Author: Amina Ibrahim

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has dismissed a circulating press release claiming that the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination had been postponed, describing it as malicious and fake. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Saturday, the board warned candidates to disregard the false notice. “Our attention has been drawn to the malicious press release stating that the 2026 UTME has been postponed. The general public, particularly the candidates, are by this notice informed that the press release is fake and did not emanate from us. Kindly disregard it. All activities on the 2026 UTME continue as…

THE Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday declined an ex parte application seeking to bar Senator Ireti Kingibe from participating in the activities of the African Democratic Congress. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling, refused the request by some ward leaders of the party in Wuse, Federal Capital Territory, who alleged that the senator had been suspended over anti-party activities. Instead, the court directed the plaintiffs to put the lawmaker on notice to enable her to respond to the allegations and join issues with them. The ward leaders, said to be loyal to the…

THE Federal Government has declared Friday, 3rd and Monday, April 6, 2026, as public holidays to mark this year’s Easter celebration. News Point Nigeria reports that Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government through a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani. The minister who congratulated all Christians in Nigeria and in the diaspora on the joyous occasion of Easter, urged Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of selflessness, forgiveness, forbearance and love as exemplified by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. He reiterated that the goal of…

THE West African Examinations Council has released the official timetable for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for school candidates. According to the final international timetable published on WAEC’s official X handle on Monday, the examination will commence on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, and end on Friday, June 19, 2026. The council said the examination will begin with Foods and Nutrition 3 (Practical) Planning Session and Home Management 3 (Practical) Planning Session. See below for the timetable: WASSCE serves as a critical qualification that secondary school students must pass to gain admission into university and other tertiary institutions.…

THE Nigerian Communications Commission has directed Mobile Network Operators to compensate subscribers in areas where network quality falls below prescribed standards. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Sunday, Head of Public Affairs at the Commission, Nnenna Ukoha, said affected users will receive airtime credits calculated based on their average spending patterns and their presence within local government areas where service failures occur. “Subscribers should not be made to bear the full burden of service disruptions where operators fail to meet prescribed standards of service delivery. “The compensation will be provided in the form of airtime credits, calculated…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for the submission of political parties’ membership registers for the 2027 general elections to May 10, 2026. News Point Nigeria reports that INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, announced in a statement issued on Friday. “The register of party members must be submitted to INEC not later than 21 days before the holding of their respective primaries,” the statement read. According to the commission, the adjustment followed concerns raised by political parties during a meeting held on March 24 regarding the earlier…

THE Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, adjourned for the third time, the fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, challenging the search of his residence. News Point Nigeria reports that the matter, which was previously adjourned on March 3 and 11, was filed through El-Rufai’s lawyers seeking N1 billion in damages against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, a chief magistrate of the Federal Capital Territory, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation – listed as the first to fourth respondents respectively. When the case was called at…

NIGERIA and the United Kingdom have signed three major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering migration partnership, organised immigration crime, border security, and expanded business visas for UK firms operating in Nigeria. The agreements were announced in a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior on its X handle on Thursday, as part of ongoing engagements during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the UK. Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo was quoted as saying that the deals “reflect Nigeria’s push for a transparent, rules-based migration system that is safe, orderly and mutually beneficial,” adding that they would help tackle “abuse…

THE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Wednesday announced a series of special train services across major routes nationwide to ease travel pressure during the upcoming Eid-el-Fitr celebrations. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by its Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, the agency said the temporary arrangements were aimed at providing “seamless, safe, and efficient” transportation amid the expected surge in passenger traffic. According to the NRC, additional trips would be deployed on key corridors, including Lagos–Ibadan and Abuja–Kaduna, to accommodate increased demand. “For the Lagos–Ibadan corridor, three special trips will operate on March 19, 2026, from both…

THE Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued a public health advisory warning that several northern states face a heightened risk of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) as dry season conditions intensify across parts of Nigeria. In a notice posted on its X handle sighted by News Point Nigeria, the agency explained that the disease is a serious infection that affects the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord and is commonly caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. NiMet also explained that CSM spreads through respiratory droplets, particularly in crowded or poorly ventilated environments. NiMet identified Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa,…

