The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • A’Ibom council chair reaffirms peace deal with Ukwa East in Abia

    A’Ibom council chair reaffirms peace deal with Ukwa East in Abia

    The chairman of Ika local government area in Akwa Ibom State, Utibe Nwoko has pledged to consolidate on the inter-community harmony and cordial relations with Ukwa East local government area of Abia State .

    Nwoko said Ika council under his watch will sustain dialogue, peaceful coexistence and collaborative development with other neighbouring local governments areas especially Abia State.

    He stated this while delivering his remarks at a peace meeting between his people and Ukwa East in Abia State which in Ika local government area.

    Describing the meeting as epochal and increasingly familiar, the Council Chairman stated that the engagement has continued to yield social and political benefits by providing a consistent platform for dialogue and peace-building.

    Read Also: Police thwart robbery attack, arrest mob forinassaulting suspect In Calabar

    According to him, the gathering marked the beginning of a renewed phase in relations between the people of Ikot Udo in Ika L.G.A and their neighbours from Ukwa East and adjoining communities in Abia State.

    Nwoko recalled that a similar peace meeting held on March 17, 2025, produced resolutions that have sustained peace between the communities up to the present time.

    He expressed gratitude to the Governors and Deputy Governors of Akwa Ibom and Abia States for approving and supporting the continued convening of the peace meetings, and described their interventions as a clear demonstration of commitment to peace-building and inter-state cooperation.

    The Council Chairman further explained that Ikot Udo Village in Ika Local Government Area shares a boundary with Abiaka Village in Ibeme, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

    He recalled that resolutions reached at the 2025 meeting was that both states would commence road construction from their respective natural boundaries, with Obingwa communities constructing towards their boundary, while Ika communities undertake construction from Ikot Udo through Nto Mfong and Ikot Akata to Urua Inyang, covering a distance of about 3.7 kilometres.

    He further emphasized that there is no genuine boundary dispute between the communities, stressing that no party is laying claim to land, houses, forests, cultural artefacts or economic trees.

    Rather, the core issue centres on identity, with the Akirika Obu people seeking recognition as indigenes of Abia State, while the Ikot Udo people maintain their identity as indigenes of Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    He went on to implore that identity-related differences should not be allowed to degenerate into hostility or disrupt development efforts, particularly the ongoing road construction project intended to benefit all the affected communities.

    According to him, disagreements over identity should never punctuate peace or truncate infrastructure projects designed to improve livelihoods and connectivity.

    Nwoko equally clarified that Ika Local Government Area does not have any boundary dispute with Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, noting that while the Akirika Obu people claim customary tenancy under Obingwa LGA and trace their ancestral roots to Ukwa East near Port Harcourt in Rivers State, such narratives should not undermine peaceful coexistence or inter-community cooperation.

    Appealing for continuity of the road project, the Council Chairman urged the Abia State Government to continue construction from Ntinwouzo through Obete Ibeme to Abiaka Ibeme, the last village in Obingwa L.G.A, while the Akwa Ibom State Government completes its section from Ikot Udo through Nto Mfong and Ikot Akata to Urua Inyang in Ika L.G.A.

    He said completion of the road would further promote harmonious relations between Ika L.G.A of Akwa Ibom State and Obingwa LGA of Abia State, while strengthening ties with Ukwa East indigenes residing peacefully in the area.

    Nwoko also appealed for adequate security for contractors handling the project to ensure uninterrupted work and timely completion, reiterating that the people of Ika, Akwa Ibom State and Abia State are peace-loving and committed to unity and development.

    He concluded by appreciating the sacrifices, goodwill and interventions of leaders from both states, praying for peace in their homes and administrations, and expressing confidence that the meeting would yield fruitful outcomes.

    In their separate remarks, Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor Senator ( Dr.) Akon Eyakenyi, and her Abia Counterpart, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, pleaded with the people of Ikot Udo in Ika Local Government Area and Ukwa East in Abia State to embrace peace for lasting development.

