A United States District Court in Manhattan has struck down a policy introduced by the Donald Trump administration suspending the processing and issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, including Nigeria. In a ruling delivered on Friday, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas described the January directive issued by the State Department as unlawful, holding that it exceeded the statutory authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The policy, which took effect on January 21, barred the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries on the grounds that applicants posed a “high risk for becoming a public…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly ordered the withdrawal and review of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council list following concerns over the omission of several prominent party stakeholders. The directive came shortly after the Presidency released the council’s composition on Saturday ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The initial list named former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was appointed Secretary. According to reports, senior APC members raised concerns that the composition did not adequately reflect the party’s hierarchy, geographical spread and political structure. Sources said Tinubu subsequently directed…
Nigeria’s external reserves have climbed to $52.66 billion, marking a $7.09 billion increase since the start of 2026 and reinforcing the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) capacity to defend the naira and cushion the economy against external shocks. Reserve trajectory in 2026 Starting point (Jan 2, 2026): $45.57 billion Current level (Aug 19, 2026): $52.66 billion Year-to-date gain: $7.09 billion (+15.6%) The growth has not been perfectly linear. Reserves briefly contracted by $855 million between April 1 and May 7, dipping to $48.33 billion, before rebounding strongly with a $4.33 billion gain over the next three months. The balance crossed $50 billion in…
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose and publish the limits on political donations ahead of the 2027 general elections. SERAP made the demand in a statement issued on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and addressed to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan. The organisation said the request had become necessary as political parties, candidates and their supporters intensify preparations for the 2027 elections. It urged INEC to clarify whether it had exercised its statutory powers under Section 91 of the Electoral Act, 2026, to prescribe limits on…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, for allegedly dealing in illicit drugs in Ogun State, while operatives also intercepted cocaine concealed in edible cassava flour and seized consignments of synthetic cannabis worth more than N4.4 billion at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos. The latest operations were carried out across several states and the Federal Capital Territory as part of the agency’s intensified crackdown on illicit drug trafficking. Ogunmabo was arrested on Saturday, August 15, 2026, in Ilisan, Ogun State, with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packed in…
The Sultan and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has congratulated Maryam Ibrahim Dan’azumi of Gombe State for emerging overall winner of the 46th King Abdulaziz International Qur’anic Competition in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Dan’azumi, an indigene of Gombe State and student of Abubakar Siddiq Community Islamic School for Qur’anic Memorisation, Herwagana Quarters, Gombe, represented Nigeria at the prestigious international competition. She competed in the category for memorisation of the entire Holy Qur’an, recitation, Tajweed and interpretation, covering 60 Hizb with Tafsir. In a statement issued on Friday by Bashir Adefaka on behalf of…
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked a federal court to permit it to withhold portions of records linked to an old investigation involving President Bola Tinubu. The agency said releasing the documents could expose law-enforcement techniques and endanger individuals connected to the investigation. The request was contained in a motion filed on Thursday, August 20, 2026, before the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The FBI asked to submit additional details privately to the judge through a sealed declaration. It wants the explanation to be considered ex parte and in camera—that is, presented directly…
Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves have risen above $52.5 billion, reaching their highest level in 17 years and exceeding the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) annual target. The CBN disclosed that the reserves stood above $52.5 billion as of July 17, 2026, attributing the increase to sustained foreign exchange inflows, renewed investor confidence and increased participation across various asset classes. (GBN) The disclosure was made by the Acting Director of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations at the CBN, Hakama Sidi-Ali, while delivering the opening remarks of Governor Olayemi Cardoso at the CBN Fair in Gombe. Earlier, Cardoso had put gross external…
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved road construction and rehabilitation projects worth about N438 billion across the country. The approvals also include concessions for trailer parks and highways under public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements. The Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after Wednesday’s FEC meeting. The meeting was presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Goronyo said the Council considered about 15 memoranda submitted by various ministries, including seven from the Ministry of Works. He said the ministry’s submissions covered major road construction and rehabilitation projects, as well…
The Nigerian Government has challenged banks, fintech companies and other financial institutions to unlock Nigeria’s estimated $14.8 billion annual gender financing opportunity by redesigning financial products to better serve women. The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, made the call on Wednesday at the Second National Gender Inclusion Conference, SheIsIncluded 2026, in Abuja. The conference was themed, “Designing for Delivery: Financing, Systems and Scale for Women’s Economic Transformation.” The SheIsIncluded Initiative’s Aso Accord on Financial and Economic Inclusion was signed on April 25, 2024, as a strategic framework for addressing gaps in economic and financial inclusion. Sulaiman-Ibrahim…