasi, Thursday warned that the party can not challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027 with Nyesom Wike as its national leader.Ulasi, who stated this in an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, said the contradiction must be resolved.He threatened to exit the part should it fail to rectify the anomalies. “I don’t see my party as presently constituted challenging Tinubu with Wike as national leader. These are part of the contradictions, which if I’m not properly informed and explained to, I will leave the party. And I want to be quoted accurately. “I told Wike when last we met that you cannot be the national leader of PDP and then be supporting President Ahmed Tinubu. That is very unconstructive,” he said. He questioned what role Wike w...

By Joan Nwagwu The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening social security systems, calling for greater inclusiveness and accessibility across West Africa. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the International Social Security Association (ISSA) West Africa Seminar. The event was organised by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) in collaboration with ISSA and PENCOM. The theme of the seminar is, “Improving Inclusiveness and Accessibility of Social Security Services Through Effective Communication in West Africa.” The two-day seminar brought together key stakeholders, including government representatives, development partners and technical experts from across the s...

By Joan Nwagwu The Managing Director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Oluwaseun Faleye, has called for stronger and more responsive social protection systems, given Nigeria’s growing population and dynamic labour market. Faleye made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the 2026 International Social Security Association (ISSA) West Africa Technical Seminar. The event was organised by NSITF in collaboration with the ISSA and the National Pension Commission (PENCOM). The theme of the seminar is “Improving Inclusiveness and Accessibility of Social Security Services Through Effective Communication in West Africa.” Faleye said Nigeria’s expanding population and evolving nature of work had made a stronger social protection framework inevitable. “The NSITF, under t...

By Joan Nwagwu The President of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Mr Ibeji Nwokoma, says the union may embark on strike over the unresolved renegotiation of its wage agreement with the Federal Government. Nwokoma stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday at the end of NAAT’s 62nd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja. He expressed concern over the prolonged delay in concluding the renegotiation of the FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement, which had been under review since 2017. According to him, several government committees constituted over the years have failed to conclude an agreement that adequately addresses the welfare of academic technologists. “Successive government committees have failed to deliver a workable agreement that reflects t...

By Joan Nwagwu The International Labour Organisation (ILO) says it has trained more than 5,000 specialists across Africa as part of efforts to expand social protection systems on the continent. Mrs Vanessa Phala-Moyo, ILO Country Director, disclosed this at the TRANSFORM Certificates Issuance Ceremony for a new cohort of Nigerians under the Supporting Sustainable Social Protection Systems in Nigeria (SUSI) project on Tuesday in Abuja. The event was organised by the ILO in collaboration with the Federal Government and UNICEF, with funding support from the European Union (EU). Phala-Moyo said the training was designed to build the capacity of professionals to design, implement and manage social protection interventions effectively. “The training is aimed at equipping prof...

By Joan Nwagwu The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has inaugurated an Employees’ Compensation Scheme Help Desk at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in Abuja to strengthen workers’ welfare. Managing Director and Chief Executive of NSITF, Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, said the initiative marked a major milestone in delivering social security services within Nigeria’s federal civil service system. Faleye said the Help Desk demonstrated government commitment to the welfare, safety, and dignity of public servants, while improving access to compensation services and support mechanisms across federal ministries. He described it as a structural transformation in the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, designed to enhance efficiency, transparency, and acc...

By Lucy Ogalue The Managing Director of Centenary City Plc, Dr Ike Odenigwe, says significant progress has been recorded on the 4.3 kilometre access road project within the Centenary City development in Abuja. Odenigwe disclosed this on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting organised to showcase progress on the first road project and highlight support received from partners and host communities. He said construction had commenced in earnest, adding that stakeholders were physically present on the road, demonstrating visible progress and the company’s commitment to delivering critical infrastructure within the development. Odenigwe commended host communities for their cooperation, noting that the project spanned five communities which had remained supportive, enabling smoo...

Engr. Oyedele Hakeem Alao, an APC governorship aspirant, has formally declared his intention for Oyo state's 2027 governorship race. Alao, who made the declaration on Tuesday at the NUT Resource Centre in Samanda, Ibadan, promised a "Redemption Mission" to revive the state's pacesetter legacy. Addressing party leaders, elders, members, and citizens, Alao, who goes by "Allow Alao," outlined a manifesto built on four pillars: agriculture, health, education, and civil service reform. He described Oyo as overdue for transformation after years of stifled potential in markets, farms, schools, and hospitals. In agriculture, Alao pledged mechanisation centers across zones including Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibadan; a "Feed Ourselves, Feed the Nation" initiative with improve...