    They urged youths from the two communities to get involved in productive ventures to improve their families rather than engage in senseless feud, so as to encourage governments of the two States do more for them.

    The peace parley was attended by relevant stakeholders from the two States.

  • Awujale: Royal family members, traditionalists protest alleged plot to impose candidate

    Awujale: Royal family members, traditionalists protest alleged plot to impose candidate

    Traditionalists and hundreds of members of Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebuland yesterday stormed Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Archway and marched to the Ijebu Ode Local Government Headquarters in Itooro in protest over alleged plot by powerful interests to foist the next Awujale on the kingmakers, the Fusengbuwa house and the Ijebu nation.

    The Awujale stool became vacant on July 13, 2025 following the demise of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who joined his ancestors at 91 after 65 years on the throne.

    Fusengbuwa is the next in line to produce the next Awujale and The Nation reports that the Ogun State Government had in a circular dated January 20, 2026 stopped the kingmakers from taking further steps to select a candidate out of the 95 nominees earlier submitted to them by leaders of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House – Otunba Lateef Owoyemi (Olori Ebi), Prince Adedokun Ajidagba (Deputy Olori Ebi) and Professor Fassy Yusuf (Vice Chairman).

    The state government circular stopping the process was signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat; a development that has continued to fuel allegations that Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration was interfering with the process ostensibly to impose a candidate. But the government denied the allegations.

    However, not persuaded by the state government’s reasons for halting the kingmakers’ assignment, Fusengbuwa royal family members and some traditionalists, armed with placards bearing different inscriptions, took the streets coursing through Odo-Egbo, Itale and palace road before terminating the peaceful protest at the Itooro Local Government Headquarters where they were received by the LG chairman, Dare Alebiosu.

    Some of their placards read: “Fusengbuwa say no to imposition”, “Let Ifa oracle determine the next Awujale” and “Let the kingmakers do their job, we say no to imposition.”

    Read Also: Awujale stool: Govt halts selection process

    Mrs Adejugba Obileye, who led the protest, said that they elected to storm the local government and register their displeasure over the alleged plot by the state government to hijack the process and impose a candidate on the kingmakers.

    Speaking on behalf of the family, she called for the opening of the palace and urged government to steer clear of any imposition plot.

    Obileye, who is also the Aremobinrin Jadiara, a unit of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, said that the Fusengbuwa is the next in line to fill the vacant Awujale stool, wondering why the selection process was put in abeyance for the second time within a month when the kingmakers were already doing what was expected of them traditionally and in line with the extant laws.

    She cautioned that the stool of Awujale is sacred, and should not be sacrificed on the altar of politics or any pecuniary gains.

    Obileye said: “We are at the Ijebu Ode Local Government Secretariat to register our displeasure over the closure of the palace and the alleged plan to impose on us the next Awujale of Ijebu land.

    “We are here to say that Fusengbuwa ruling house is saying no and reject any plan of imposition for ongoing selection process of Awujale. Awujale stool is sacred. It is not to be filled as a result of one political consideration or the other.

    “We don’t want political Awujale. The Ijebu kingdom has its rich cultural heritage that should not be bastardised by anyone. We have Ifa oracle in our family, so, the government should allow the Ifa oracle to pick the right candidate for us and not just impose anyone. They should not impose any foreigner on us.

    “The government should desist from any planned imposition. They should allow the kingmakers do their job. We are not fighting with the government but they should not interfere unnecessarily in the ongoing selection process of the new Awujale.”

    Also speaking, Olubunmi Adesanya, another member of the ruling house, also called on the government not to impose the next Awujale on the family but rather allow Ifa oracle and the kingmakers do their job.

    Adesanya said: “We are here to plead with the government not to impose the next Awujale on us. The government should allow the kingmakers do their job. They should allow the Ifa oracle to pick the next Awujale for us.

    “We reject imposition in all ways and we plead with our chairman to help us convey our request to the government.”

