Author: Naija Daily News

File photo: unrelated scene of a tanker explosion By Deborah Nnamdi No fewer than 30 people were killed and about 40 others sustained varying degrees of burns in a tragic tanker explosion on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, along Essan and Badeggi communities between Bida and Agaie in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State. The incident occurred around 11:00 a.m. when a petroleum tanker, reportedly heading from Lagos to northern Nigeria, crashed and spilled its contents. Eyewitnesses said residents rushed to the scene to scoop the leaking fuel, but tragedy struck when the tanker exploded, engulfing scores of people in…

A 25-year-old graphic designer, Abodurin Apelogun, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a seven-year-old girl during the COVID-19 lockdown in Lagos. Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court delivered the verdict after finding Apelogun guilty of one count of defilement brought by the Lagos State Government. According to court records, the offence occurred on June 19, 2020, at 48A Oil Mill Street, Lagos Island, where the convict, a neighbour of the victim’s family, had unlawful sexual intercourse with the minor—an offence contrary to Section 137 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015. Apelogun,…

By Deborah Nnamdi Regina Daniels’ brother, Lawrence Daniels, has spoken out amid growing social media speculation about the actress’s marriage to billionaire politician Ned Nwoko and unverified claims of drug abuse. In a post on his Instagram page, @sweezzy1, Lawrence urged the public to stop spreading false narratives about his sister, writing: “No marriage without problems. But remember I decided not to speak. There’s no perfect couple. PS: REGINA DANIELS IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY DRUG ABUSE OR MISUSE.” His statement came as discussions intensified online about the actress’s relationship, with some users suggesting possible marital tension. The post quickly…

A Nigerian teenager, Joy Ogah, on Monday symbolically assumed the seat of Vice President Kashim Shettima for a day, using the opportunity to advocate for the rights and education of girls across the country. The symbolic takeover, announced in a statement by the Office of the Vice President on Tuesday, took place during a meeting between Shettima and a delegation from PLAN International, led by its Director of Programme, Quality, and Innovation, Helen Mfonobong Idiong. From the Vice President’s chair, Ogah spoke passionately about the challenges confronting Nigerian girls, noting that more than 10.5 million children are out of school,…

By Deborah Nnamdi A 33-year-old Nigerian man, Lucius Njoku, has been handed a suspended prison sentence in the United Kingdom for posing as a female nurse to work at an NHS hospital in Cheshire. Njoku reportedly used the identity of his friend, Joyce George, also a Nigerian, to secure work as a healthcare assistant at the Countess of Chester Hospital between February and April 2024. According to the UK’s Telegraph, Njoku wore George’s NHS name badge—which carried her photograph—and worked several shifts at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency department without detection. His deception was uncovered only after a patient confronted…

By Deborah Nnamdi Nollywood actor and filmmaker Daniel Etim-Effiong has made a powerful directorial debut as his first feature film, The Herd, grossed N30.1 million in its opening weekend at the Nigerian box office. Data from the Nigerian Box Office shows that the crime thriller earned N28.8 million between October 17 and 19, 2025, and a cumulative N30.1 million in its first week. The impressive debut places The Herd among the strongest-performing Nollywood releases in the latter half of 2025, marking a successful transition for Etim-Effiong from actor to director. Co-produced by FilmOne Studios, ToriTori Films, Serendipity HHC, and Airscape,…

Residents of Enugu metropolis will experience a series of scheduled power outages from Wednesday, October 22, to Thursday, October 31, 2025, as MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) carries out maintenance and upgrade works across several parts of the city. The company announced the development in a statement issued on Monday by its Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, in Enugu. According to the statement, the outages will occur daily between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the 10-day period. Ezeh explained that the planned interruptions are part of the rehabilitation and reinforcement projects being undertaken by the Transmission Company…

Nigerian fintech giant Moniepoint Inc. has secured an additional $90 million in funding to accelerate its expansion across Africa and other international markets, bringing its Series C round total to $200 million. The funding round drew participation from leading global investors, including Visa Inc., Development Partners International (DPI), LeapFrog Investments, and Alphabet Inc.’s Google Africa Investment Fund. Moniepoint’s Senior Vice President, Ross Strike, confirmed the development in an interview, noting that global investor confidence in Africa’s fintech sector continues to rise. “We have seen more interest coming slowly from global investors, especially those that have seen other emerging markets, willing…

By Deborah Nnamdi ChatGPT users in Nigeria will begin paying more for their subscriptions starting November 1, 2025, as OpenAI introduces a 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) on all paid services in compliance with Nigerian tax laws. The new tax means the monthly cost of ChatGPT Plus will rise from N31,500 ($20) to about N33,862.50 ($22.43). OpenAI announced the adjustment in an email to Nigerian users, citing adherence to Section 10 of the Value Added Tax Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (as amended), and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Information Circular 2021/19. The company also advised…

By Deborah Nnamdi The World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have endorsed Nigeria’s Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) model as a benchmark for sustainable health reform and efficient resource management in developing countries. The endorsement was made during a high-level dialogue on “Scaling Health Reforms” at the 2025 World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C., which brought together global health leaders, ministers, and development partners to explore strategies for financing healthcare, supporting local pharmaceutical production, and improving primary health service delivery. Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, presented the country’s achievements under the…