Author: Amina Ibrahim

THE National Examination Council (NECO) has announced the release of the 2024 Senior Secondary School Certificate External Examination results. According to the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Council, Professor Dantani Wushishi, 57,114 candidates secured credits in English and Mathematics, representing a 67.53% pass rate. A total of 86,067 candidates sat for the examination, which saw a significant reduction in malpractice cases. The number of candidates booked for various forms of malpractice decreased by 27.7% compared to 2023, with 6,160 cases recorded. The results were released just 62 days after the final examination, marking a notable improvement in the council’s…

AS part of the ongoing tariff hike and restructuring, telecommunications firm, MTN has pegged call rate on its pulse bundle at N13.8 per minute from N7.8 per minute, which represents a 76.92 per cent increase. Checks showed that the rate prior to yesterday, used to be 13k/seconds and N4/SMS, but message that came after calls via the pulse bundle showed new rate of 23k/seconds and N6/SMS. This means by 23k by 60 seconds amounted to N13.8 per minute. Recall that by the January 20, 2025 Federal Government approved 50 per cent tariff hike, the floor price (minimum acceptable price) of…

THE President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports associating him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027. Adesina was reported to have given a hint that he would be contesting for the presidency in 2027 following a recent interview. However, the AfDB president has denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for president. In a post clarifying his statement on his X handle on Friday, Adesina said his interview was misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media reports. “A segment of my recent interview on @ARISEtv has…

NIGERIA’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar OON, has congratulated Ambassador Bankole Adeoye on his re-election as the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security. Ambassador Bankole’s re-election is a testament to his outstanding leadership, diplomatic expertise, and unwavering commitment to promoting peace, security, and stability across the African continent. His tenure has been marked by significant strides in conflict resolution, governance, and strengthening Africa’s security architecture, Tuggar said. In his congratulatory message made available to News Point Nigeria by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Ambassador Tuggar…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria has eliminated the three free monthly withdrawals previously allowed for customers using other banks’ ATMs. In a circular dated February 10, 2025, the apex bank directed all banks and financial institutions to implement new ATM withdrawal charges from March 1, 2025. This means customers will now pay for every withdrawal made from another bank’s ATM. The review affects the charges prescribed in Section 10.7 of the CBN Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (2020). The circular, signed by John Onojah, Acting Director of the Financial Policy and Regulation Department at…

VICE President Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians, particularly the Muslim community, that no intending pilgrim will miss the 2025 Hajj due to visa-related challenges. He emphasised that all necessary measures will be taken to ensure a smooth and hitch-free pilgrimage. He directed the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to take all necessary measures to ensure a smooth and unhindered pilgrimage for all the nation’s intending pilgrims. This was the outcome of a meeting the Vice President had with the management and board of the Commission in his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday. Shettima summoned the meeting…

FORMER Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, dismissed claims that he failed to support President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, stating that he has moved on from such allegations. Tinubu, backed by the All Progressives Congress, won the election against the main opposition candidates — Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. El-Rufai, a key APC chieftain, has been at the centre of political discussions, recently asserting that his views on governance would remain unchanged regardless of his role in the Tinubu-led administration. On Sunday, an X user, Yusuf Tukur,…

THE National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has proposed the death penalty for drug peddlers. According to the Director-General of the agency Mojisola Adeyeye, only stiff penalties will deter peddlers especially when it leads to the death of children. “Somebody bought children’s medicine for N13,000 or something like that, another person was selling about N3,000 in the same mall,” the NAFDAC chief said on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. “That raised an alarm. Guess what? There was nothing inside that medicine when we tested it in our Kaduna lab. So, I want the…

NIGERIAN Red Cross Society has said Nigeria is grappling with one of the highest road traffic accident rates in the world, stating that 10 per cent of the two million people, who die yearly from road accidents, which is 200,000 people, are Nigerians. The President of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga, stated this, yesterday, at the launch of the Safe Steps Road Safety Campaign, aimed at ensuring road safety across Nigeria. Adeaga noted that road traffic injuries were the ninth leading cause of death globally, claiming the lives of more than two million people each year on…

THE Police commenced full enforcement of the Third-Party Motor Vehicle Insurance policy from February 1, 2025. This move is in compliance with directives from the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and aligns with the Insurance Act and the Motor Vehicle (Third-Party Insurance) Act, which require all vehicle owners to have at least third-party insurance coverage. Some of the benefits of third-party insurance include providing compensation to victims of road accidents and covering injuries and damages sustained during travel. Driving is an unpredictable activity. One minute you are cruising, enjoying the luxury of your car, and the next, a little…