    Also speaking on behalf of the traditionalists, High Chief Adekunle Talabi, the Obajelu, Olumoko of Imoko, a priest of the Agemo masquerade, also urged the government to distance itself from the alleged imposition plan.

    High Chief Talabi said: “I just want to urge our governor to allow the right thing to be done. There should be nothing like imposition. It is not acceptable. The government should allow the ruling house, the Fusengbuwa and the kingmakers to pick the next Awujale.

    “The traditionalists are also not happy with the rumoured plan by the government to impose a candidate. We beg the government to shelve this plan and let things be done as it is laid down from time immemorial.”

  • How ‘missing’ Opral Benson was found in Liberia

    How ‘missing’ Opral Benson was found in Liberia

    There was pandemonium mid-week in the Nigerian media space, albeit for a brief moment, as news of a ‘missing’ nonagenarian Lagos socialite and Yeye-Oge of Lagos, Chief Mrs. Opral Benson, rent the air.

    Yeye-Oge, who will be 91 this February, is a frontline socialite and fashionista, whose sense of fashion and attention to details earned her accolades across the country and indeed the prestigious chieftaincy title, Yeye-Oge of Lagos conferred on her by the late Oba of Lagos, AdeyinkaOyekan II. Though originally a Liberian, she was married to a former Minister in Nigeria’s First Republic, the equally flamboyant and fashionable T.O.S. Benson, of blessed memory.

    The first reaction was surprise. How could that have happened? A ninety-year-old woman? How could she have been allowed to leave her home alone? These are not poor people, and there’s no way she would have been left without at least a minder or help, especially at such ripe age. Was it a case of accident? Kidnap? Many questions, most of which hardly fell in place.

    This reporter first caught a glimpse of the story on the Facebook page of AzuhArinze, a journalist, publisher and author. Surely, a journalist of his stature wouldn’t publish unverified stuff to generate traffic. Besides, it was credited to The Cable, a credible Nigerian online medium.

    A few hours later, while comments of concerned people tumbled in, a counter comment came in that Mrs. Benson had been found in her home country, Liberia. Another funny story was that she was talking incoherently, like she was still in Nigeria. That could mean only one thing – senility or dementia. If she had fallen into dementia, how could she have made her way to the airport unaided? Who took or aided her? Many more questions…

    A statement credited to one Bimbo Cardoso, said to be her stepdaughter, read in part: “I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to all of you who joined hands in tracking and tracing the whereabouts of Mama. She is reported to be in Liberia – a country she left in 1962 to become a Nigerian.

    “I spoke with Mama today, Sunday, 18 January, at 11:18 a.m. She is well and hearty; however, she is unaware that she is in Monrovia, Liberia, she responded her location to be Ikoyi, Lagos.”

    This second paragraph further cemented the fear that she had indeed fallen into dementia.

    The message went further: “The transportation of Mama out of Nigeria without the knowledge of her family is deeply troubling and should be frowned upon by all daughters who model respect and care for their mothers. This act of disregard, impunity, and irresponsibility is therefore frowned upon….”

    Read Also: First Lady celebrates Opral Benson at 90

    The statement went further to state that all Opral Benson’s siblings are deceased, further justifying why her showing up in Liberia was out of place.

    My Mama never missing

    However, in a counter statement titled: ‘Opral Benson in Liberia, Attending to Critical Personal, Domestic Matters,’ the nonagenarian’s biological daughter, Spencilene Precious Benson, wrote:

    “I, Spencilene Precious Benson, daughter of Mama Opral Benson, OON, issued this statement in response to a false, malicious, and deliberately misleading publication alleging that my mother is missing.

    I categorically state that this publication is entirely false, unfounded, and fabricated, and appears to have been orchestrated by individuals acting with malicious, callous, and nefarious intent.

    For the avoidance of doubt, Mama Opral Benson, OON is not missing. We are presently in Monrovia, Liberia, where she is visiting family members and attending to critical personal and domestic matters. She remains in good health and we will be returning to Nigeria shortly.”

