Author: Naija Daily News

By Austin Manekator In a dramatic turn of events, Nigeria’s embattled Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, has resigned following weeks of mounting pressure over allegations that his academic and NYSC certificates were forged. His resignation, confirmed on Monday by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, marks the first major cabinet exit under President Bola Tinubu’s administration tied to credential fraud. Mr. Nnaji tendered his resignation letter on October 7, 2025, thanking the President for the “opportunity to serve Nigeria,” while denying any wrongdoing. He claimed he had become “a target of blackmail and political persecution,” insisting that the…

By Deborah Nnamdi Big Brother Naija Season 10 winner, Opeyemi Ayanwale, popularly known as Imisi, has officially received her grand prize package worth N150 million, comprising N80 million in cash and a brand-new SUV from Innoson Motors. The presentation ceremony took place on Tuesday in Ilupeju, Lagos, where representatives from Innoson Motors handed over the car keys to the 23-year-old reality TV star, who emerged winner of the show on Sunday, October 5, after securing 42.8% of the total votes to beat fellow finalists Dede, Koyin, Sultana, and others. Imisi’s total winnings also include several additional rewards from the show’s…

By Deborah Nnamdi The leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially changed hands, as Professor Mahmood Yakubu handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who has been appointed Acting National Chairman of the commission. Agbamuche-Mbu, the longest-serving National Commissioner at INEC, assumed her new role on Tuesday during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. She currently chairs INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance, and Complaints Committee, which oversees legal compliance and candidate screening. Professor Yakubu, whose second and final five-year term will expire in November 2025, said the handover was in line with…

By Deborah Nnamdi President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the House of Representatives to approve the Federal Government’s plan to raise $2.3 billion in external capital for the 2025 fiscal year. The proposal comprises $1.2 billion in new external borrowing and $1.1 billion to refinance a maturing Eurobond. In a letter read on the floor of the House by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen on Tuesday, President Tinubu explained that the funds would be sourced through a mix of Eurobond issuances, bridge financing facilities, loan syndications, and direct borrowing from international financial institutions. He stated that the borrowing plan aligns with the…

By Deborah Nnamdi A fire outbreak on Monday evening gutted parts of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, causing panic among civil servants and members of the public. The incident, which affected the ground floor of the Podium Block housing the State Pension Board, reportedly destroyed several offices and important documents before it was brought under control. Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown, who addressed newsmen at the scene, confirmed that there were no casualties. She said firefighters from the Rivers State Fire Service, the Federal Fire Service, Renaissance, and the military responded…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all financial institutions to submit detailed monthly reports on the operations of their Point-of-Sale (POS) agents as part of efforts to enhance transparency, strengthen oversight, and reduce risks in the nation’s expanding agent banking network. In a circular signed by Musa Jimoh, Director of the Payments System Policy Department, the apex bank mandated that the reports must capture comprehensive data on the nature, value, and volume of transactions conducted by each agent. Submissions are to be made no later than the 10th day of the following month. The CBN listed key disclosures…

The House of Representatives has inaugurated an ad hoc committee to review the economic, regulatory, and security implications of cryptocurrency adoption and Point-of-Sale (POS) operations in Nigeria amid growing concerns over cybercrime, money laundering, and terrorism financing linked to digital finance platforms. Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, while inaugurating the committee on Monday in Abuja, said the initiative became necessary to address the increasing cases of fraud and consumer exploitation within the country’s fast-expanding digital finance ecosystem. Abbas noted that although Nigeria’s economy has shown resilience and potential to support cryptocurrency growth, the absence of clear regulatory guidelines and…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, has attributed the recent scarcity and price hike of cooking gas across the country to the strike action embarked upon by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). Ojulari, who spoke to State House correspondents on Sunday after meeting with President Bola Tinubu, said the industrial action disrupted gas loading and movement for several days, leading to what he described as an “artificial increase” in prices. In Lagos, the price of cooking gas has risen sharply to between…

A prolonged family feud over the vast estate of the late Chief Harrison Jefia has taken a criminal turn, with the deceased’s ninth child and cleric, Pastor Joseph Jefia, now standing trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged forgery and fraudulent claims of inheritance. The case, filed under charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/501/2024, pits the Federal Government against Pastor Jefia, with the next hearing scheduled for October 23, 2025. According to court documents, the eldest child of the late Chief Jefia, Mrs. Onoriode Lyn James (née Jefia), a United Kingdom-based businesswoman, petitioned the leadership of the Redeemed Christian Church…

By Deborah Nnamdi A teenage boy, identified as Tersoo Veregh, has been found hanging from the roof of his father’s house on Lorkyaako Street, High Level area of Makurdi, Benue State, in what is suspected to be a case of suicide. According to counterinsurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, who shared the report on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, the tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, October 4, 2025. Makama stated that the boy’s father made the shocking discovery around 2 a.m. when he stepped out of his room to ease himself and found his son hanging from the…