Author: Friday Omosola

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has paid out ₦86 billion in student loans, benefiting 449,000 students. This was confirmed by the fund’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, during an interview on Channels Television. Sawyerr provided a detailed breakdown of the loan scheme’s progress, noting that out of the 742,000 students who have registered on the portal, 735,000 have submitted formal applications. READ ALSO: NELFUND disburses N73.2bn student loans to 400,000 in first year The total disbursement of ₦86 billion includes ₦47 billion for school fees to 218 institutions and ₦38 billion for student stipends. Sawyerr explained that the loan approval process…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated a 46-member National Elective Convention Zoning Committee at its national headquarters in Abuja. The committee, tasked with strengthening the party ahead of its November 2025 convention, is chaired by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri. The Vice Chairman is Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, and the Secretary is Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang. READ ALSO: PDP’s chieftain doubts Peter Obi’s one-term promise According to a statement from Diri’s spokesman, Daniel Alabrah, the acting PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum, expressed his confidence in the committee’s ability to reposition the party. He urged members to use their…

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has commended President Bola Tinubu and his administration for their efforts in stabilising Nigeria’s economy. Speaking to journalists on Thursday after meeting the president at the Aso Villa in Abuja, Okonjo-Iweala stressed that economic can’t improve without stability. She added that Tinubu deserved recognition for achieving this. According to her, the government’s reforms have been headed in the right direction. READ ALSO: Tinubu has stabilised economy but Nigeria needs social safety nets – Okonjo-Iweala “What is needed next is growth; we now need to grow the economy, and we need…

The Federal Government (FG) has unveiled a new national skills programme designed to connect 20 million young Nigerians to employment, training, and entrepreneurship opportunities by 2030, with women expected to make up at least 60% of beneficiaries. Vice President Kashim Shettima, who assumed chairmanship of the reactivated Generation Unlimited (GenU) Nigeria Board, announced the initiative during the board’s inaugural meeting in Abuja The meeting, which coincided with International Youth Day 2025, was themed “Youth Innovation for a Sustainable Future.” READ ALSO: Alausa: FG suspends creation of new tertiary institutions for seven years Shettima described Nigeria’s youthful population as the nation’s “superpower”…

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s scheduled visits to Japan and Brazil, accusing him of embarking on foreign trips while the nation “bleeds.” The New Daily Prime earlier reported that Tinubu, alongside some members of his delegation, would depart Abuja on Thursday for Brazil and Japan. In Japan, the President is expected to attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), scheduled to hold in Yokohama from 20 to 22 August. READ ALSO: Tinubu to embark on two-nation visit to Japan, Brazil After the conference, he will proceed to Brasília,…

Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has predicted that the president will see a significant increase in votes from the South-East region in the 2027 presidential election. Bwala believes Tinubu could secure up to two million votes, which he says would be four to six times more than his 2023 performance. READ ALSO: 2027: ‘South-East will give Tinubu up to two million votes’ – Bwala In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu received only 127,370 votes from the South-East. Bwala, speaking on Channels Television, attributed the expected surge in support to the waning influence of Labour…

Nigeria’s compressed natural gas (CNG) sector has attracted at least $980 million in private investment over the past 18 months, with the number of CNG daughter stations increasing from seven to 350. This announcement was made by Michael Oluwagbemi, Programme Director of the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI), at the launch of the NASENI-Portland CNG daughter station and training centre. Oluwagbemi highlighted that the number of converted vehicles has surged from 4,000 to 100,000. READ ALSO: Ibom Air: Biannual mental health checks vital for Nigerians – Expert   He credited the private sector, including major companies like Bua and the Nigerian Bottling Company,…

President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to leave Abuja on Thursday, August 14, for a two-nation visit to Japan and Brazil. The President will make a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, before heading to Japan. In Japan, Tinubu will attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), which will be held in Yokohama from August 20 to 22. READ ALSO: We’ll keep working together – Tinubu hints at backing Soludo’s second term The conference, themed “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa”, will focus on promoting Africa’s economic transformation, improving the business environment, and fostering a resilient and sustainable African society.…

The Katsina State Government has formed a new committee to address and reduce the high rate of malnutrition within the state. This initiative is part of a renewed commitment to protect the health of its citizens, particularly vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women. The newly established Committee on Malnutrition is tasked with investigating the primary causes of malnutrition, improving coordination among various groups, and suggesting lasting solutions. Ahmed Abdullahi Filin-Samji from the Zakkat & Waqaf Board will serve as the committee’s chairman, with Abdulrahman Abdullahi of the CSO as the vice chairman. READ ALSO: Katsina gov Radda escapes with minor…

Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate Change is developing new legislation to create a youth corps of 60 million “green goal marshals.” This initiative is designed to empower young people to lead grassroots climate action and improve Nigeria’s ability to withstand the impacts of climate change. This programme, known as ECO2RUPPERS Nigeria, is part of the country’s broader climate resilience strategy and aims to leverage youth-led innovation for a green economy. READ ALSO: “It’s time to end fiscal indiscipline” – Obi condemns Senate’s new loan approval  The marshals will be deployed across all 774 local government areas (LGAs), where they…