    Further down, she warned: “Furthermore, I hereby put the originators and distributors of this false, malicious, and reckless publication on notice to cease and desist immediately from further dissemination of such misinformation.

    Be advised that I am taking steps to ensure that the appropriate law enforcement and regulatory authorities are formally notified and engaged to investigate this matter and take all necessary action.”

    It’s a serious matter – Source

    However, a source close to the family, who volunteered to open up on the matter on condition of anonymity, said: “It is a serious matter.”

    According to the source, Mama was never missing. “The person who put out the security alert is the same person who is aggrieved that her stepmother went to Liberia. How can your biological daughter take you to your birthplace, where you want to be with your family and friends, and someone begins to make trouble?

    “It was her biological daughter, Precious Benson, who took her home on her wish. She went on her wish. She was clearly feeling the pull to go back home.

    “Let this be clear: she was not suffering from any kind of dementia or anything. It’s just like you have your own biological children and some other children from your spouse or whatever, always wanting to be at the forefront or in charge of your affairs for whatever reasons.

    “What I see in this whole matter is a step daughter being envious of the biological daughter and making her look bad in the eyes of the public; like she was not taking care of her mother.

    “The daughter that took her to Liberia is Precious Benson. As we speak, Mama (Opral Benson) is in Liberia and in great spirits. I can even provide pictures of where she had lunch with her relatives and friends.

    “The lady that sent out that flier is the stepdaughter that has been making trouble because she doesn’t have a grip over the woman. Why does she want to have a grip over her? So she’s been fabricating tales against Precious, making her feel incapable of taking care of Mama.”

    The Nation, during further investigations, another source disclosed that Mama and Precious were twice turned back last year at the airport, as they attempted to travel out to Liberia, due to some false security alert sent to the airport authorities and the police alleging attempted kidnap. The family is yet to unravel the face behind the false alarm, this source said.

    “How can a daughter kidnap her own mother? All Mama wanted was to visit her home and be with her people! Imagine the stress on both elderly women. Precious is 73 and Mama will be 91 this February 7.

    “And Precious is such an angel; she’s so quiet, she doesn’t want any media mess. She doesn’t want the family to be dragged into the media or social mess. ‘Imagine the social media saying that mama has fallen into dementia? Mama’s head is very correct and she’s in good care’, she told me from Monrovia.”

    On the assertion that all Mama’s siblings have passed and there was nobody she was going to see in Liberia, our source said: “It’s a lie. Even if that were to be the case, doesn’t she have siblings’ children, cousins, nephews?”

    How long has she been angling to visit home?

    “For years. You know before she became this old, she used to go to Liberia and come back. Whoever is behind this whole saga is just capitalising on the fact that she is old. Even when the Bensons heard the news, their reaction was: ‘Which mama is missing, we already know who’s behind that nonsense.’”

    Asked if she has gone to stay in Liberia permanently, our source said: “No. She’s coming back this weekend. Today is Thursday, maybe by tomorrow or Saturday, they would be back.

    “She just wanted to go home to see her people. That’s all!”

    Talk of the strong case of family ties that haven’t waned with age.

  • Panic in FCT community as 27-year-old woman slumps, dies in boyfriend’s house

    Panic in FCT community as 27-year-old woman slumps, dies in boyfriend’s house

    Residents of Die-Die, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja were thrown into confusion as a 27-year-old woman, Esther Akwaji, was reported to have collapsed and died in mysterious circumstances.

    Akwaji was said to have died at her boyfriend’s house while eating.

    Findings revealed that the deceased’s boyfriend, whose identity was yet to be confirmed, allegedly fled shortly after the incident, sparking suspicion and prompting police investigation.

    It was gathered that Akwaji, a resident of Nasarawa State, had travelled to Abuja to visit family members.

    On January 21, she reportedly left her family’s home, telling relatives she was going to a bank in Dei-Dei, but she never returned.

    Hours later, family members were reportedly contacted by a man who identified himself as Esther’s boyfriend, using her mobile phone.

    According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the man said Esther had come to visit him and that he had bought food for them to eat.

