Author: Maimuna Bashir Isa

MORE than 15,421 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives have received licenses to practise in the United Kingdom between April 2017 and March 31, 2025, reflecting a growing trend of health sector emigration from Africa’s most populous nation. This is according to the latest data from the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the statutory body responsible for the registration, regulation, and oversight of nurses, midwives, and nursing associates across the United Kingdom. As of September 30, 2024, the number of Nigerian-trained health professionals on the UK register stood at 14,815. That figure rose to 15,421 by March 31, 2025, indicating a…

THE United States government has clarified that its recent decision to shorten the duration and restrict the entry terms of most nonimmigrant visas for Nigerian citizens is not linked to Nigeria’s refusal to host deported asylum seekers, debunking widely circulated reports of diplomatic reprisal. In a statement issued on Friday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria reaffirmed that the policy is part of a broader global visa reciprocity review, which is being conducted across many countries based on what it described as technical and security benchmarks, and not political motives or country-specific issues. “This reduction is not the result of any…

THE Russian Federation has offered to increase its annual scholarship quota for Nigerian students from 220 to a potentially higher number, pending collaboration with Nigeria’s Ministry of Education. The offer, which aims to explore areas of mutual interest in culture, was made on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting between the Russian Embassy and the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy. Discussions centered on various areas, including youth development through creative industries, cultural exchange, and economic cooperation. The  Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa highlighted the importance of harnessing the country’s…

NIGERIA and the European Union  have agreed on a €20 million (Twenty Million Euro) initiative to strengthen partnerships between museums and support film festivals and digital creative industries. The initiative was made known on Thursday in Abuja, when a high-level delegation from the European Union led by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS Ambassador Gautier Mignot, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa. The agreement is part of a broader effort to harness Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage to drive economic growth, create jobs, and promote national unity. The…

THE World Bank has again ranked Nigeria among the Lower-Middle Income Economies (LMIEs), placing Africa’s top oil producer behind conflict-ridden Libya and Gabon which were categorized as Upper-Middle Income Economies (UMIEs). This ranking comes as the country recently embarked on key reforms that have shrunk disposable income and triggered the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. But the tides are calming as Nigeria recorded its fastest annual growth in more than a decade in 2024 which stood at 3.4 percent with analysts predicting a sustained trajectory this year. According to the Washington-based lender, Nigeria’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita…

LABOUR Party Senator Ireti Kingibe says her party is fractured with internal wranglings, and she does not see the party winning any election in a state of quagmire. The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said though she remained a member of the Labour Party, she has aligned with the opposition coalition flagged on the platform of the African Democratic Party (ADC). “Yes, I am (still a member of the Labour Party) but I support the ADC,” she affirmed on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm programme aired on Tuesday. The lawmaker who was elected on the Labour Party platform in…

THE Nigerian Meteorological Agency has predicted rainy and thundery weather conditions from Monday to Wednesday across the country. NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja anticipated patches of cloud on Monday and chances of morning thunderstorms over parts of Taraba and Adamawa. According to it, there are prospects of thunderstorms with rains over parts of Zamfara, Adamawa, Kebbi, Taraba and Kaduna State later in the day. “In the North-central region, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected in the morning with chances of isolated thunderstorms with rains over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, Niger, Benue, Plateau…

THE Senate on Sunday said the Federal High Court in Abuja has not served the certified true copy of the judgment which nullified the six-month suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. On Friday, Justice Binta Nyako ordered the Senate to reinstate Natasha, describing her suspension as excessive. But Senate spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the upper chamber has acknowledged the verdict of the court. “Since no party to the case has been officially served the enrolled order of the judgment, none can enforce any perceived order or relief,” he stated. “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria…

IN a moment of continental recognition, the President of MAAUN Group of Universities, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has been honoured with the 2025 Thabo Mbeki Award for Excellence in Leadership, a prestigious accolade celebrating transformative African leadership. The award was conferred by UNESCO, in collaboration with the University of Texas, USA, and the Toyin Falola Foundation, during the 14th edition of the Toyin Falola International Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora (TOFAC), held at the Multipurpose Auditorium of Osun State University, Osogbo, Osun State, from July 1 to 3, 2025. Professor Gwarzo was celebrated for his outstanding contributions to…

THE First Prosecution Witness, PW1, Ismail Lawal in the trial of the former governor of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku on Wednesday informed Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, that Mr Ishaku advised him to run away for a period of six months, so as not to report to the EFCC that needed him for its investigations concerning the former governor. Ishaku, the first defendant, is facing prosecution by the EFCC alongside a former permanent secretary, Bureau for Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, on a 15-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of…