THE naira appreciated further at the official market on Wednesday, trading at N1,376.19 to the United States dollar, according to data released by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Data on the CBN’s website sighted by News Point Nigeria showed that the naira gained N25.20 against the dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market. The gain represents a 1.8 per cent appreciation compared with Tuesday’s closing rate of N1,401.40 to the dollar at the same market. The Nigerian currency had earlier recorded about two weeks of depreciation before staging a recovery on Tuesday and extending gains on Wednesday. Market analysts…

THE United States Embassy in Nigeria has issued a security alert warning of a possible terrorist threat targeting US facilities and American-affiliated schools in the country. In a notice released by the embassy in Abuja, US citizens were advised to take extra precautions when visiting American diplomatic premises and institutions linked to the United States. The alert specifically mentioned the US Embassy Abuja and the US Consulate General Lagos, urging American nationals to remain vigilant and adopt additional security measures while travelling to these locations. According to the embassy, citizens should vary their travel routes and times, avoid predictable routines,…

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a total remittance of ₦1,570,671,200 to Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide. The disclosure was contained in the latest bulletin released by the Board obtained by News Point Nigeria, signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin. Payments were made to centres that participated in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise. This comes as the 2026 UTME, scheduled to hold nationwide from April 16 to April 25, 2026, draws near. The payment represents the ₦700 registration charge collected on behalf of CBT centres from candidates during the UTME registration…

FIRST Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has emphasised that empowering women should be seen not as an act of charity but as a strategic investment in the country’s future, urging greater commitment to ensuring that women and girls have equal access to opportunities. Mrs. Tinubu made the remark on Sunday in a message sent to News Point Nigeria marking the 2026 edition of International Women’s Day, celebrated globally on March 8. In her statement, the First Lady highlighted the significance of this year’s theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” describing it as a timely reminder of the urgent need…

THE National Youth Service Corps has announced that its online portal will open for prospective corps members to register for mobilisation between March 12 and March 18, 2026. The scheme disclosed this in a flyer released across its social media platforms sighted by News Point Nigeria on Friday. In the notice addressed to prospective corps members, the agency stated that only graduates whose names appear on the approved Senate or Academic Board lists uploaded by their institutions would be eligible to register. “Attention, Prospective Corps Members (PCMs), I am happy to inform you that the NYSC portal will be opened…

MULTICHOICE is shutting down its streaming platform, Showmax, after eleven years of operation. News Point Nigeria reports that the decision taken by the company was communicated to Showmax subscribers on Thursday. “We’re writing to inform you of an important update regarding Showmax,” the streaming platform said in the mail sent to its subscribers. “Following a comprehensive review, the Showmax Board has taken the decision to discontinue the Showmax service in the near future.” MultiChoice said the move is a reflection of its bid to “focus on strengthening our overall digital offering and ensuring long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive streaming…

THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised what it described as selective enforcement of the law in the handling of legal cases involving two of its prominent members, insisting that justice must be applied evenly and without political bias. In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ADC had been monitoring the ongoing cases involving former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. “The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has been monitoring the ongoing legal cases involving two of our leaders, Mr Abubakar Malami… and Mallam…

THE Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) says the Federal Government is working to ensure the safety of Nigerians in the Middle East amid the crisis in the region. News Point Nigeria reports that NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, gave the assurance in a statement on Tuesday. The commission said Nigerian authorities are monitoring the situation and have received calls “from a few Nigerians in Qatar, UAE, and Iran enquiring about preparations for evacuations when it becomes necessary. “The fact of the matter is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with all relevant agencies…

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has officially commenced the sale of application documents for the 2026 Direct Entry programme. In an announcement posted on its official X account sighted by News Point Nigeria, JAMB stated that the registration “commenced today, Monday, 2nd March 2026 and will end by Saturday, 25th April 2026.” The board emphasised that the entire process, including the purchase of e-PINs and application document sales, is restricted exclusively to its accredited state and zonal offices across the country. Direct Entry allows candidates with relevant qualifications, such as National Diploma, National Certificate in Education, Interim Joint Matriculation…

THE National Universities Commission (NUC) has issued fresh guidelines regulating the award and use of honorary doctorates in Nigeria. In a public notice released on its official X page sighted by News Point Nigeria, the Commission said the guidelines were approved pursuant to its powers under the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, CAP E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The NUC expressed displeasure over what it described as the increasing incidence of indiscriminate conferment and misuse of such honours within the Nigerian university system. “The National Universities Commission (NUC), by virtue of the provisions…