    He allegedly told the family that while eating, Esther suddenly started vomiting.

    Read Also: Rising menace of overloaded vehicles in FCT

    The said boyfriend claimed he rushed her to Kubwa General Hospital, where medical personnel reportedly confirmed that she was dead on arrival.

    The man was said to have fled the hospital shortly after doctors pronounced her dead and has remained unreachable since the incident.

    Confirming the incident, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the command had commenced full investigation into the circumstances surrounding Esther Akwaji’s death.

    “The corpse has been deposited for autopsy to determine the actual cause of death, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspect,” Adeh said.

    Adeh also said the incident was reported on Thursday around 11 am by one Mr. Peter Akwaji who claimed to be Esther’s brother.

    She said: “On 22nd January, 2026, at about 11:00 a.m., a distress call was received at the Dei-Dei ‘A’ Division from one Mr. Peter Akwaji, who reported that his sister, Ms. Esther Akwaji (27 years), left home on 21st January, 2026, at about 3:00 p.m., stating that she was going to a bank in Dei-Dei but never returned.

    “He further disclosed that at about 10:30 p.m. the same day, he received an anonymous telephone call from an individual who identified himself as the deceased’s boyfriend.

    “The caller stated that Esther had visited him at his residence, where he bought food for her, which she ate, after which she began vomiting.

    “He claimed that she was rushed to Kubwa General Hospital, where she was confirmed dead while receiving treatment.

    “Following the report, a team of Police operatives from the Dei-Dei Division immediately swung into action and proceeded to Kubwa General Hospital, where the lifeless body of Ms. Esther Akwaji was recovered and deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy, to determine the exact cause of death.

    “Discreet investigations have commenced and efforts are currently ongoing to trace and apprehend the alleged boyfriend, who is presently on the run”.

    Adeh assured members of the public of police’s unwavering commitment to a thorough investigation and to ensuring that all persons found culpable are brought to justice.

    She added that further developments would be communicated during the cause of investigation.

  • Nigerian held for six weeks in Qatar cries for FG’s help

    Nigerian held for six weeks in Qatar cries for FG’s help

    A Nigerian, Gideon Eze, detained for six weeks in Doha, Qatar’s capital city, has cried out to the Federal Government and its relevant agencies to intervene in his case to reverse the injustice done to him.

    Eze’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong said Eze had boarded Qatar Airways’ flight from Abuja to the United States on May 7, 2025 but had his trip aborted in Doha due to a profiling and mistreatment incident that resulted from a routine airport security check.

    Effiong said during the check, security officials claimed to have found items they suspected to be illicit drugs, but which turned out to be false alarm after being subjected to series of tests.

    He said the tests included chemical swabs, machine analysis and tongue-tasting as well as “two complete searches of my checked luggage and a full strip-search,” adding that “every single test result was negative for narcotics,”

    Eze, who spoke alongside his lawyer, said despite the clear evidence of his innocence, the Qatari security personnel escalated the situation.

    He added: “I was detained, my passport and phone seized and my checked luggage forcibly removed from the aircraft and searched twice. Nothing illegal was found.

    Read Also: Why Qatar Air made emergency landing in Lagos, by airline

    “I was handcuffed behind my back, driven in a black vehicle, and taken to a detention facility called Duhaill, under the pretext of a ‘final test’ that would take just two hours.

    “At the detention centre, I was subjected to a degrading strip search. I was stripped completely naked, ordered to jump, squat, and cough, while a device passed around my genitals and anus. Again, nothing incriminating was found on me.

    “I was detained and compelled to sign a report written entirely in Arabic, which falsely declared the harmless stones were ‘cocaine stones. That was how I spent six weeks in detention.

    “I later learnt through the Nigerian embassy in Qatar they had sent the stones for forensic lab analyses during my detention. The analyses surprisingly took six weeks, after which the results came out, still showing the stones were benign and non-narcotics.

    “I was ultimately released from custody without any charge or conviction on June 19th, 2025, confirming the complete lack of evidence or legal basis for the original accusation and detention,” he said.