DESPITE court judgment and awareness of the significance of adorning hijab, it is disheartening to know that Muslim girls and women still face discrimination in public sphere. On this note, a coalition of Muslim Women in Nigeria, under the aegis of the Hijab Right Advocacy Initiative, has called on policymakers, law enforcement agencies, educators and service providers to urgently adopt policies and provide training to officers on respecting religious expressions, including the right of Muslim women to adorn their hijabs in public places. The Criterion Lagos District; International Muslim Women Union (IMWU); Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN); Lagos Secretariat…

THE Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), Sen. Lawal Adamu Usman, disclosed that presently, Nigeria has about 7.6 million out-of-school children. Sen. Usman, who represents Kaduna Central Senatorial District, charged religious and traditional leaders in the country to champion the adequate education and empowerment of the girl child in their respective communities. He also appealed to the World Bank to expand its Adolescents Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project to cover 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the interest of the girl-child all over Nigeria. Sen. Usman stated this on Tuesday…

MINISTER of Humanitarian Affairs Minister and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, says some politicians are trying to influence poor Nigerians who make the social register to enjoy the government’s conditional cash transfer. The minister, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday monitored by News Point Nigeria, said some persons want his ministry to bend for political reasons but “unfortunately it’s a partnership between us and the international community – the World Bank is involved, CSOs (civil society organisations) are involved and it’s not just a ministry activity”. He said, “Some people want us to bend and…

THE Federal Government has approved N4bn for conditional cash transfers to vulnerable households in Nigeria. During the launch of the 2025 Nigeria Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan at the United Nations House in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwada, announced the interventions aimed at addressing the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis. This initiative is expected to support at least 10 million displaced households, primarily targeting the most vulnerable members of society. The cash transfer programme is set to commence in February and continue through April, focusing on alleviating the immediate needs of families…

THE leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch has taken another jibe at Nigeria, saying she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.” Speaking on Saturday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed. “And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience. “I don’t want Britain to lose what…

AS part of the activities marking 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration, the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), 3 Brigade Chapter, led by its Zonal Coordinator, Mrs Zainab Tukur Mohammed, presented food items to widows of fallen heroes, that made ultimate sacrifices in their brave service to their fatherland. Mrs Tukur who made the presentation on 15 January 2025, at 3  Brigade NAOWA Nursery School Premises, Kano, urged the widows of the fallen heroes to be strong and courageous, adding that, the presentation was in line with the vision of NAOWA President, Mrs Mernan Oluyede, to reach out to…

CONCERNS about the effectiveness of the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Housing (RHH) scheme sparked a heated exchange among lawmakers during a budget defense session with the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development. Legislators questioned whether the scheme was reaching ordinary Nigerians who are the intended beneficiaries. The session, which focused on the ministry’s 2024 budget, saw some lawmakers asking about the distinction between the RHH project and the National Housing Program. Presenting a budget that cited over ₦6 billion as internally generated revenue, the Minister of State, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata admitted his confusion, saying “I’m yet to understand…

NIGERIA’s headline inflation rate jumped up to 34.80% in December 2024 from 34.60% in November 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday. The apex government data agency made this known in its latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services. A report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the increase was due to December festive period increases in demand for goods and services. According to the NBS, on a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 5.87% higher than the rate recorded in December 2023 (28.92%). This…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is seeking additional funding from the Federal Government in preparation for the 2027 general elections. This was revealed by the commission’s Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu while appearing before the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Friday, to defend the commission’s 2025 budget proposal. Prof. Yakubu explained the need for additional funding to support key areas of INEC’s work. He listed the areas needing the funding to include the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, logistics for off-cycle elections, replacing damaged election materials like Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS), Ballot…

THE Oxford English Dictionary has expanded its lexicon with 20 Nigerian words and expressions in its latest update. The newly added entries include popular terms like “japa,” “agbero,” “eba,” “419,” and “abi,” among others. These words, deeply rooted in the everyday lives of Nigerians, highlight the influence of Pidgin English, street slang, and cultural expressions that are increasingly gaining global recognition. Notably, some of the words, such as “japa” and “jand,” appear as both nouns and verbs in the dictionary. Pronunciation guides have also been provided to assist non-Nigerians in accurately articulating the words. A Nigerian English consultant to the…