The National Social Investment Programme Agency has commenced an eight-day nationwide skills acquisition and vocational training programme aimed at equipping thousands of Nigerian youths with practical skills to tackle unemployment and promote self-reliance. The programme, which began on Monday, is being conducted simultaneously across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. In Jigawa State, the training was launched at centres in Dutse, Birnin Kudu, Gumel, Hadejia and Ringim, with hundreds of beneficiaries participating in the exercise. The beneficiaries are being trained in various vocational fields, including electrical installation, welding and fabrication, masonry, baking and confectionery, plumbing, agricultural technology and…
Author: National Update
From Umar Egbunu Muhammed, Lafia The National Orientation Agency has raised the alarm over the growing “get-rich-quick” mentality among Nigerian youths, blaming the craze for instant wealth for the rising cases of banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, internet fraud and ritual killings across the country. The agency warned that the desperation to acquire wealth without legitimate means was not only fuelling criminality but also driving young Nigerians away from education, skills acquisition and productive livelihoods. The Director-General of NOA, Mr Augustine Akwe-doma, stated this at the graduation and prize-giving ceremony of You-Nik Academy, Lafia, Nasarawa State. Akwe-doma, who was represented by…
The Presidency has hit back at the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, over his criticism of the Bola Tinubu administration, insisting that the achievements of the Renewed Hope government are visible across the country. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Obi’s latest criticism as a product of what he called the “high of his rabid movement.” Onanuga, in a post on his verified X account on Monday, said Obi needed to look beyond his political supporters and acknowledge what he described as the impact of the administration’s policies…
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Jonathan Vatsa, has said Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has “shamed” President Bola Tinubu and Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, by opting for a Christian running mate ahead of the 2027 governorship election. Vatsa, a former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism and former Special Adviser on Media and Communication to Governor Bago, said Sani’s decision to choose a Christian from Southern Kaduna as his running mate demonstrated political sensitivity lacking in the same-faith tickets adopted by Tinubu and Bago. Speaking in Minna on Monday, the former APC publicity secretary said…
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has placed cost-cutting and personal sacrifice at the centre of his 2027 campaign, promising to radically reduce the cost of governance and dismantle what he described as unnecessary privileges attached to public office. Obi made the declaration during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today with Seun Okinbaloye on Sunday, as he outlined what he would do differently if elected president in 2027. Channels Television confirmed Obi as the NDC presidential candidate ahead of the programme. The former Anambra State governor said his administration would begin cutting government expenditure from…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Fresh concerns over alleged cult activities, sexual harassment and other forms of misconduct at Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, have unsettled the institution, with management confirming the suspension of seven lecturers amid ongoing investigations. The development has heightened anxiety among students and staff, following allegations that cult-related activities are resurfacing on campus and that some female students are being subjected to sexual advances in exchange for academic favours. While the more serious allegations remain under investigation, the Polytechnic’s Public Relations Officer, John Amos Onimisi, confirmed that management had already taken disciplinary action against lecturers over some of…
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to explain why it has accelerated domestic borrowing despite what he described as an estimated **₦7.98 trillion windfall from higher-than-budgeted crude oil prices**. Atiku, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, questioned the rationale behind the Federal Government’s reported borrowing of about ₦5 trillion from the domestic bond market in the first half of 2026, arguing that the scale of borrowing was difficult to reconcile with improved oil earnings. He said the government’s borrowing spree would…
The battle for the APC senatorial ticket in Kogi West has taken a fresh turn, with Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro asking the Federal High Court in Lokoja to overturn the party’s nomination of Senator Sunday Steve Karimi for the 2027 election. Aro, in an originating summons filed before the court, is challenging the All Progressives Congress (APC), Karimi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct and outcome of the party’s May 18, 2026 senatorial primary. At the heart of the suit is Aro’s claim that the primary produced him as the winner and that the subsequent submission…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused the Federal Government of prioritising international image management over the protection of Nigerians, demanding explanations over a reported ₦500 million emergency strategic communications campaign aimed at countering claims of Christian persecution in the country. HURIWA said the reported expenditure was difficult to justify amid continuing attacks in parts of the North and Middle Belt, arguing that government resources should be directed primarily towards preventing killings, protecting vulnerable communities and bringing perpetrators to justice. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the rights group said the…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as his new Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), in a move aimed at strengthening the Presidency’s working relationship with the lower chamber. Olanrewaju-Smart succeeds Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who resigned his appointment to pursue an elective political ambition in his home state. The appointment, which takes immediate effect, was announced in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. At 40, Olanrewaju-Smart brings extensive experience in legislative affairs, public policy and executive-legislative engagement to the new assignment. His career in the…