    Eze added that days after his release, he found that his U.S. visa was revoked on May 12, 2025 due to his wrongful arrest at the Hammad International Airport, Doha.

  • Tinubu’s Reforms recalibrating Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, says Dare

    Tinubu’s Reforms recalibrating Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, says Dare

    Against the long and troubled backdrop of Nigeria’s democratic journey, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is deliberately reshaping the Fourth Republic through bold, pro-people reforms aimed at restoring economic justice, strengthening institutions and rebuilding citizens’ faith in democracy, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare, has said.

    Dare, a former Minister spoke on Thursday at the Daily Trust Public Lecture on “Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: What Is Working and What Is Not”, held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, where he delivered a sweeping historical and policy-focused assessment of Nigeria’s governance trajectory and the Tinubu administration’s response to inherited crises.

    Describing democracy as a “learning curve rather than a straight line”, Dare said Nigeria’s Fourth Republic remains the country’s longest and most sustained democratic experiment, surviving challenges that truncated previous republics.

    “The Fourth Republic is not significant because it is flawless,” he said, “but because it represents Nigeria’s most enduring attempt to permanently entrench democratic ideals, institutions and ethos.”

    Heavy historical burden

    Tracing Nigeria’s democratic fragility to the First Republic, when politics was driven by identity rather than ideology, leading to ethnic rivalry, disputed elections and eventual collapse, he noted that the civil war was the tragic outcome of failed democratic arbitration and unresolved fears of exclusion.

    He added that post-war reintegration policies, the oil boom of the 1970s and years of military rule compounded the problem, creating a rent-seeking economy detached from productivity stressing that “by the late 1990s, Nigeria was politically and economically exhausted.”

    Read Also: Tinubu felicitates Rep Ogbara on Lagos chieftaincy honour

    According to Dare, the Fourth Republic, inaugurated in 1999, inherited these deep structural flaws, worsened by Niger Delta militancy, Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and a rapidly growing population unsupported by a viable economic model and by 2023, when President Tinubu assumed office, Nigeria faced a perfect storm: runaway inflation, multiple exchange rates, crippling fuel subsidies, soaring debt, weak investor confidence and an economy driven more by consumption than productivity.

    “Debt servicing was swallowing over 90 per cent of federal revenue, the Central Bank printed over ₦30 trillion through Ways and Means. Inflation surged above 33 per cent. Manufacturing had collapsed: President Tinubu had his job cut out for him from day one,” he said.

    What is working in the Fourth Republic

    Despite these challenges, Dare said Nigeria’s democracy has recorded measurable gains that set the Fourth Republic apart.

    Pointing out that risks of democratic breakdown have sharply decreased after over 26 uninterrupted years of civilian rule, he also highlighted the institutionalisation of electoral dispute resolution through the judiciary, with more than 80 per cent of major election disputes since 1999 settled in court rather than through extra-constitutional means.

    He also said that voter registration has expanded significantly, civic space has widened through technology and internet penetration while the media has become a powerful accountability force imposing political costs on failure, adding that policy continuity has improved through debt frameworks, sovereign wealth mechanisms and medium-term expenditure planning.

    Tinubu’s “audacity of reform”

    According to Sunday Dare, President Tinubu’s defining response to Nigeria’s Fourth Republic crisis has been the courage to confront structural injustice head-on.

    “President Tinubu did not inherit a perfect economy; he inherited a structurally unjust system marked by elite currency arbitrage, subsidy capture and fiscal indiscipline. He dared to pull the trigger,” Dare said.

    By unifying the exchange rate, removing fuel subsidies and restoring fiscal discipline, the administration corrected not only economic distortions but also moral and democratic ones, he argued.

    Asserting that the outcomes are increasingly visible, he stated that inflation, which peaked at 33.38 per cent in 2024, has declined steadily into the mid-teens and GDP growth has improved to about 4 per cent, with international projections placing Nigeria among the faster-growing emerging markets, ahead of several advanced economies.