FOUNDER of MAAUN Group of Universities, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo has appealed to the Federal Government, to immortalize the late business mogul and elder statesman, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, by naming one of the universities in the North West after him. Professor Gwarzo, who made the appeal on Wednesday, said naming one of the universities after Dantata in the region would be highly appreciated in view of his tremendous contributions to education during his lifetime. “I am calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immortalize the late Alhaji Aminu Dantata by naming a university in the region after him…

TELECOMMUNICATION operators are temporarily unable to register new SIM cards, provide SIM swapping and replacement services, among other SIM-related services. This is due to a temporary disruption affecting SIM-related services across all mobile networks in the country. According to the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the umbrella body for telcos, on Tuesday, operators are currently migrating to a new identity verification platform following a recent directive from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and this disruption may affect millions of subscribers. However, this migration process, which directly impacts real-time identity verification required for SIM registration, SIM replacement,…

THE Founder and President MAAUN Group of Universities, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to Hadiza Usman Ma’aji on her elevation to the rank of professor by the Senate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. Hadiza Usman Ma’aji was promoted to the rank of professor of Clinical Pharmacy by the university recently. The congratulatory message was conveyed to Prof. Hadiza in a statement personally signed by Professor Adamu Gwarzo and released to newsmen on Monday. Professor Gwarzo also used the occasion to felicitates Prof. Hadiza Usman Ma’aji for being the first female professor of Clinical Pharmacy in…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Thursday ordered a comprehensive audit of the federal civil service to ensure that the right people with the right competencies are put in positions for an efficient public service. The President stated this when he declared open the maiden International Civil Service Conference in Abuja as part of the 2025 Civil Service Week, organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, according to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. Tinubu said, “We can only guarantee the high-performance culture our country deserves by placing the right…

THE Federal Government of Nigeria has said that there is no security threat within its capital city Abuja. The Nigerian Government stated this on Monday in response to an advisory by the United States’ Mission in Nigeria warning all Americans to stay away from all military and government facilities in Abuja. “Due to increased security concerns arising from current global developments, U.S. Mission Nigeria informs U.S. citizens that all U.S. “Embassy employees and their families are prohibited from non-official travel to a Nigerian military site or other government venue in Abuja at this time,” the mission had stated. In its…

THE Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, has directed the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) to immediately suspend all enforcement actions nationwide following recent incidents in Lagos State.  The Minister gave the directive on Friday, following the recent incident involving the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) during its national enforcement exercise in Lagos State. The decision, she said,  paves the way for a more inclusive, transparent, and consultative stakeholder engagement process, which the Honourable Minister will personally lead in the coming weeks. While reaffirming NIHOTOUR’s legal mandate to regulate…

THE Minister of State for Works, RT Hon. Bello Goronyo, Esq. has reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to driving infrastructural development through well-structured Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), as he participated in the Nigeria Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Summit 2025, held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja recently. The summit, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda”, was organized by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), drawing key players across government and private sectors to chart a sustainable path for infrastructure development. The Minister, speaking during a panel discussion, highlighted the strategic efforts by the Federal Ministry…

FRESH scandal is rocking the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) over spending over N1.64 billion on 400 spouses of its workers during 2025 Hajj. The amount was expended on the purported spouses of the 274 staff as subsidies for the religious pilgrimage. The outrage was triggered by the justification for selling a Hajj seat at N4.5 million to its staff members spouses and N8.7 million to regular pilgrims. The number of spouses which nearly doubled the number of the sponsored workers to Hajjj has further deepened suspicion that the bloated spouse slots were sold to highest bidders. Further findings…

THE Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy has presented its budget performance report to the National Assembly, highlighting the ministry’s achievements, challenges, and future plans. The report which was presented to the House Committee on Art, Culture and Creative Economy on Wednesday, detailed the ministry’s efforts to promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage, support the growth of the creative industry, and drive economic growth. The ministry’s initiatives include developing a robust intellectual property policy, investing in infrastructure, and fostering collaboration with stakeholders. The ministry’s  budget performance presentation which highlighted its  eight-point plan, initiatives such as Nigeria Destination 2030, skills development,…

AHEAD of next month’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting, a new research note by Renaissance Capital has revealed that Nigeria’s banking sector is facing a severe liquidity crunch following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s decision to impose a 50 per cent Cash Reserve Ratio, a move analysts say is at odds with the country’s ambition of achieving a $1tn economy by 2030. A new report by investment bank, Renaissance Capital, has warned that the higher CRR requirement, described as the highest in the world, has significantly restricted banks’ ability to lend, threatening credit growth and turning market sentiment on Nigerian banks…