General news

• My Channels interview focused on 3MTT, connectivity gaps — Minister clarifies

  14-12-2025 17:35 via vanguardngr.com
  By Progress GodfreyNigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has clarified remarks he made in a Channels Television interview after the comments sparked widespread public discussion.In the original interview on Politics Today, the minister discussed how gaps in digital infrastructure and poor network connectivity create vulnerabilities that can be exploited in parts of the country.In the interview, reported by Vanguard, the minister mentioned
  
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• Breaking: INEC wades into PDP leadership crisis, summons factions

  19-12-2025 11:14 via vanguardngr.com
  By Omeiza AjayiABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has summoned the two warring factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a troubleshooting meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.The meeting, which is currently underway, has the Tanimu Turaki-led faction and the Nyesom Wike-backed Abdulrahman Mohammed faction.Some of those who accompanied Turaki are members of his National Working Committee (NWC), secretariat staff and former Governor Babangida
  
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• 2027: Reps increase Presidential candidates’ campaign spending limits from ₦5bn to ₦10bn

  19-12-2025 11:02 via vanguardngr.com
  The House of Representatives has approved an increase in campaign spending limits for candidates seeking elective offices in Nigeria, doubling the ceiling for presidential candidates from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion ahead of the 2027 general elections.The decision was taken during Thursday’s plenary following a clause-by-clause consideration of a report recommending amendments to the Electoral Act 2022.Under the approved changes, lawmakers raised the maximum amount a presidentia
  
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• Trump administration suspends US green card lottery

  19-12-2025 10:51 via vanguardngr.com
  US homeland security chief Kristi Noem suspended a green card lottery on Thursday, saying it was used by the suspect in a mass shooting at Brown University.Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, is accused of bursting into a building at the Ivy League school on Dec 13 and opening fire on students sitting exams, killing two and wounding nine.He is also accused of killing a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) two days later.Noem wrote on social media th
  
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• Deportation fears spur US migrants to entrust guardianship of their children

  19-12-2025 10:48 via vanguardngr.com
  After her husband was detained by US immigration authorities in September, Rosa found herself alone with her two children, wondering what would happen should she suffer the same fate as him.“I go out to work less and less, and I’m afraid that I won’t come home to my children,” Rosa told AFP. “It’s not easy to explain this to them. My son waits for his dad to come home, and when he doesn’t, he gets sad.”To avoid the possibility of her children bein
  
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• 2023 Election: Osinbajo was Buhari’s preferred candidate  —  Ojudu counters Omole’s claim

  19-12-2025 10:38 via vanguardngr.com
  A former presidential adviser, Babafemi Ojudu, has disputed claims that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari did not support the presidential ambition of ex–Vice President Yemi Osinbajo ahead of the 2023 general election.Ojudu was reacting to assertions made by Charles Omole, author of From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, unveiled at the State House on Monday. In the book, Omole claimed that Buhari did not back Osinbajo’s presidential bid, allegedly becau
  
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• China to increase tax on condoms in attempt to boost birth rate

  19-12-2025 10:28 via vanguardngr.com
  China will impose a 13% value-added tax (VAT) on condoms and other contraceptives from January 1, ending an exemption in place since the nationwide VAT system was introduced in 1993.
  The change, included in a VAT law passed in 2024 to modernise the tax regime, comes as Beijing intensifies efforts to raise its declining birthrate. VAT accounts for nearly 40% of China’s total tax revenue.The move follows years of policy “carrots” after China abandoned its one-child policy, inclu
  
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• Nigerian newspapers review: [Oil sector] Far-reaching reforms coming, Eyesan, Mohammed vow

  19-12-2025 10:25 via vanguardngr.com
  In today’s Nigerian newspapers review programme, Today in the News, Vanguard leads with President Bola Tinubu’s nominees for the leadership of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) pledging to implement wide-ranging reforms to stabilise Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.Another headline features the Federal Government saying it is unsure of the status of the 11 soldiers and ai
  
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• Army neutralises five bandits, recovers motorcycles in Sokoto, Zamfara

  19-12-2025 10:18 via vanguardngr.com
  Troops of 8 Division Garrison Nigerian Army Sokoto have neutralised five armed criminals and recovered weapons and motorcycles during a coordinated operation conducted in parts of Sokoto and Zamfara states.A credible source from the army told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto that the planned operation kicked off on Wednesday.“It struck a major blow against banditry during a sweeping offensive that targeted notorious hideouts spanning Sokoto and Zamfara states.”The coo
  
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• Trump says does not need Congress to launch strikes in Venezuela

  19-12-2025 09:55 via vanguardngr.com
  US President Donald Trump asserted Thursday he does not need congressional approval to launch strikes on land against Venezuela despite criticism that he is already exceeding his constitutional authority with attacks at sea.When a reporter asked whether he would seek authorization from the US lawmakers to hit drug cartels on land in the Latin American country, Trump said he’d have no problem doing that, although he cited concerns that politicians “leak like a sieve.”“I w
  
