Author: Hamza Rufai

VICE PRESIDENT Kashim Shettima, has commended Hadiza Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head, Central Delivery Coordination Unit, for her unique contributions to national development. News Point Nigeria reports that Shettima gave the commendation in Abuja on Tuesday during a colloquium organised to commemorate the 50th birthday of Hadiza Usman. The Vice-President described her as a mirror not only for the northern Nigerian girl, but for the nation itself. Shettima said Usman’s earned her influence in Nigeria’s public service, continually shaping the country’s national direction through “a rare combination of gifts: grace, strengthened by grit;…

THE Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has dismissed claims that the ongoing prosecution of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, is driven by personal animosity or political considerations, insisting that the case was inherited upon his assumption of office. Olukoyede made the clarification on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television monitored by News Point Nigeria, where he addressed growing public speculation over the EFCC’s decision to arraign the former justice minister on corruption-related charges. According to the EFCC chairman, investigations into Malami’s alleged financial impropriety were initiated…

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the agency is not charging some alleged corrupt high-profile persons to court yet because it takes time to gather evidence in such cases. EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said arraigning people involved in high-profile cases requires painstaking investigation, thus the perceived delay in prosecuting persons involved in public corruption. Olukoyede said this in an interview with Channels Television aired on Sunday Politics monitored by News Point Nigeria. According to the EFCC, the length of time some cases take before reaching the courts does not indicate that the anti-graft agency is inactive. “In 48…

AUTHORITIES in Jersey, a British Crown Dependency in the Channel Islands between the United Kingdom and France are set to return more than $9.5 million (£7 million) to the Nigerian government. The funds will be funneled into supporting infrastructure projects in the West African country. This repatriation followed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in December between the Attorney General for Jersey Mark Temple KC and the Federal Government. The MoU is built on two past deals between Nigeria and Jersey involving the return of over $300m which were held in a bank account in the island. The Attorney General of…

THE Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has filed a formal petition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing a former Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of alleged corruption and abuse of office. News Point Nigeria reports that the petition, submitted through Dangote’s legal team and signed by his lead counsel, Dr. O. J. Onoja, SAN, was lodged at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja following the withdrawal of a similar complaint earlier filed with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Sources familiar with…

BANKS and telecommunications operators in Nigeria have been handed a March 1, 2026, deadline to fully implement a comprehensive refund framework aimed at ending persistent consumer complaints over failed airtime and data transactions. News Point Nigeria reports that the new directive follows the completion of a joint regulatory framework developed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to address situations where subscribers are debited for airtime or data purchases without receiving the corresponding service. The framework targets failures arising from network outages, system malfunctions, human input errors, and other breakdowns across the financial and…

Togo, Niger Republic, and Benin owe Nigeria $17.8m, an equivalent of over N25bn at the current exchange rate, for electricity supplied under bilateral arrangements, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said. In its Third Quarter 2025 report obtained by News Point Nigeria, NERC disclosed that the three international customers were invoiced a total of $18.69m by the Market Operator for electricity supplied during the period, but they remitted only $7.125m, leaving an outstanding balance of $11.56m. Similarly, the international bilateral customers had legacy invoices of $14.7m, out of which they paid $7.84m, leaving a balance of $6.23m. This newspaper reports…

THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government over Nigeria’s silence following recent developments in Venezuela, describing the lack of an official position as embarrassing and unworthy of the country’s status as a leading African nation. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, expressed the party’s concerns during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television on Tuesday monitored by News Point Nigeria. According to Abdullahi, Nigeria has lost its standing as a principled voice in Africa and West Africa under the current administration, at a time when the crisis in Venezuela represents a defining moment with far-reaching…

FORMER Minister of Defence and immediate past Governor of Jigawa State, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has firmly denied reports suggesting that he is planning to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the claims as false, baseless and politically motivated. Badaru’s denial comes amid growing speculation triggered by internal disagreements within the APC in Jigawa State, particularly an ongoing rift between him and the incumbent governor, Umar Namadi. The tensions have reportedly fuelled rumours of possible defections by aggrieved party stakeholders ahead of future political realignments in the state. Investigations by this newspaper revealed…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission has resumed the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise, signalling the start of the second phase of the process. News Point Nigeria reports that the resumption, which took effect on Monday, was confirmed by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Adedayo Oketola, when this newspaper reached out to him. He responded, “It is true.” The resumption follows the conclusion of the first phase of the CVR, which officially ended on December 10, 2025. INEC had earlier launched online pre-registration for the exercise on August 18, 2025, before rolling out physical registration at designated centres…

