Author: Opalim Lifted

Nigeria’s 2026 budget is mired in delay, sparking serious concern across markets and within government circles about fiscal instability, weak planning, and chaotic spending, The Guardian reports.  With less than two months to the start of the new fiscal year, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has yet to approve the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), crucial documents that guide budget planning. Compounding the delay, the Senate’s Committee on Finance is demanding a full performance report on the 2024 budget, as well as projected capital spending for 2025 — before it considers next year’s fiscal proposals. Senator…

Emadeb Petroleum Exploration & Production Company (E&P) Limited says it has achieved its first oil from the Ibom field. In a recent statement, the company said drilling from the field, also called petroleum prospecting licence (PPL) 236, represents another milestone in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas industry. Emadeb said the achievement resulted from sustained investment, technical rigour and collaborative effort. The company added that Emadeb has “commenced commercial production from Ibom Field”. “This achievement underscores Emadeb E&P’s emergence as a fully integrated energy player and highlights the pivotal role of indigenous operators in advancing Nigeria’s energy security and economic diversification,”…

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Abdulrahman Mohammed has summoned an emergency meeting of its national executive committee (NEC) and board of trustees (BoT) for Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the PDP national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja. A notice signed by Samuel Anyanwu, an ally of Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stated that the BoT will convene at 11am. The NEC session has been fixed for 2pm at the same venue. The party said attendance is compulsory because “crucial matters” will be considered. The invitation marks the 103rd…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the persistent bloodshed in Plateau State leaves him in tears, stressing that no community should endure such relentless loss. Speaking at the APC’s mega rally at the Jos Polo Field, where the party welcomed a wave of high-profile defectors, Akpabio said the killings in Plateau have become a personal burden. The event drew top northern APC leaders, including National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Senator Simon Lalong, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, and the governors of Nasarawa and Benue. Akpabio lamented the devastation caused by years of attacks, insisting Plateau urgently needs lasting peace. “Too many lives have…

Pope Leo XIV has listed Nigeria among several countries where Christians face discrimination and persecution. The pope, in a post on his official X account on Sunday, emphasised the need for peace as a divine virtue. “In various parts of the world, Christians suffer discrimination and persecution. I think especially of Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other countries from which we frequently hear of attacks on communities and places of worship,” he wrote. “God is a merciful Father who desires peace among all His children! I accompany in prayer the families of Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,…

The Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has dismissed reports alleging that female inmates nationwide are being denied menstrual hygiene products, insisting the claims are inaccurate and misleading. In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, the Command’s spokesperson, DSC Adamu Samson Duza, said the Service remains committed to its mandate and international correctional standards. He explained that sanitary pads and other hygiene supplies are issued monthly, free of charge, with each distribution logged in welfare registers. Duza noted that all custodial facilities are equipped with healthcare units staffed by qualified nurses and doctors who attend…

DR Congo clawed back from an early blow to dump Nigeria out of the World Cup race, winning 4–3 on penalties after a tense 1–1 draw in Rabat and booking their spot in March’s intercontinental playoffs. Nigeria made a dream start, striking inside three minutes when Frank Onyeka pounced on a loose ball and fired home via a deflection past Lionel Mpasi. But DR Congo grew into the contest and equalised on 32 minutes, with Elia deftly lifting the ball over Stanley Nwabali after Cedric Bakambu’s cross ricocheted kindly into his path. The second half and extra time were cagey,…

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have signed a multi-year partnership to strengthen accountability in the health sector. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, announced this on X on Sunday. Pate stated that the pact focuses on monitoring, tracking, and auditing all expenditures related to the nationwide overhaul of health infrastructure across all local government areas. The federal government is currently undertaking a large-scale project to rehabilitate and upgrade primary healthcare centres in Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. The initiative forms part…

The Super Eagles have received a major lift after CAF confirmed that Wilfred Ndidi is eligible to play in Sunday’s high-stakes 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff final against DR Congo, ending almost 48 hours of uncertainty over the midfielder’s status. In a post on their official X account on Saturday, the team revealed that CAF had clarified its disciplinary rules, stressing that yellow cards collected during the World Cup qualifiers do not carry over into the playoff stage. Only players with confirmed suspensions are barred. “CAF has confirmed that Wilfred Ndidi is eligible to feature for the Super Eagles in…

Kabiru Turaki, the newly elected chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has promised to restore discipline and return the party to its grassroots, declaring that the era of impunity is over. Turaki emerged chairman on Saturday at the PDP national convention in Ibadan, where he secured 1,516 votes during the exercise held at the Adamasingba Stadium. In his acceptance speech, the former minister of special duties and intergovernmental affairs said he fully understands the weight of the mandate given to the new National Working Committee, adding that the party must immediately reconnect with Nigerians. He assured members that the…