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• State police: What I told US, European partners – Tinubu

  19-12-2025 09:38 via vanguardngr.com
  President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said that he had assured the United States and European partners that his administration would implement state police to boost security in Nigeria.He said this during the 14th National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.The president said he had a very long discussion with the country’s United States and European partners and assured them that state police would be used to improve securit
  
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• Army dismantles bandit enclaves, kills five in Sokoto–Zamfara operation

  19-12-2025 09:03 via vanguardngr.com
  By Musa Ubandawaki, SokotoSOKOTO—Troops of the 8 Division Garrison of the Nigerian Army have carried out a coordinated operation against armed bandit groups in parts of Sokoto and Zamfara States, resulting in the death of five suspected bandits and the recovery of arms and logistics.A security source disclosed on Friday that the operation began in the early hours of Wednesday and targeted identified hideouts linked to bandit activities along border communities in the two states.According
  
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• Mobile Trading on the Rise – How Smartphones Are Driving Nigeria’s FX Trading Culture

  19-12-2025 08:54 via vanguardngr.com
  Mobile trading is no longer a niche activity for tech-savvy investors in Nigeria. It is fast becoming a cultural shift, one that blends convenience with ambition while giving a new generation of Nigerians a practical entry point into global finance.
  The result is a trading environment shaped by mobility and a desire for financial autonomy.A New Generation Fueled by Accessibility
  The rise of mobile forex trading starts with something simple: smartphones are everywhere. Young Nigerians rely on th
  
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• NSIA grows assets to $3bn

  19-12-2025 08:49 via vanguardngr.com
  …Builds Nigeria’s Health, Agric & Infrastructure SectorsBy Yakubu DanladiMore than a decade after its establishment, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (‘NSIA’ or ‘The Authority’) has continued to evolve from a stabilisation vehicle and long-term savings institution into a national systems builder, that blends financial discipline with a wider ambition to solve structural challenges that limit economic opportunity for millions of Nigerians. Creat
  
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• La historia de un secuestro masivo

  19-12-2025 08:00 via nytimes.com
  Unos hombres armados irrumpieron en una escuela católica en Nigeria y raptaron a 253 niños. Sus padres hablan sobre la aterradora experiencia y la falta de interés de las autoridades locales.
  
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• Tinubu to govs: Obey S’Court judgment, handover LG their allocation

  19-12-2025 07:54 via vanguardngr.com
  ABUJA — PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, yesterday told the 36 governors to hand over local government allocation to the councils in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment.The President said there would not be an autonomy to councils without funded mandate.Speaking at the 14th APC National Caucus meeting at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, the President said he had assured the United States and the European Union that Nigeria will establish state Police to tackle insecurity challenges.
  
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• Africa’s migrant workers still trapped in exploitation, ITUC warns

  19-12-2025 07:37 via vanguardngr.com
  By Victor Ahiuma-YoungAfrica’s migrant workers continue to face widespread exploitation, abuse and insecurity despite the existence of regional and global protection frameworks, the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC-Africa, has warned.
  In a statement issued on December 18, by Akhator Odigie
  General Secretary, ITUC-Africa, the group said the continent remains a region of origin, transit and destination for migrants, with most movements takin
  
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• 2027: ADC nominates Tubo, Badawi as Transitional Committee chair, Secretary for Borno

  19-12-2025 07:34 via vanguardngr.com
  By Ndahi Marama, MaiduguriFollowing alignment and realignment towards the forthcoming 2027 general elections, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has nominated Hon. Adamu Usman Tubo as the Transitional Committee Chairman, while Hon. Sunusi Lawan Badawi emerged as the Secretary.Tubo hails from Southern Borno Senatorial District, while Badawi is from Borno North Senatorial District.According to a circular signed by the party’s office of Assistant National Organizing Secretary, as well as
  
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• Why we’re now considering satellites for telecom services – Airtel

  19-12-2025 07:17 via vanguardngr.com
  — Links Starlink to launch first satellite-to-mobile service in AfricaBy Prince Osuagwu,Hi-Tech EditorAirtel Nigeria has explained that recent advances in satellite technology, driven by SpaceX’s Starlink, have made satellite-based telecom services both effective and cost-efficient.The explanation was given by the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Dinesh Balsingh, while responding to questions from journalists during the announcement of Airtel Africa’s partnership with
  
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• Ondo Deep Sea Port to serve Nigeria, West Africa — Aiyedatiwa

  19-12-2025 07:01 via vanguardngr.com
  — Receives revalidated licence from Federal GovernmentBy Dayo Johnson, AkureOndo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said the proposed Ondo Deep Sea Port will serve as a major hub for international trade, benefiting not only Ondo State but Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries.The governor spoke after receiving the revalidated licence for the project from the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Chief Adegboyega Oyetola.Aiyedatiwa said the state government is fully prepared to
  
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• Dangote Refinery’s PMS supply will reduce petrol price, says IPMAN