The Federal Government has debunked claims of diversion of federation revenue. The government said claims were unfounded and a misrepresentation of findings contained in the latest Nigeria Development Update by the World Bank. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of State for Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, said recent media interpretations suggesting that a significant portion of federation earnings was being diverted were inaccurate and based on a misunderstanding of Nigeria’s fiscal framework. Oyedele clarified that deductions by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), which had been portrayed in some reports as wasteful or missing funds, were legitimate and statutory components of public finance administration. He explained that such deductions in...

University based unions have threatened to go strike should the ongoing strike between them.and the federal government fails to reach an acceptable agreement by the end of April 2026. The National Executive Council of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities issued the strong warning. Both the government and the university-based unions are currently locked in a renegotiation talks. The position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a special NEC meeting held on Saturday at the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, where leaders reviewed developments in the negotiation process. According to the communiqué signed by the National President of SSANU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Muhammad Ibrahim, and made available to the press ...

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the results of candidates who sat for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18. JAMB, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, disclosed that a total of 1,264,940 results from the two days have been made available for candidates to check. “The results of candidates who sat the examination on Friday, 17 April and Saturday, 18 April 2026 have now been released. A total of 1,264,940 results from these two days are available for candidates to check/view,” the statement read. The board also recalled that it had earlier released results of candidates who sat for the examination on Thursday, April 16. “The Board had earlier released 632,752 results of...

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has rewarded exceptional members of its staff for their contributions to advancing the country’s digital economy. The event brought together top management, board members, and staff of the Commission. The NCC Staff Awards Night is part of the Commission’s broader strategy to promote a culture of excellence, reward productivity, and inspire continuous improvement among its personnel. The award night highlighted the critical role of human capital in achieving Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda. The NCC noted that the award recipients have consistently demonstrated outstanding performance, innovation, and dedication—qualities considered essential to driving the Federal Government’s vision of a more inclusive and digitally conn...

Retired police personnel and their families on Monday blocked one of the gates of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in protest. The retirees under the umbrella of the Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria, are demanding the removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme. The placard carrying retired police officers described their inclusion in the contributory pension scheme as “fraudulent, illegal, inhumane and obnoxious.” Protesters carried placards reading “End CPS,” “If military, DSS were removed from PENCOM, why not police?” while many were chanting, “Police dey work, PenCom dey chop.” They said the protest was aimed at urging President Bola Tinubu to assent to the Police Exit Bill passed by the National Assembly on December 4, 2025, and tran...

Doctors in Ondo State, under the auspices of the Nigeria Medical Association, have issued a eight day ultimatum to the state government to improve their welfare. The doctors condmend the current working condition, which they said represent suffering. The chairman of the Ondo NMA, Dr Muyiwa Alonge, made the call in a statement on Monday urged the government to implement two key Federal Government circulars that affect their salaries and welfare, as had been done in other states of the federation for almost a year. The statement read, “For months, the Ondo State Government has not implemented two key Federal Government circulars that affect our salaries and welfare – the first is Circular SWC/S/04/S.218/IV/876 of 19th November 2025 on the Consequential Adjustment of Salaries, t...

No fewer than 42 suspected illegal miners have been arrested in Kwara state in respect to the abduction of of Kwara monarch, Oba Salman Aweda, of Olayinka community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state. Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Mr Adekimi Ojo, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen on Monday. Ojo said the monarch was abducted by ten fully armed terrorists on Saturday evening after the royalty earlier paid him in the day by the miners. He said that the terrorists broke down the door of his palace, fetched him from one of the rooms and demanded the money the miners gave him earlier in the day. He added that the monarch immediately gave them the money, and he was thereafter taken away with his brother, who was with him. “Immediately we got...

Cultural diplomacy and linguistic exchange took centre stage in Abuja on Monday as language enthusiasts gathered to commemorate the 17th International Chinese Language Day, highlighting the growing significance of Mandarin in strengthening relations between China and Nigeria. Hosted at the China Cultural Centre, the event brought together key stakeholders from government, media, and academia in a celebration that blended tradition, diplomacy, and forward-looking cooperation. Speaking on behalf of the Chinese Embassy, Yang Jianxing welcomed participants and situated the celebration within the Grain Rain period—one of the 24 traditional solar terms in the Chinese calendar—historically linked to Cangjie. He described the occasion as symbolic of continuity between ancient heritage an...

The Faculty of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) has dismissed the allegations by a former Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung against the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, over the purported commercialisation of the results of 16 "special students" in the 2009/2010 session while he was the Dean. While explaining that nothing of such ever happened in that class, or indeed any other class before or subsequent to it, to the best knowledge of the members of its Board, the Faculty said Dalung spoke as a partisan politician of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). A statement by the Dean of UNIJOS Faculty of Law, Prof Francis M. Kwede, debunked the allegation, saying there was no manipulation and trading off ...