Nigeria’s fragile digital backbone came under sharp scrutiny on Wednesday as the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the International Press Centre (IPC) convened a high-level forum in Abuja to confront the country’s stalled progress on digital public infrastructure (DPI). Supported by Co-Develop, the event drew media leaders, policymakers, and technology experts to map a rescue plan for Nigeria’s digital future. Framed under the theme “The Status of Digital Public Infrastructure in Nigeria: Progress, Challenges, and Prospects,” the gathering spotlighted urgent concerns—from crumbling connectivity and insecurity to shaky data privacy safeguards—that threaten to leave millions excluded from the digital…
Author: National Update
***Says No Force Can Silence Kogi Central’s Voice The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in clear terms the reported attempt by the Clerk of the National Assembly to stop Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming at the Senate after enduring an unjust six-month suspension slammed on her by Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio. This shameful move reeks of a deliberate plot by the APC-controlled Senate leadership to rob the people of Kogi Central of their voice and deny them representation at the highest lawmaking institution in Nigeria. It is unconstitutional, provocative, and a grave assault on democracy. National Publicity Secretary…
The Federal Government has reassured Nigerians that the recently discussed 5% fuel surcharge is not a new tax, but an existing provision dating back nearly two decades. At a media briefing in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, explained that the surcharge was first introduced under the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) Amendment Act of 2007 to fund road infrastructure. Under that law, 40% of the revenue goes to FERMA and 60% to State Road Maintenance Agencies. Director, Information and Public Relations, Mohammed Manga in a statement quoted the Minister to…
***Lawmakers hail his leadership, unity drive, and role in strengthening party dominance The Niger State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a vote of confidence on the Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Aminu Bobi, praising him for what it described as “outstanding and purposeful leadership.” Bobi, who assumed office on August 4, 2023, following the resignation of former chairman Engineer Jibrin Imam, was commended for providing stability and direction to the APC in the state over the past two years. The motion was moved by Hon. Sani Idris, member representing Tafa constituency, who said the APC…
By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse In a major boost to Nigeria’s fight against the impacts of climate change, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have commissioned 11 climate-resilient health and education facilities in Jigawa State. The projects, handed over to the state government in Chamo town, Dutse Local Government Area, are part of the Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) programme, designed to strengthen essential services against floods, droughts, and extreme heat. FCDO Development Director, Ms. Cynthia Rowe, revealed that the UK government has committed £19 million to CRIBS projects…
The lingering controversy over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) has taken a fresh turn, with the National Assembly formally barring her from resuming duties despite her insistence that her six-month suspension had elapsed. On September 4, 2025, the lawmaker wrote to the leadership of the Assembly, notifying them of her plan to return to plenary and her office at the Senate. Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that her suspension, imposed on March 6, 2025, had expired by effluxion of time, making her eligible to reclaim her seat. In her strongly worded letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly, the…
The Labour Party (LP) has applauded Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, for openly warning against Nigeria’s rising debt and challenged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to show similar patriotism by halting further reckless borrowing under President Bola Tinubu. In a statement signed by Interim National Publicity Secretary Tony Akeni, LP said Nigeria’s debt crisis has crossed a dangerous line, citing Debt Management Office figures showing a surge from ₦121.7 trillion in December 2024 to ₦149.39 trillion by March 2025—raising the debt-to-GDP ratio to 52%, well above the 40% legal ceiling. The party noted that ₦8.93 trillion—61% of revenue…
The Labour Party (LP) has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the 10th National Assembly of eroding global confidence in Nigeria and driving away foreign investors by refusing to implement court judgments reinstating Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. In a strongly worded statement by LP’s interim spokesperson, Prince Tony Akeni the party said the Senate’s defiance of judicial authority sends a “dangerous signal” that Nigeria’s institutions are partisan, unreliable, and unworthy of global trust. “Foreign investors will never put their money in a country where even the legislature—the makers of law—openly defy the courts,” LP warned. “If companies cannot be assured of…
Former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has said Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return to the Senate may remain in limbo if it depends on a pending court case. Reacting to the controversy on Tuesday, Sani wrote: “If the pending court issues has to be resolved before the Kogi Senator resumes, then the resumption has no date.” His comment comes after the National Assembly rejected Akpoti-Uduaghan’s formal notice of resumption, insisting that her six-month suspension is still in force until the Court of Appeal delivers judgment. Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, had argued that her suspension—imposed on March 6, 2025, over allegations…
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has named Nancy Sabanti Nathan as its Acting Head of Service, following the passing of her predecessor, Grace Adayilo. The announcement was made in a statement on Tuesday morning by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister. The statement noted that Nathan’s appointment takes immediate effect and will remain in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive Head of Service. Adayilo, who died last Monday, had made history in October 2024 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed her as the first female and first…