The Federal Government is seeking to turn Nigeria’s global dominance in music, film, fashion and other creative industries into a major source of investment, jobs and export earnings through the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX). The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, said the government was no longer viewing the creative sector merely as a source of entertainment, but as a strategic engine of economic diversification. Musawa spoke on Tuesday at a joint ministerial briefing on Nigeria’s preparations for CANEX 2026 at the ITF Skills House, Maitama, Abuja. She said the summit would be…
Author: National Update
By Abdulkarim Abdulmalik As the world marks World Teachers’ Day on October 5, 2026, attention will naturally turn to classrooms, lesson plans, chalkboards, textbooks and the thousands of men and women who spend their working lives preparing young people for the future. But there is another less discussed dimension to the work of teachers: their ability to build bridges between people of different faiths. In a country like Nigeria, where Muslims and Christians constitute the overwhelming majority of the population and religious identity is often intertwined with community, politics and culture, the classroom can either become a place where prejudices…
The Senate has suspended its planned National Security Summit following the death of 32 Nigerian Air Force personnel in an aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State. The two-day summit, scheduled for October 12 and 13, 2026, has been postponed indefinitely following the crash and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of three days of national mourning. The Leader of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the decision in a statement on Tuesday. Twenty-five officers and seven crew members were killed when the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed in…
The 2027 presidential battle in Anambra has taken a sharper turn as the camps of Governor Chukwuma Soludo and former governor Peter Obi clashed over the state’s votes. The Anambra State Government on Monday urged voters to reject Obi and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 presidential election. The call drew a fierce response from Obi’s camp, which accused the Soludo administration of using political attacks to divert attention from questions about governance and the management of public funds. The exchange has intensified the battle for votes in Anambra, where the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has endorsed…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has been listed among prominent global personalities to receive the 2026 Afro Award for Excellence and Humanitarian Services in recognition of his leadership and contributions to governance and societal development. Otti is expected to join personalities from Africa, the United States and other parts of the world at the 5th Afro Awards ceremony scheduled for October 10 in Los Angeles, California. Others listed for honours include American singer Adina Howard, fashion designer and entrepreneur Karl Kani, basketball star Russell Westbrook and Tyrone DuBose. The Founder and President of the Afro…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against allowing political interests to infiltrate the recruitment, screening and deployment of personnel for the 2027 general elections. HURIWA says the credibility of the 2027 polls must begin with the integrity of the men and women who will administer them. The rights advocacy group in a statement by its national coordinator therefore urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, and the National Commissioners to establish a transparent and rigorous screening system for all election personnel. HURIWA particularly cautioned INEC against accepting recommendations from governors,…
The Parent-Teacher Association of Maryam Babangida School, El-Amin International School, Minna, Niger State, has said teachers deserve to enjoy the rewards of their sacrifices on earth before receiving greater rewards in heaven. The PTA stated this on Monday while marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day by presenting gifts to academic and non-academic staff of the school. The gesture included bags of rice, cartons of tomato paste and other items, which the association said were meant to appreciate the teachers for their commitment to educating and moulding children. The PTA Chairman, Prince Daniel Atori, who led other executive members during the…
The Independent National Electoral Commission has entered the final 100-day countdown to the 2027 general election with a warning to political parties, candidates and the media against declaring results outside the commission’s statutory authority. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling the commission’s level of preparedness for the elections. Amupitan said the commission would deploy technology, including 57,000 new BVAS devices and artificial intelligence tools, to strengthen voter accreditation, results verification and election security. He also disclosed that Nigeria’s voter register had risen to 103.43 million, following the registration of 10.77 million new…
The Nigerian Air Force has named the 25 people killed in Monday’s aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, as the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, ordered a comprehensive investigation into the tragedy. The victims comprised five crew members and 20 passengers who were aboard NAF aircraft NGR 931 when it crashed during a routine flight from Benin to Lagos. There were no survivors. The crash has plunged the Nigerian Air Force and the families of the victims into mourning, with the service assuring the bereaved families of its full support. NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame,…
The New Nigeria Democratic Congress has dismissed allegations that its National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, is secretly working with the ruling All Progressives Congress to undermine the party and its 2027 presidential ticket. The party described the claim as unfounded, insisting that Dickson remains firmly committed to the NDC, its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, stated this in Abuja while reacting to the allegations. Director said Dickson’s record in public service and his more than seven years in the Senate demonstrated his commitment to what he described…