  19-12-2025 07:01 via vanguardngr.com
  By Udeme AkpanThe Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on all its members nationwide to patronise the Dangote Refinery in their purchase of PMS products, noting that the refinery already offers the best affordable price for all marketers, even as free delivery commences in January 2026.The association also expressed delight over a recent agreement by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to begin the supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) – also known as p
  
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• Dollar to Naira exchange rate today, December 19, 2025​

  19-12-2025 06:55 via vanguardngr.com
  The Nigerian Naira continues to experience fluctuations against the United States Dollar as the trading day opens on Friday, December 19, 2025.Data from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) and various parallel market segments show a slight tightening in the gap between official and unofficial rates.
  ​
  Official Market Rates (NFEM)
  ​In the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, the Naira opened at approximately N1,455.98 per $1. This reflects a period of relative volatility earlier
  
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• PenCom recoveries from defaulting employers rise 180%, hit N4.04bn

  19-12-2025 06:53 via vanguardngr.com
  By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Rosemary IwunzeThe National Pension Commission, PenCom, has recorded a major breakthrough in pension compliance, recovering  N4.04 billion from defaulting employers between January and November 2025—a 180 per cent increase over the N1.44 billion recovered in the whole of 2024.Director General of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, who disclosed this yesterday in Lagos, during an interactive meeting with Journalists, attributed the sharp rise in recoveries
  
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• NIPC attracts $10bn investments, over 5,000 jobs in 2025

  19-12-2025 06:45 via vanguardngr.com
  By Progress GodfreyNigeria attracted investment commitments worth about $9.88 billion in 2025, with projects facilitated by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) generating over 5,000 direct jobs across key sectors of the economy, signalling renewed investor confidence.Deputy Director, Depar-tment of Investment Promotion, Emmanuel Longza, NIPC, disclosed this in a document presented    during a media parley with journalists in Abuja.According to the document, the in
  
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• Nigeria’s trade with ECOWAS countries rises 43% to N6.9trn

  19-12-2025 06:39 via vanguardngr.com
  By Elizabeth Adegbesan Nigeria’s trade with other countries in the Economic Community of West African States,   ECOWAS, by 43 percent,   rose year-on-year   (YoY)   to N6.9 trillion in the first nine months of the year (9m’25) from N4.82 trillion in the corresponding period of 2024.Analysis of data   in the Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics Report recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS,   
  
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• ₦30m Judgment Debt: Court okays garnishee order against Ondo Govt accounts

  19-12-2025 06:37 via vanguardngr.com
  By Dayo Johnson, AkureAn Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has authorised a garnishee order nisi for the attachment of funds belonging to the Ondo State Government in several commercial banks to satisfy a ₦30 million judgment debt.Justice Omolara Adejumo granted the order following an application filed by the judgment creditor through Tope Temokun Chambers, signed by Tope Temokun, Esq.The application sought to enforce an existing judgment against the Ondo State Government and the Ond
  
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• Kogi to domesticate 2025 tax act

  19-12-2025 06:34 via vanguardngr.com
  By Boluwaji Obahopo, LokojaThe Kogi State Government has announced plans to domesticate the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, with implementation scheduled to commence in the state on January 1, 2026.Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo disclosed this on Wednesday in Lokoja at the opening of a stakeholders’ meeting themed “Understanding Nigeria’s Tax Act 2025.”The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Tax, Mr. Rahman Ichanyi, said the domestication of the new tax law aligns
  
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• We ’ll drive digitisation, enforce contracts, restore investor confidence — Tinubu’s new NUPRC, NMDPRA CEOs

  19-12-2025 06:25 via vanguardngr.com
  …Nigeria losing huge value to manual processes — Eyesan…I will restore discipline to gas and petroleum supply systems — MohammedBy Henry UmoruABUJA — The Senate on Wednesday screened nominees for the positions of Chief Executive Officers of Nigeria’s key oil and gas regulatory agencies, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).The screening followed a lett
  
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• Police ACP slumps, dies during meeting in Ebonyi

  19-12-2025 04:40 via vanguardngr.com
  By Jeff AgbodoABAKALIKI—An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Ogbon-Inu Taiwo Popoola, serving in the Ebonyi State Command, reportedly slumped and died during a management meeting at the command headquarters in Abakaliki.
  Sources said the incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. during a meeting in the Commissioner of Police’s office.ACP Popoola was rushed to the police clinic, but efforts to revive him failed. His body was later taken to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching
  
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• PSC promotes one DIG, 7 AIGs, 13 CPs, 30 DCPs, 724 others D-G

  19-12-2025 04:38 via vanguardngr.com
  The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Thursday approved the promotion of senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force following written examinations and oral interviews held on December 17, 2025, at its Abuja headquarters, presided over by Chairman DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (rtd).Among those promoted is AIG Mohammed Usman Gumel , elevated to Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG). He was previously AIG in charge of the Community Policing Project Department at Force Headquarters.Others are Se
  
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