THIRTY-TWO states and the Federal Capital Territory accumulated nearly $1bn in fresh external loans in 2025, pushing subnational foreign debt sharply higher despite increased allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). Data obtained from the Debt Management Office by News Point Nigeria showed that the combined external debt stock of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT rose from $4.80bn as of December 31, 2024, to $5.68bn by December 31, 2025. The figures represent a net increase of $884.66m or 18.43 per cent year-on-year. A breakdown of the data indicated that 33 out of the 37 subnational entities recorded increases…
Author: Sadiq Abdullateef
Read More
THE Federal Government has stated that no Nigerian was killed and no Nigerian-owned property was destroyed during the recent anti-foreigner protests recorded in parts of South Africa. News Point Nigeria reports that the clarification was made by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in a situation report titled “South Africa Protests: Situation Report,” which she published on her X handle on Sunday. According to the minister, the Federal Government is closely monitoring the growing tensions associated with anti-foreigner demonstrations in selected South African cities. She disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had expressed concern over the situation…
UNICEF has identified Kano State, Jigawa State and Katsina State as the states with the highest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, warning that urgent investment in early childhood education is crucial to reversing the growing crisis. News Point Nigeria reports that the organisation disclosed that Nigeria currently accounts for approximately 18.3 million out-of-school children, the highest number recorded anywhere in the world. The revelation was made by Aisha Abdullahi during a two-day dialogue organised for journalists drawn from the three affected states. Presenting a paper on foundation learning and skills development, Abdullahi said Kano, Jigawa and Katsina collectively contribute…
AS Nigeria gradually inches closer to the 2027 general elections, a new wave of anxiety is spreading across the country over the increasingly heated rhetoric dominating the nation’s political landscape. From threats of resistance at polling units to references to some of the darkest episodes in Nigeria’s political history, many Nigerians fear that the tone of political conversations is becoming dangerously combustible at a time the country is already battling economic hardship, insecurity, social distrust and deep political divisions. In recent days, controversial remarks by leading opposition figures have triggered intense nationwide debate, with stakeholders warning that careless political statements…
DANGOTE Group has strongly denied viral claims suggesting that its founder, Aliko Dangote, fell out with Tony Elumelu after the UBA chairman allegedly promised financial assistance for the Dangote refinery project before later blocking communication with him. News Point Nigeria reports that the company’s rebuttal followed a viral post circulated on X by a user identified as “Oghneminehhhhh,” who claimed Dangote revealed that he ran into serious financial difficulties during the construction of the refinery project in 2021 when the facility was only halfway completed. According to the viral post, Dangote allegedly said he reached out to several prominent Nigerian…
FORMER Deputy Governor, Hassan Nasiha, has formally declared his intention to contest for the Zamfara Central Senatorial seat in the 2027 General Elections, pledging to prioritise security, youth employment and accessible leadership if elected. The declaration was contained in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by his Special Assistant on Media, Ahmed Lawal Gusau on Satruday, where the former senator said his decision to seek re-election was informed by the “critical challenges confronting” Zamfara Central at what he described as a defining moment for the district. In a letter addressed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, party stakeholders, elders and…
AS Nigeria races deeper into the digital era, with millions relying daily on online banking, mobile payments, fintech platforms, cloud services, business registration portals, streaming applications and social media networks, an unsettling threat is quietly growing beneath the surface of the country’s technological expansion. What was once celebrated as a rapid digital revolution is increasingly becoming a battlefield for cybercriminals targeting sensitive personal, financial and institutional data. In recent weeks, a string of cyber-related incidents involving some of Nigeria’s most critical institutions has intensified concerns over the country’s fragile cybersecurity architecture. From allegations of data breaches affecting major financial and…
A WOMAN abducted from Kasuwan Magani community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State has reportedly returned home pregnant after spending five months in captivity. News Point Nigeria gathered that the development was disclosed by media personality, Reuben Buhari, who narrated the circumstances surrounding the woman’s abduction and eventual release. According to Buhari, who regularly shares updates on insecurity-related incidents through Facebook posts, the victim was abducted alongside three other persons while attending to her seriously ill mother. Her release, he said, came two days ago after ransom was paid to the kidnappers. “She was tending to her seriously…
THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has filed fresh criminal charges against former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and seven others over alleged fraud and money laundering linked to a ₦10.8 billion CCTV Security project in Kaduna State. According to court documents filed before the Federal High Court in Kaduna on April 17 obtained by News Point Nigeria, the anti-graft agency instituted an 11-count charge under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Former Kaduna State Commissioner of Information and Chairman of Liberty Television, Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan, disclosed in a post on his Facebook page that…
THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has hailed the Supreme Court verdict on the party’s leadership and commended the judiciary for doing “great” over the matter. A statement on Thursday by the party’s national spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, congratulated the members and leaders of the opposition party over the development. “Today’s decision is a clear affirmation that our party, its structures, and its leadership under our National Chairman, Senator Mark, and our National Secretary, Ogbeni Aregbesola, are legitimate,” Abdullahi said. “We commend the five-man panel of the Supreme Court, whose unanimous judgment has today done great credit to the judiciary in our…
