Author: Maimuna Bashir Isa

RENOWNED academic, manpower development expert, and Pro-Chancellor of Prime University, Kuje-Abuja, Dr Kabir Kabo Usman, has urged parents and education policymakers to take urgent steps in shaping the nation’s future by combining moral upbringing at home with a science-and-skills-oriented education system. Dr Kabir gave this charge in an address presented on his behalf at the 2025 Graduation Ceremony and 10th Anniversary of Al-Noor Academy, held at Wuse II, Abuja. The address was delivered by Malam Mustapha Badamasi Atiku, Bursar of Prime University. Drawing from his experience as a former lecturer and curriculum director at Manchester University in the UK, Dr…

THE Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has mandated all international airlines operating in the country to enforce the $10,000 currency declaration requirement for all inbound passengers. In a directive dated April 24, 2025, the authority emphasised the need to address lapses in compliance with existing financial disclosure laws. The move aimed to bolster Nigeria’s anti-money laundering efforts and align with international financial standards, NCAA spokesman Michael Achimugu, said in a statement Tuesday. The directive mandated international airlines to announce, either inflight or pre-landing, the legal obligation for passengers to declare cash or negotiable instruments exceeding $10,000 or its equivalent. It…

SUSPENDED Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is expected to storm the National Assembly today (Tuesday), despite a firm warning from the Senate that her six-month suspension remains in full effect. News Point Nigeria reports that the embattled lawmaker representing Kogi Central had over the weekend announced her intention to resume plenary, citing a recent ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which declared her suspension “excessive and unconstitutional.” “I’ve written to the Senate that I’m resuming on the 22nd. By God’s grace, I’ll be there,” Natasha said during a constituency programme. “The court decided on this even if they call it…

THE Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris, has warned that unreported and misdiagnosed outbreaks of infectious diseases like dengue fever, yellow fever, cholera, diphtheria, and Mpox pose a significantly greater danger to the Nigerian population than commonly understood. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday monitored by News Point Nigeria, Dr. Idris expressed concern that many cases of dengue fever are being mistaken for malaria, resulting in a delay in diagnosis and treatment, as well as poor outbreak response. “Unfortunately, dengue fever shares many symptoms with malaria and yellow…

IN a strong show of support for quality education, the President and Founder of MAAUN Group of Universities, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has donated a 30-seater luxury bus to Intercontinental Schools in Kano. The announcement was made during the school’s Speech and Prize Giving Day ceremony held on Saturday, July 19, 2025. Prof. Gwarzo, a renowned education advocate and philanthropist, said the donation was in recognition of the school’s consistent academic excellence and its reputation as one of the leading secondary schools in Kano. Commending the school’s performance, Prof. Gwarzo urged its founders to prioritize innovation in teaching methods to…

PRESIDENT and Founder of Maryam Abacha American University (MAAUN), Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has paid a heartfelt condolence visit to the family of late former President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in Daura. Professor Gwarzo, among the earliest public figures to mourn Buhari following the official announcement of his passing from a London hospital, reaffirmed his deep grief during the visit. He prayed for Allah to grant the late leader eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus and for strength to his family and the nation. Speaking at the Daura residence, Gwarzo described the former President as a man of rare integrity…

IN a symbolic stride towards modernization and institutional excellence, the Honourable Minister of State for Works, Hon. Muhammad Bello Goronyo, Esq., on Thursday, commissioned the remodelled Front Office of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Secretariat Complex at the National Engineering Centre, Abuja. The brief but meaningful event attracted senior government functionaries, engineering professionals, and key stakeholders in the built environment sector. The transformation of the facility was undertaken under the leadership of Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, the 34th President and first female head of the NSE, underscoring her administration’s unwavering commitment to modernization, professionalism, and service excellence. Delivering…

THE Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has issued a strong disclaimer distancing itself from a recent article suggesting diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In a statement issued on Wednesday made available to News Point Nigeria, the Ministry said the July 12 publication by African Travel Times, titled “A Bitter Irony: UAE’s Sanctions Undermine African Trust After Africa-Backed Win for UN Tourism Role,” does not reflect the official stance of the Honourable Minister, the Ministry, or the Federal Government. The article had implied that Nigeria’s support for a recent African appointment…

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reduced the pump price of petrol at its retail stations, with prices dropping to ₦895 per litre in Abuja and ₦865 per litre in Lagos, signalling intensified competition in the deregulated downstream market. This reduction follows a similar move by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which lowered its ex-depot price of petrol from ₦840 to ₦820 per litre on July 8. The latest adjustment marks the second drop in two weeks by the privately owned refinery, which had initially brought its price down from ₦880 to ₦840 per litre. Retail stations operated by NNPC…

THE Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered a final forfeiture of several assets, including N335 million, a hospital, five filling stations, among others, to the Federal Government. Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s lawyer, Fadila Yusuf, moved the motion to that effect. Yusuf prayed the court to grant the final order, forfeiting the property in Schedules I and II to the Federal Government, the commission, having complied with all the directives of the court. Justice Nwite, in a ruling, held that the lawyer’s application was meritorious and accordingly granted. “I have…

SAUDI Arabia’s top leadership has extended heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Nigeria following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud both sent formal cables of condolence to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing sorrow over the passing of the former leader. King Salman conveyed his “deepest condolences and sincere sympathy” to President Tinubu, the Nigerian people, and the family of the deceased in a message released on Monday. Crown Prince Mohammed bin…

FORMER Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, has said ex-President Muhammadu Buhari may have not survived his health challenges if he had relied solely on Nigerian hospitals for treatment. Adesina made the statement on Tuesday during a special live coverage on Channels Television held in honour of the late president. Responding to criticisms over Buhari’s repeated medical trips to the United Kingdom while in office, Adesina defended the decision, saying it was a matter of survival. “Buhari always had his medicals in London, even when he was not in the office. So it was not about the time he was president alone.…

THE Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Esq., has been celebrated with two prestigious awards in recognition of his outstanding contributions to leadership, administration, and national development. On July 7, 2025, the Institute of Administration, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, conferred on the Minister an Award of Honour during the International Conference for the Institute of Administration (ICIA 2025) held in Zaria, Kaduna State. The award acknowledges his strategic support, visionary leadership, and steadfast commitment to advancing institutional and national growth through collaboration and knowledge-driven governance. While receiving the award, Rt. Hon. Goronyo expressed his heartfelt…

THE former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, who holds the chieftaincy title of Aare Fiwajoye of Ibadanland, has expressed deep sorrow and heartfelt condolences over the demise of the revered monarch, the 43rd Olubadan, His Imperial Majesty, Dr. Akinloye Olalere Owolabi Olakulehin, who passed away at the age of 90 years. In a heartfelt statement personally signed by him, Dr. Ganduje described the late monarch as “a unifying force and custodian of Ibadan’s rich cultural heritage” who, despite a reign lasting just under a year, brought dignity,…

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…