Governors across Nigeria have quietly advanced plans to establish state-controlled policing systems, unveiling a framework that signals growing momentum for decentralised security architecture, even as constitutional amendments are still pending. This formed a key outcome of the latest meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum held on April 22, 2026, where state leaders reviewed national priorities and emerging policy directions. In a communiqué signed and issued by its Chairman and the Kwara state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, at the end of the meeting, the Forum disclosed that it had developed a comprehensive State Police Framework outlining operational requirements, including governance structures, funding…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve a fresh $516.3 million foreign syndicated loan to fund sections of the proposed Sokoto–Badagry superhighway. The request was conveyed in a letter read on Thursday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, seeking legislative backing in line with Sections 16 and 21 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, 2011. Tinubu said the facility, to be arranged by Deutsche Bank AG, will finance Sections 1, Phase 1A and 1B of the project. He described the highway as a flagship project under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at boosting national connectivity, cutting travel…
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total of about N2.04 trillion among the three tiers of government for March 2026, reflecting a modest increase in revenue compared to the previous month. At its April meeting, FAAC distributed the funds to the Federal Government, states, and local government councils from a gross revenue pool of about N2.36 trillion generated during the month. After deductions for the cost of collection and transfers, refunds, and savings, the remaining sum of roughly N2.04 trillion was shared. Breakdown of allocations ALSO READ February revenue: FAAC shares N1.894trn among FG, states, LGs From…
Feminist advocates across Africa have called for urgent reforms in the extractive sector, warning that women are being sidelined in the rapidly expanding critical minerals industry, despite bearing a significant portion of its social and environmental costs. The call was made in a statement issued in Harare, Zimbabwe on Tuesday, as global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, driven by the transition to clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, solar panels, and batteries. Leading the advocacy is eco-feminist scholar and activist, Dr Mela Chiponda, who raised concerns about the unequal impact of mining activities on women in mineral-rich…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised an alarm over a surge in fraudulent messages and cyberattack attempts targeting unsuspecting members of the public. In a press release issued by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali, on April 21, 2026, the apex bank said it had observed the circulation of fake emails, messages, and online communications falsely claiming to originate from the CBN. These messages, according to the bank, are designed to mislead the public and compromise personal information. The CBN explained that many of the fraudulent communications prompt recipients to click on suspicious links or provide…
The Cross River State Government has confirmed a fresh case of COVID-19, marking a concerning development years after the last recorded infection in the state. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Calabar. He revealed that the index case involves a 53-year-old Chinese national working with Lafarge, who arrived in Nigeria on March 17 before falling ill weeks later. Ayuk explained that the patient’s condition initially deteriorated at a state medical facility, prompting his transfer to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), where samples were taken in line with…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Fatima Suleiman Zuntu as the new Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), effective April 16, 2026. The appointment was announced on April 20 in a statement issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and signed by its Head of Information and Public Relations, Chris Ugwuegbulam. Dr. Zuntu succeeds in the leadership of the agency tasked with regulating modern biotechnology and ensuring the safe handling, transfer, and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria. The Presidency said her appointment, made in…
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustained economic reforms and macroeconomic stability as the 2026 Spring Meetings of the World Bank wrapped up in Washington, D.C. Cardoso said Nigeria remained firmly on track in consolidating recent economic gains, stressing that the apex bank would continue to prioritise reforms, strengthen institutional capacity, and support long-term growth. He noted that Nigeria demonstrated “strong leadership” at the meetings, reaffirming its commitment to policies that promote stability, growth, and economic opportunity. ALSO READ CBN, IFSB meet to deepen Islamic Finance Cooperation at IMF/World Bank…
Several Nigerian states boast land areas comparable to—or even larger than—entire sovereign nations, highlighting the country’s immense geographic scale. A viral social media post by data enthusiast Ismaeel (@IsmaeelData) lists the top 10, drawing from Wikipedia’s compilation of Nigerian state areas and international sources like the CIA World Factbook and UN data. However, fact-checking by ASHENEWS confirms the figures are accurate and current as of official records, with minor rounding differences that don’t alter the comparisons. Here’s the verified ranking: Niger State (76,363 km²) exceeds Czech Republic (78,867 km²) slightly in some metrics, but the official Czech land area is…
The Federal Ministry of Finance has dismissed claims of hidden spending and diversion of federation revenue, describing recent media reports as a misrepresentation of findings from the latest Nigeria Development Update by the World Bank. The Minister of State for Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, in a statement he personally signed on Sunday, April 19, 2026, said interpretations suggesting that a significant portion of federation earnings is being diverted reflect a misunderstanding of Nigeria’s fiscal system. The Minister clarified that deductions by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), which some reports labelled as waste or missing funds, are legitimate and comprise statutory…