UNITED Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has reinforced its commitment to deepening collaboration between banks and fintechs across Africa, following the successful hosting of its inaugural Fintech Conference themed “Navigating Regulatory Milestones: The Future of Bank–Fintech Partnerships.” The conference convened more than 20 leading fintechs and ecosystem stakeholders, including PalmPay, OPay, PayAza, Mastercard, Visa, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, and representatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Discussions focused on regulation, innovation, security, and the evolution of payments across the continent. Opening the event, UBA’s Executive Director, Digital Banking, Emmanuel Lamptey, called for a shift from competition to deliberate partnership. “The…
A STATEMENT by former President Goodluck Jonathan has been read before the Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom in the ongoing trial of Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke. News Point Nigeria reports that Jonathan’s statement was presented during court proceedings on Wednesday. In the statement, the former president told the court that it was not unusual for third parties to make payments on behalf of ministers travelling on official duties overseas. Jonathan also disclosed that he approved Alison-Madueke’s use of private jets for some foreign trips during her tenure as minister. “Any properly incurred incidental or…
THE Supreme Court has set aside the order for status quo ante bellum made by the Court of Appeal in Abuja in the leadership dispute of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). News Point Nigeria reports that the judgement effectively retores the David Mark-led executive from its delisting by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In a unanimous verdict on Thursday, the five-member panel of justices led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, held that the order by the Court of Appeal was unnecessary. The court subsequently allowed the appeal and nullified the order sustaining the status quo ante bellum in the…
PESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sacked Saidu Mohammed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) while he was on official duty in Germany. News Point Nigeria reports that Mohammed was attending the Pipeline Technology Conference (PTC) in Berlin alongside delegates from the NMDPRA at the time of his removal. A source who was with the former NMDPRA boss in Germany disclosed that Mohammed was delivering a presentation at the conference when he received the message informing him of his sack. Confirming the trip, the NMDPRA had, in a post published on its…
THE Supreme Court is set to deliver judgment today on the leadership disputes rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a development that could significantly redefine the political direction of both opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. News Point Nigeria reports that Ahead of the anticipated verdict, leaders of the opposition parties reportedly held an emergency strategic meeting on Wednesday night where they reviewed possible outcomes of the judgment and mapped out possible next steps for the opposition coalition. However, in a fresh development that may further complicate the crisis within the…
THE prosecution on Wednesday opened its case in the accelerated trial of six men accused of plotting to overthrow the President Bola Tinubu-led government, with a key witness alleging before the court that over N600 million was disbursed for the operation and linking former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, to financial trails uncovered during investigations. News Point Nigeria reports that one of the prosecution witnesses, a soldier attached to the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police (NACMP), gave detailed testimony on how the alleged coup plot was uncovered and the discoveries made by investigators. The witness, whose identity was shielded…
THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the allocation of plots of land in Abuja to Ambassadors and High Commissioners-designate, as part of efforts to deepen diplomatic engagement and strengthen Nigeria’s global presence. News Point Nigeria reports that Wike made the disclosure during a courtesy visit by the envoys, led by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Umar Ahmed, at his official residence in Life Camp, Abuja, on Tuesday. Addressing the diplomats, the minister said the President’s decision was informed by the need to ensure that…
THE African Democratic Congress has formally appealed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, urging the Supreme Court to deliver a prompt ruling in the party’s lingering leadership dispute. News Point Nigeria reports that the request was conveyed in a letter dated April 28 and signed by the party’s legal counsel, Shuaibu E. Aruwa (SAN), on behalf of the faction led by former Senate President, David Mark. The party warned that any further delay in the judgment could threaten its chances of participating in the 2027 general elections. The appeal follows the Supreme Court’s hearing of the leadership…
THE Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg has strongly condemned the killing of two Nigerian nationals in South Africa, demanding a full and transparent investigation into the incidents, as well as the prosecution of those found responsible. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Monday, the Consul-General, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, identified the victims as Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, both of whom died in separate but troubling encounters involving South African security personnel within a short span of time. She said the deaths have sent shockwaves through the families of the victims, the Nigerian community, and diplomatic circles across South Africa,…
JOURNALISTS have been barred from covering the trial of six alleged coup plotters accused of making moves to oust President Bola Tinubu. News Point Nigeria reports that in a case that was not declared a secret trial, concerns have been raised as to its transparency in handling the matter. Earlier, the six accused suspects were brought into the courtroom under heightened security presence. But court officials, backed by operatives of the Department of State Services, directed reporters to vacate the courtroom shortly before the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, took her seat. A court official, who did not disclose his…