    Reeling out data, he stated that under Tinubu, non-oil trade recorded a ₦6.1 trillion surplus, external reserves rebounded to about $43 billion, and Nigeria exited the FATF grey list, restoring global financial credibility, and that by 2025, Nigeria recorded its highest balance of trade surplus in 15 years, with a positive balance of payments position and a significant rise in manufactured exports and petroleum production.

    “Growth improved from 3.2–3.4% to around 4.0–4.1%, with the World Bank projecting about 4.4% if reforms continue. According to the IMF 2026 projections, Nigeria’s 4.4% growth compares favourably with the United States (2.4%), Germany (1.1%), United Kingdom (1.3%). Nigeria now ranks in the upper tier of emerging-market growth, achieved through correction rather than commodity windfalls.

    “A ₦6.1 trillion non-oil trade surplus signals reduced import dependence and improved competitiveness, external reserves was rebuilt to about $43bn, reflecting improved FX inflows and reduced arbitrage leakage, Nigeria’s removal from the FATF grey list restored institutional credibility and reduced financial friction, FX unification dismantled a decades-long policy-enabled arbitrage regime that rewarded access over productivity and Nigeria moved from fiscal denial to fiscal disclosure—strengthening budget realism and accountability.

    “Balance of Trade reached its highest in 15 years with ₦19.34 trillion surplus by September 2025 (about $18 billion), balance of payments moved from $3.32bn deficit in 2022 to an over $8bn surplus in 2025, foreign reserves climbed from $3.5bn in 2023 to $45.4bn in 2025, ₦30tn was securitized from Ways & Means  and the 70% gap in Naira Arbitrage was in 2023 got reduced to 2% in 2025.

  • NPFL: Insurance stake nine-game unbeaten run against Shooting Stars

    NPFL: Insurance stake nine-game unbeaten run against Shooting Stars

    As the race for continental places and survival intensifies, Matchday 22 of the Nigeria Premier Football League arrives with defining fixtures that could recharge the title race . From Ibadan to Umuahia and Enugu, traditional heavyweights and ambitious contenders collide in a weekend that promises drama, writes TUNDE LIADI…

    With the second stanza of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League now firmly underway, Matchday 22 takes centre stage with mouth-watering fixtures across the country. The standout attraction is the clash in Ibadan where Shooting Stars face an in-form Bendel Insurance side riding a nine-game unbeaten run. Elsewhere, Abia Warriors host Nasarawa United in a top-four showdown, while Rangers International welcome a resurgent Warri Wolves in Enugu.

    At the Lekan Salami Stadium, Shooting Stars have plenty to ponder as they attempt to halt Bendel Insurance’s relentless surge. The Oluyole Warriors have struggled for consistency in recent weeks and slipped to seventh place with 32 points following a 2–0 defeat to Bayelsa United last weekend. That result saw them drop from fourth, highlighting their uneven form.

    In contrast, Kennedy Boboye’s Bendel Insurance are gathering momentum at just the right time. The Benin Arsenal sit sixth on the same 32 points but boast three consecutive away victories and seven wins from their last nine matches. Avoiding defeat in Ibadan would further underline their ambition of breaking into the top three and sustaining their remarkable run.

    Read Also: African Futsal body unveils ambitious plans for 2026

    In Umuahia, Abia Warriors and Nasarawa United square off in one of the weekend’s most consequential encounters. Second-placed Abia Warriors (37 points) host fourth-placed Nasarawa United (35 points) in a fixture loaded with recent history. The Solid Miners earned a draw in Umuahia last season and edged the Umuchineke Boys earlier in the campaign, but Abia Warriors come into this clash unbeaten in their last six games.

    With league leaders Rivers United absent from domestic action due to their CAF Champions League engagement in Zambia, Abia Warriors know victory could cut the gap at the summit to a single point. Nasarawa United, meanwhile, arrive buoyed by a morale-boosting 2–1 home win over Niger Tornadoes that snapped a four-game winless streak, and will be eager to test their credentials on the road.

