While Nigeria has received $3.53bn (N5.4tn) in health-related loans from the World Bank in the past nine years, state-level perspectives reveal a mixed picture of progress and persistent challenges. In Lagos, the Secretary of the State Council of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Toba Odumosu, suggested that focusing such funds on one major health facility in each geopolitical zone could create international-standard hospitals. “We won’t have a situation where our presidents have to die in hospitals outside the country, and we can have public hospitals that are accessible to ordinary Nigerians,” he said. In Nasarawa, the Ministry…
Author: Podium Reporters
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has publicly thrown his weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership, praising the administration’s bold reform agenda. Speaking to journalists after his visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, Soludo said Tinubu appeared vibrant and resolute in steering Nigeria through its economic challenges. “The President is in such high spirits, hale and hearty, and it was such a pleasure to meet with him; it was quite a pleasant meeting,” he said. Soludo, a long-time friend of the President, dismissed political differences as a barrier to collaboration. “I support him, and I’m…
In what has stirred political curiosity, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday met privately with the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. No official briefing followed the encounter, but seasoned observers believe discussions may have revolved around investment partnerships, funding for key infrastructure in Anambra, and collaborative projects to improve the socio-economic climate of the South-East. The meeting takes place ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra, where Soludo is preparing for a re-election campaign. Political watchers note that federal alignment could play a pivotal role in shaping the electoral terrain.…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reshaped the leadership structure of several Nigerian universities with new appointments intended to strengthen institutional governance and improve academic standards. The President approved the appointment of Chisom Obih to the Governing Council of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, following the passing of a previous member. Also on the list is renowned journalism scholar, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, who will now serve on the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Prof. Akinfeleye,…
The Federal Government has unveiled a revised National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST) for 2025, placing international cooperation alongside local engagement as key to combating security threats. At the validation session in Abuja, NCTC Coordinator, Major General Adamu Laka, said the strategy aims to foster unity among security agencies while encouraging communities to take an active role in countering radicalisation. “The review of the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy represents a reaffirmation of our whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to counter-terrorism. It emphasises prevention alongside response, strengthens interagency coordination, and embeds resilience, inclusivity, and community engagement at the core of our security architecture,” Laka said.…
Nigerian youths serving under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been tasked with leading efforts to combat the spread of illegal firearms and other light weapons that fuel insecurity in the country. Speaking at the NYSC orientation camp in Bauchi, the Northeast Zonal Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Major General Abubakar Adamu (retd.), urged corps members to take up the responsibility of identifying and reporting activities involving illegal arms. Represented by Assistant Director of Strategic Communication and Information, Adamu Saleh, the retired general stressed that the involvement of young…
In a decisive month-long operation, the Lagos State Police Command has arrested 68 individuals suspected of armed robbery, kidnapping, car theft, and possession of illegal weapons. Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh disclosed this at a Monday briefing in Ikeja, showcasing the items recovered during raids. These include four vehicles, 17 firearms — ranging from pistols to an AK-49 rifle — 99 rounds of ammunition, 19 phones, six laptops, tablets, and other exhibits. Among the arrests, seven suspected armed robbers were caught on July 30 by Surulere’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit. They allegedly posed as security officers to hijack fuel tankers and other…
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has come out in defence of Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) over their handling of the case involving Comfort Emmanson, a passenger accused of assaulting flight crew during a scheduled service. Addressing the matter on Monday in an X Space discussion, Mike Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, emphasised that Ibom Air was acting within its legal and operational rights when it announced a ban on Emmanson. “In this case, the airline exercised its rights to do what they needed to do, right? And AON, based on…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) faces escalating scrutiny following delays in the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, which shut down for scheduled maintenance on May 24, 2025. Industry sources, including Sunny Nkpe, Zonal Chairman of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), have accused the NNPC’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, of a troubling lack of involvement in the project. Despite months passing since his appointment, Ojulari has yet to inspect the site, causing frustration among contractors owed back payments exceeding a year. Nkpe asserts that the near-completion state of crucial refinery units prior to…
The Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, Galatasaray’s record signing for €75 million from Napoli, will not feature in the first match of the Turkish Super Lig season but is expected back next Friday. Coach Okan Buruk defended the decision to leave Osimhen out of the squad’s 3-0 win over Gaziantep, citing a short pre-season training period for the striker. “We had just five or six days of training; it was not safe to rush him into action,” Buruk said. Osimhen himself agreed to rest in preparation for fuller participation soon. Osimhen’s arrival marks a historic moment as he becomes the most…