The Nigerian Government has stopped revenue-generating agencies from deducting portions of the funds they collect as the cost of collection, ending a long-standing practice. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, announced this on Thursday in Abuja during the presentation of the National Development Update, saying the move aims to enhance fiscal transparency and ensure more funds flow into the Federation Account for distribution to the federal, state, and local governments. Edun explained that while national revenue has been rising, substantial amounts were being withheld by agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
The Sokoto State Government has organized zonal townhall meetings across the three senatorial districts to ensure that the 2026 budget reflects the real needs and priorities of citizens at the grassroots. The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Abubakar Muhammad Zayyana, disclosed this during the meetings held in Tambuwal, Tangaza, and Gwadabawa Local Government Areas. He said the initiative was part of the state government’s commitment to participatory governance, explaining that the town hall meetings were designed to allow communities to contribute directly to the 2026 budget formulation process. “The budget is an estimation of government income and expenditures,…
The National Council of State has approved the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The decision followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nomination of the law professor to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure recently came to an end. Confirming the development on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the Council unanimously endorsed Amupitan’s nomination during its meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. President Tinubu described Amupitan as a man of integrity and the first person from Kogi State, North Central Nigeria,…
Google has announced a major initiative to boost higher education across Africa by offering its premium AI subscription, Google AI Pro, free to university students for 12 months. The Managing Director of Google Sub-Saharan Africa, Alex Okosi, said in a statement on Wednesday that the offer targets eligible students aged 18 and above in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. According to Okosi, the initiative will give students access to Google’s most advanced AI tools to enhance their learning, research, and creative work. He noted that the offer builds on Google’s long-standing commitment to Africa’s digital transformation through…
The former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, has explained the reasons behind his resignation from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet, citing “a sustained campaign of falsehood” and “politically motivated attacks” against his person and office. In a statement he personally signed and posted on his X handle, @ChiefUcheNnaji on Tuesday, Nnaji said his decision followed deep reflection and consultations with his family, associates, and well-meaning Nigerians. According to him, the malicious allegations circulating in the media over the past week had caused personal distress and were beginning to distract from the vital work of the ministry…
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are currently interrogating the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, over alleged multi-billion naira fraud. Sources within the EFCC confirmed that Mr Pakistan arrived at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja around 12 p.m. on Tuesday, accompanied by his personal lawyer, Kazeem Atetebi. As of the time of filing this report, he was still being grilled by investigators. The NAHCON boss is under investigation for alleged financial misconduct running into several billions of naira. Among the issues reportedly under probe are…
President Bola Tinubu has requested the approval of the House of Representatives for the Federal Government’s plan to raise $2.34 billion in external borrowing to partly finance the 2025 budget deficit and refinance maturing Eurobonds. The Speaker, Hon. Abba Tajudeen, read the president’s letter on the floor of the House during Tuesday’s plenary. According to the letter, Tinubu also sought parliamentary approval for the issuance of a $500 million debut sovereign Sukuk in the international capital market — the first of its kind for Nigeria. The president explained that the total external capital to be raised amounts to $2.347 billion,…
Ghana has opened its first-ever Ghana Space Conference 2025 (GSC) to explore how space technology can drive sustainable development and inclusive growth across the continent. The three-day event, holding at the University of Ghana, Accra, from October 6–8, brings together government officials, scientists, innovators, and policymakers from Africa and beyond under the theme “Harnessing Space Technology for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth in Ghana and Beyond.” Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), said space technology is now essential for Africa’s sustainable future. “It’s no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity for…
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has said that Nigeria will play a key role in the establishment of global waterbird counts aimed at protecting wetlands and biodiversity. In a statement issued on Monday, NCF Director-General, Dr. Joseph Onoja, said Nigeria’s wetlands are of immense ecological and economic value and must be carefully protected. Onoja highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s participation in Ramsar COP15, a global forum for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. “Ramsar is an Iranian city where the agreement to conserve wetlands was first established, hence the name ‘Ramsar Convention’,” he explained. He noted that the Ramsar…
The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, on Monday, empowered scores of adult learners across the North-West with starter packs to help them establish small-scale businesses. Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Musa Garba Maitafsir, said the beneficiaries were graduates of the Commission’s Literacy Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (LEEDS) initiative, which is now in its second phase. He explained that the beneficiaries had acquired vocational skills in trades such as beauty and cosmetology, fashion and design, and home economics, adding that the empowerment was designed to make them financially independent and…