THE Federal Government has reacted to calls by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for a probe into the Ministry of Power and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) over allegations that more than ₦128 billion in public funds were missing or diverted. SERAP, in a statement issued on Sunday, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, alongside relevant anti-corruption agencies, to investigate the alleged financial discrepancies. The civil society organisation said its request was based on findings contained in an audit report, which it claimed…

NIGERIA’s banking industry is undergoing a major structural transformation, as the rapid rise of Point of Sale (PoS) transactions continues to erode the relevance of traditional brick-and-mortar banking. New data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) obtained by News Point Nigeria show that 229 physical bank branches were shut across the country within one year, reflecting a decisive shift by customers toward electronic payment channels for everyday financial transactions. According to the CBN’s 2024 Financial Sector Statistical Bulletin, the total number of Deposit Money Bank (DMB) branches and cash centres fell from 5,373 in 2023 to 5,144 in 2024,…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has categorically refuted reports circulating in some quarters claiming that the Commission has released the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, on Friday, the Commission stated clearly that the information is false and misleading. “INEC has not released any timetable or schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election,” the statement read in part. It reiterated that it operates strictly within the provisions of the law, especially Section 28(1) of the…

THE National Assembly has invited members of the public to review the recently passed tax laws, following allegations that copies in circulation differ from those approved by parliament. News Point Nigeria reports that the leadership of the 10th National Assembly directed the Clerk to produce the Votes and Proceedings of lawmakers in both chambers, alongside the gazetted versions of the tax Acts. The move comes after controversy triggered by claims of alleged alterations to the bills. During plenary, Sokoto lawmaker Abdussamad Dasuki had alleged that the versions of the tax laws circulating publicly differed materially from those approved by the…

THE Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Federal Government to “urgently” review workers’ salaries in the new year following the wave of “escalating inflation and suffering” sweeping across the country. In his New Year’s address to workers sent to News Point Nigeria on Thursday, the President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, noted that workers’ salaries should be a “living wage”, rather than for mere “survival”. “Given the escalating inflation and suffering, we demand an urgent wage review as a worker’s income must guarantee life, not mere survival, in furtherance of Mr President’s promise to pay living wages. We shall…

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today arraign former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) before Justice Nwute of Federal High Court, in Abuja. News Point Nigeria reports that this is following the fresh money laundering charges filed against Malami, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, over alleged financial dealings. The 16-count charge, instituted before the Federal High Court in Abuja, is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/ 2025 and lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant. Also named as a co-defendant is Hajia Bashir Asabe. Court filings allege that the defendants knowingly handled, transferred…

INVESTIGATORS of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have traced a significant portion of the wealth allegedly accumulated by Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, to multiple high-profile public finance transactions, including Paris Club refunds to states, unpaid Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) agricultural loans, and the repatriation of looted funds linked to late military ruler, General Sani Abacha. News Point Nigeria reports that Malami is expected to be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on multiple counts bordering on corruption and abuse of office. Properties estimated to be worth over ₦200…

THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has warned that joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) or openly professing loyalty to President Bola Tinubu does not automatically guarantee a second-term ticket. News Point Nigeria reports Wike issued the warning on Tuesday while addressing supporters during a political engagement in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, as part of his ongoing consultations across the state. The minister, who was received by the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area, Chidi Lloyd, alongside traditional ruler Sergeant Awuse and other party leaders, used the occasion to reinforce his long-held position…

STATE governments and local government councils across Nigeria have significantly reduced their exposure to bank loans, collectively repaying about ₦547.52 billion within one year, amid a sharp rise in allocations from the Federation Account, findings have shown. Data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) latest Quarterly Statistical Bulletin indicate that the banking sector’s total claims on states and local governments dropped from ₦2.68 trillion in June 2024 to ₦2.13 trillion in June 2025, representing a 20.4 per cent year-on-year decline in sub-national debt to commercial and merchant banks. The figures suggest an aggressive effort by sub-national governments to…

THE House of Representatives says it is reviewing the tax reform laws following public backlash and alleged alterations of some portions of the laws. Reps spokesman Akin Rotimi said the Green Chamber has already inaugurated a committee to undertake a “review to establish the sequence of events and to identify any factors that may have contributed to the circumstances surrounding the legislative and administrative handling of the Acts.” In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Friday, Rotimi, who represents Ekiti North (Ikole/Oye) Federal Constituency, said the review “includes a careful examination of any lapses, irregularities, or external interferences,…