    Enugu also promises fireworks as Rangers International host Warri Wolves at the Cathedral. The Flying Antelopes are unbeaten in their last two games and claimed a vital away win against Kun Khalifat in their most recent outing. Fifth on the log with 33 points, Rangers could climb as high as third depending on results elsewhere, with both Ikorodu City and Nasarawa United facing tricky away fixtures.

    Warri Wolves, however, are no pushovers. Eighth on the table with 30 points, the Seasiders have shown clear signs of revival, going unbeaten in their last three matches, including back-to-back wins over Wikki Tourists and Katsina United. With four away victories already this season, they will fancy their chances of springing a surprise in Enugu.

    In Maiduguri, El Kanemi Warriors host Ikorodu City in a fixture with contrasting motivations. El Kanemi are keen to bounce back from a narrow 1–0 loss to Plateau United, while Ikorodu City arrive full of confidence after edging Kwara United to maintain third place with 35 points.

    Elsewhere, Remo Stars begin life at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan as they welcome Kun Khalifat, while Wikki Tourists take on Kano Pillars in Bauchi. Katsina United host Plateau United at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Niger Tornadoes battle Enyimba in Minna, and Barau FC will test their resurgence against Bayelsa United.

    NPFL MATCHDAY 22 FIXTURES

    El-Kanemi vs. Ikorodu City

    Remo Stars vs. Khalifat FC

    Shooting Stars vs.  Insurance

    Wikki  vs.  Kano Pillars

    Rangers vs. Warri Wolves

    Katsina Utd vs. Plateau Utd

    Kwara Utd vs. Rivers United

    Abia Warriors vs. Nasarawa

    Tornadoes vs. Enyimba

    Barau FC vs. Bayelsa United

  • Simeone: Osimhen is very strong, fast 

    Simeone: Osimhen is very strong, fast 

    Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has expressed his admiration for Victor Osimhen.

    Osimhen was in action against Simeone’s side in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.  The keenly contested encounter ended in a 1-1 draw. Though the Nigerian striker failed to get on the score sheet, he still earned Simeone’s respect. “Osimhen is very strong; he has always been like that in the air physically. He is very fast and very important for his team, so he is a very good footballer,” Simeone was quoted by Esto Es Atleti.            

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     The 27-year-old has scored six times in five outings in the Champions League this season. He has contributed six more goals in 12 league appearances.

  • Osayi-Samuel gets Birmingham thumb up for AFCON performance

    Osayi-Samuel gets Birmingham thumb up for AFCON performance

    Birmingham City head coach, Chris Davies has thumbed up Bright Osayi-Samuel’s performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.      

     Osayi-Samuel made six appearances for Nigeria in Morocco. The right-back was particularly outstanding in Nigeria’s quarter-final victory over the Desert Foxes of Algeria, and last four defeat to hosts Morocco.           

    The defender returned to England early this week after helping Nigeria finish third in the competition. Davies is delighted to have Osayi-Samuel back in the team.

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    “He’s back, which is great news, and congratulations to him for his performances and Nigeria’s in the tournament,” Davies told reporters.                       

    The former Fenerbahce star is in contention to face Stoke City on Saturday.

  • Obasogie donates N500,000 AFCON bonus to NPFL players

    Obasogie donates N500,000 AFCON bonus to NPFL players

    Allnigeriasoccer.com has been told that Super Eagles goalkeeper Amas Obasogie has donated ₦500,000 (approximately $350) from his Africa Cup of Nations bonuses to support elite goalkeepers competing in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). The contribution was made  to assist goalkeepers active in the domestic league.

    Read Also: Osimhen targets Man  City’s scalp after Atletico draw

    Obasogie, who currently plays for Tanzanian side Singida Black Stars, has continued to maintain strong ties with Nigerian football despite plying his trade abroad.

    The Benin City-born goalkeeper previously featured in the NPFL with Bendel Insurance, where he established himself as one of the league’s consistent performers.