Author: Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Federal Government has cleared more than N39.63 billion in long-standing pension liabilities owed to thousands of Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners of the defunct NITEL/MTEL, PHCN and other federal government parastatals, in a move described as a major milestone in pension administration. The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) announced on Friday that the payments were made in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his commitment to settling inherited pension obligations. According to PTAD, the government paid N25.05 billion, representing outstanding 35-month pension arrears owed to…

A policy group, the Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI), has claimed that Nigeria spent about $388 billion defending the naira between 2000 and 2023, describing the expenditure as unsustainable despite the continued depreciation of the local currency. In a policy statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Omoniyi Akinsiju, the group said the decision by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to unify the country’s multiple foreign exchange windows has significantly reduced the cost of defending the naira and improved stability in the foreign exchange market. According to IMPI, the Federal Government…

The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) has said the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu over the past 36 months have fundamentally reset Nigeria’s fiscal and macroeconomic foundations, describing the administration’s policies as a decisive shift from a consumption-driven economy to one anchored on productivity, investment and sustainable growth. In a policy statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Omoniyi M. Akinsiju, the group argued that the Tinubu administration inherited a severe fiscal crisis in May 2023, characterised by soaring public debt, inflation, heavy reliance on the Central Bank…

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called on Africans living abroad to embrace their role as a vital bridge between the continent and the rest of the world by leveraging their expertise, investments and global influence to accelerate Africa’s development. Speaking as a special guest at the 2026 Black Engineering Week (BEW) in San Jose, California, themed “Africans in Diaspora as Bridge Builders,” Dabiri-Erewa challenged African professionals in the diaspora to channel their knowledge, resources and networks into innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development…

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to ensure that the proposed redesign of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniform is decent, inclusive and accommodates the religious needs of female Muslim corps members. In a statement issued on Friday, the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, urged the government to involve relevant Muslim stakeholders, particularly the Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), in the design process to ensure that the interests of Muslim women are adequately represented. The group’s appeal follows the…

Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to driving Africa’s digital economy, with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, declared that digital trade will play a central role in accelerating continental integration, inclusive growth and economic transformation under the African Continental Free Trade Area. Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the opening of the second AfCFTA Digital Trade Forum in Lagos, Oduwole described the gathering as a vital platform for translating the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol into practical opportunities for businesses across Africa. Addressing participants on…

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council has announced plans to institute legal action against Mr. Michael Ekamon Bassey, popularly known as “Ekpe,” over allegations of defamation, trespass, and the alleged unlawful arrest and detention of one of its staff members. In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja and signed by the Council’s Secretary, Comrade Jide Oyekunle, the union alleged that Bassey, who is neither a member of the NUJ nor an accredited visitor to the Council, had been frequenting the Secretariat while presenting himself as the Supreme…