President Bola Tinubu has set October 1 as the target date for Nigerians to begin feeling the impact of cheaper transportation, following his directive for the rollout of 500 additional Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations nationwide. The new stations will expand the Federal Government’s planned CNG network to 1,000 stations as the administration intensifies efforts to reduce the cost of running vehicles after the removal of petrol subsidy. Tinubu announced the directive after a meeting with state governors, who agreed to work with the Federal Government to bring down transportation costs in their respective states. The President said the…
Author: National Update
The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr Aminu Yusuf Wushishi, has died after a brief illness. Wushishi reportedly died on Friday, August 28, 2026, in Niger State. News of his death reached Minna, the state capital, around the time of the Juma’at prayer, triggering mourning among his associates, political allies and members of the public. His Special Adviser on Media, Stanley Nwosu, confirmed the development. “Yes, it is true. The NPC chairman died after a brief illness,” Nwosu said. Wushishi, a prominent figure in Niger State politics, previously served as Secretary of the state chapter of the Peoples…
Women leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have begun a nationwide mobilisation drive aimed at increasing women’s participation in the party and strengthening its grassroots structures ahead of future elections. The National Speaker of the SDP Women Parliament, Ambassador Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdullahi, made this known during a strategic meeting with state women leaders in Abuja. Abdullahi said women could no longer remain on the sidelines of political activities, urging them to build strong structures across states, wards and communities. She said electoral success would not come through wishful thinking but through organisation, sacrifice, strategy and sustained grassroots mobilisation. The…
Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis is revealing a disturbing new pattern: the biggest ransom earnings are no longer spread evenly among criminal gangs but are increasingly concentrated among highly organised insurgent networks. Fresh data from SBM Intelligence shows that Nigerians paid ₦7.78 billion in ransom between July 2025 and June 2026, even though kidnappers demanded a much larger ₦22.9 billion during the period. The most striking finding is that the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) faction of Boko Haram accounted for about ₦7 billion, or 90 per cent of the ransom actually paid. That means one insurgent network collected almost the…
Top leaders of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, have intensified consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections as the party prepares to unveil its campaign council. The latest meeting, which lasted several hours, was held at the Abuja residence of the NDC National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson. The meeting was attended by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi; his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe; the two Deputy National Chairmen and other senior party officials. The meeting came days after another lengthy discussion involving Dickson, Obi and Kwankwaso, as the party’s top leaders…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has called for urgent action against kidnapping following a report that 7,825 Nigerians were abducted and N7.8bn was paid in ransom within one year. HURIWA made the call in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, on Friday. The group was reacting to a report by SBM Intelligence titled The Capture of the Kidnap Economy. The report said 1,713 kidnapping and related incidents were recorded between July 2025 and June 2026. According to the report, 7,825 people were abducted while 1,142 people were killed during the period. HURIWA…
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Cyril EneOjo Akuh, has risen to the rank of Air Commodore in the Nigerian Air Force, in a rare career that has combined priesthood with military service. Akuh, an indigene of Kogi State and an Igala, began his educational journey at Army Children’s School, Keffi, before attending St. Kizito Minor Seminary in Idah, Kogi State. He was ordained a Catholic priest on July 10, 1999, and later became a military chaplain in the Nigerian Air Force. Records from the Catholic Diocese of Idah show that his early posting with the Air Force was in Makurdi.…
A Kogi-based rights group has challenged the state government to explain how public funds are being translated into better welfare for workers and improved infrastructure. The Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) said the reported ₦24.75 billion received by the Kogi State Government from the Federation Account should prompt questions about spending priorities. The group’s Executive Director, Idris Miliki Abdul, also challenged political appointees to account for the impact of their appointments on their communities. Abdul said officials should examine the condition of roads, schools, hospitals, healthcare facilities, electricity and other basic amenities in their areas. He asked…
The Emir of Daura, HRM Dr Umar Faruk Umar, CON, has conferred the traditional title of “Mairamar Kasar Hausa I” on the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa. The title, which means “First Daughter of Hausa Land,” was bestowed on the minister on Wednesday during the closing ceremony of the Hausa Day celebrations in Daura, Katsina State. Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Dr Nneka Ikem Anibeze, quoted Musawa as describing the honour as deeply personal and a reflection of her roots, heritage and pride in Hausa culture. Musawa said the…
The Federal Government has backed the proposed National Forest Association of Nigeria, saying it will promote coordination, investment and sustainable development in the forest sector. Assistant Director, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Felicia Udeh, stated this at a national stakeholders’ meeting on the draft constitution of the proposed association. Udeh said the initiative was an important step towards building a stronger and more sustainable forest sector. She cited World Bank data showing that Nigeria’s forests covered 23.2 per cent of the country’s land area in 2023, compared with 25.7 per cent across sub-Saharan Africa. She said declining forest cover,…