Senate on Thursday threatened to reduce the proposed N58.472 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill over what it described as unrealistic revenue projections, poor oil performance benchmarks, and persistent failures in capital budget implementation. The warning came during a tense interactive session between Senate Committee on Appropriations and the federal government’s economic team, where lawmakers openly questioned…
Authorities in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism have received renewed pledges of support from theUnited Kingdom and Germany, as defence attachés from both European nations visited the OperationHADIN KAI (Joint Task Force) headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State, this week.During the visit on Wednesday, Brigadier Tom Harper, the United Kingdom’s Defence Attaché to Nigeria,and Colonel Boris Bovecamp,…
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the United Kingdom’s former royal, has been released from police custody after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor, who turned 66 on Thursday, had been questioned throughout the day by detectives from Thames Valley…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially signed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026 into law. This landmark legislation marks a significant milestone in the administration’s commitment to delivering more transparent, credible, and technologically advanced elections for all Nigerians. The signing ceremony, held at the State House in Abuja, follows extensive deliberations and harmonization between the…
The Nigerian Senate has amended the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026, reducing the mandatorynotice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days, in a bid to prevent the 2027 presidential andNational Assembly polls from coinciding with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.During a special plenary session on Tuesday, senators reconsidered the notice requirement originallyincluded…
Nigeria and Angola have signed a bilateral visa waiver agreement that will exempt holders of diplomaticand official/service passportsfrom visa requirements, a move aimed at strengthening diplomaticrelations and facilitating easier official travel between the two African nations.The agreement was signed on Sunday, February 15, 2026, on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Sessionof the Heads of…
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El‑Rufai has formally written to Nuhu Ribadu, the NationalSecurity Adviser (NSA), seeking clarification over reports that the Office of the National SecurityAdviser (ONSA) procured a highly toxic chemical substance, thallium sulphate, in what hasbecome a subject of public concern and debate in Abuja. In a letter dated January 30, 2026…
Angolan President João Lourenço formally handed over the Chairmanship of the African Union (AU) toBurundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye during the 39th AU Ordinary Session of Heads of State andGovernment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The handover ceremony took place on 14—15 of February 2026, following the conclusion of the two-day summit that brought together leaders from…
China has announced that it will eliminate tariffs on imports from 53 African countries with which itmaintains diplomatic relations, beginning May 1, 2026, in a sweeping expansion of its preferential tradepolicy with the continent.Under the new arrangement, duty-free treatment will apply to goods imported into China from thoseAfrican nations, a significant broadening of an existing…
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has publicly backed Nigeria’s bid for a permanentseat on the United Nations Security Council and applauded the country’s recent economic reforms andleadership role in regional security, Nigerian officials said following a high-level meeting at the 39thAfrican Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Guterres made the remarks during a bilateral…
