The Federal Government has given mining and quarrying companies until December 31, 2025, to conclude Community Development Agreements (CDAs) with their host communities or risk losing their licences. Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, issued the warning after a review showed that out of 74 new mineral titles granted in the first half of 2025, only 24 CDAs were signed. Despite over 1,300 licences issued in 2023 alone, just 342 CDAs have been concluded so far. Alake condemned the low compliance rate, stressing that “responsible mining under international Environmental, Social and Governance standards shall be the rule.” He…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has revealed that 91 Chibok schoolgirls remain missing or in captivity, a decade after their abduction by Boko Haram. The findings, published after a confidential two-week mission to Nigeria in December 2023, described “grave and systematic violations” of women’s and girls’ rights, holding Nigeria responsible for failing to protect them. CEDAW noted that survivors continue to endure trauma, stigma, and inadequate support services. Many of the freed girls face rejection in their communities, with some unable to return home or access proper rehabilitation. The 2014 mass abduction saw…
Google has launched a new initiative offering Nigerian students and their peers in seven other African countries free one-year access to its AI Pro plan. The offer targets university and college students aged 18 and above in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. It includes premium tools like Deep Research, which compiles custom reports from multiple sources, and Gemini 2.5 Pro, designed to support writing and academic tasks. Google said the move is aimed at equipping Africa’s youth with the skills needed for an AI-driven future. The company has already trained over seven million Africans in…
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has announced plans to collaborate with the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) to boost Nigeria’s rice value chain and position it as more competitive, resilient, and sustainable. Speaking at a stakeholder meeting themed “Reviewing Progress Mobilizing Partnership,” the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi—represented by the Director of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services, Mr. Oshadiya Olanipekun—said Nigeria has recorded significant progress in rice production. He cited improved yields, better processing capacity, and increased participation of women and youth as notable achievements. The meeting reviewed progress under the National…
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has announced the disbursement of N2.22 trillion to the three tiers of government as revenue allocation for August 2025. FAAC distributed a total sum of N2.001 trillion in July 2025. The allocation, which was drawn from a gross revenue of N3.63 trillion, was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Ministry of Finance following the committee’s meeting in Abuja in September. The session was chaired by Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. According to the statement, from the allocation inclusive of gross statutory revenue, value-added tax (VAT),…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has shifted the final date for the assessment of underage candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The decision follows concerns that 23 of the 71 universities chosen by the affected candidates failed to submit their Post-UTME screening scores as of the September 15 deadline. According to JAMB, the development coincided with the release of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results by the National Examinations Council (NECO) on September 17. A total of 135 candidates are affected, with the highest numbers recorded from the following universities: University…
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has warned that delayed payment of 2026 Hajj fares by intending pilgrims could hinder early booking of prime accommodation in Mecca and Medina. Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh-Usman, raised the concern on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, who also chairs the North-West Governors’ Forum. He appealed for the governor’s support in mobilising early payments, stressing that timely action ensures pilgrims’ comfort and reduces costs. Highlighting past interventions, Saleh-Usman said President Bola Tinubu approved a ₦90bn subsidy for the 2024 Hajj and ₦24bn settlement for 2023…
The Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) says it is intensifying efforts to secure the country’s logistics space using modern technology, following the interception of a cannabis shipment from Bangkok, Thailand. NIPOST’s Director of Corporate Communications, Ibrahim Musa, disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that officials recently seized seven pouches of cannabis that arrived in Lagos, describing it as proof of the agency’s renewed commitment to sanitising the postal and logistics network. “The seizure serves as a concrete example of the agency’s commitment to securing the nation’s logistics space from illicit activities. The interception highlights a strategic shift within NIPOST, as the…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lifted the six-month state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, restoring Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly to office. The emergency, declared on March 18, 2025, followed a constitutional crisis that left the state paralysed, with the governor and lawmakers locked in a bitter standoff. Tinubu said intelligence reports showed that stakeholders in Rivers were now ready to return to democratic governance, adding that the measure would end at midnight on September 17, 2025. He thanked the National Assembly, traditional rulers, and residents for their…
The Trump administration has approved its first U.S. weapons aid packages for Ukraine funded by NATO allies under a groundbreaking financial arrangement, marking a new chapter in military assistance to Kyiv. Under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, NATO members pool contributions to purchase American weapons from U.S. stockpiles for Ukraine’s defense. The program was launched this year following agreements between President Donald Trump and NATO leaders, emphasizing shared responsibility among allies. Two weapons shipments worth up to $500 million each have been authorized by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby and could soon be shipped, sources familiar…