Category: Politics

FG Rebrands University Ranking Body, Sets Sights on Building Africa’s Own Oxford

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The Federal Government is strengthening Nigeria’s national university ranking system with support from expanding its scope to include polytechnics and colleges of education under a rebranded body now known as the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee, replacing NURAC. Officials said the new committee, NTERAC, will go beyond producing rankings to institutionalise the process, helping institutions and their leadership understand the data, methodology and standards required for credible rankings, with the ambition of building a framework not just for Nigeria but for Africa. The national ranking system will sit on the Nigeria Education Data Initiative platform, consolidating education data in one place to give Nigerians a clearer picture of institutional performance, with participation made mandatory for all public and private tertiary institutions. Officials said strengthening the domestic system would help Nigerian universities compete better on global platforms such as Times Higher Education, thanking the NTERAC team led by Prof Peter Okebukola and TETFund for their support. The Federal Government framed the initiative as part of a broader ambition to build Africa’s own version of Oxford and Cambridge, urging Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts to work with the new committee to raise standards across the sector. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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INEC Unveils AI Defence Plan to Guard 2027 Elections From Digital Disinformation

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has outlined far reaching measures to safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 General Election against digital disruption and artificial intelligence, speaking at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria. Delivering the keynote on behalf of INEC Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan, National Commissioner Prof Sani Muhammad Adam disclosed that the Commission has commenced comprehensive preparations for 2027, including a full audit of its electoral technology infrastructure, penetration testing, disaster recovery planning and the possibility of a mock presidential election to stress test its systems. Adam said lessons from the 2023 election showed that innovations like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the IReV Portal improved transparency but cannot guarantee public trust unless backed by timely and honest communication, announcing that INEC is developing a rapid response digital strategy to detect and counter misinformation in real time. ACSPN National President Prof Rotimi Williams Olatunji called for an integrated electoral information integrity framework involving INEC, political parties, media and civil society, stressing the need for stronger fact checking and AI content detection ahead of the polls. National Orientation Agency Director General Lanre Issa Onilu warned that AI generated misinformation could significantly undermine public confidence in 2027 if left unchecked, urging stakeholders to promote responsible digital citizenship, as the conference honoured Amupitan with a Plaque of Honour for his contributions to strengthening electoral integrity in Nigeria. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Umahi Orders Contractors to Spare Homes as 300km Trans Sahara Highway Takes Shape

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The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed contractors handling the Trans-Sahara Highway to minimise the demolition of houses and properties along the road alignment, speaking during an inspection of the project. Umahi said Section One covers approximately 123 kilometres from the Ebonyi axis to the Ebonyi-Benue boundary, while Section Two stretches about 173.4 kilometres through Benue, Enugu and Kogi states to the Benue River and Nasarawa boundary, with the completed highway, designed for 100 kilometres per hour, expected to significantly cut travel times and boost trade across the South East, North Central and South South. He disclosed that Section One, currently a single carriageway, will eventually get a second carriageway, alongside an 8.9 kilometre bypass around Afikpo extending toward the Timber Shed area that will be dualised as part of the project. Umahi reaffirmed the government’s resolve to complete the highway by the end of President Tinubu’s second term despite budget constraints, urging the public and media to verify facts before commenting on complex engineering or contractual matters, while appealing to residents to cooperate with enumeration and compensation teams. Project Manager for Section Two, Rabih Munayer, confirmed that field operations are already adjusting to protect local properties, deploying additional drainage measures during the rainy season, while Lead Consultant Akelakpa Edra said engineering designs are being revised to replace select culverts with bridges and adjust alignments to bypass private properties where necessary. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Walson Jack Bows Out, Hands Baton to Enitan as Federal Civil Service Turns a Page

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The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has formally handed over leadership of the Federal Civil Service to Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, following her retirement upon attaining the statutory retirement age of 60. The handover took place in Abuja, following Enitan’s swearing in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, with his appointment as Head of Civil Service, effective August 27, 2026, having been announced by the Presidency on August 19, 2026. Walson Jack expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu for the privilege of serving at the highest level of the Federal Civil Service, describing her two years in office as a journey marked by significant achievements and formidable challenges, and thanked Permanent Secretaries, Directors and civil servants across the Service for their support throughout her tenure. She stressed that the transformation of the Civil Service was never about individuals but about Nigeria’s collective responsibility to deliver quality public service. Responding, Enitan thanked President Tinubu for the confidence reposed in him and commended Walson Jack for laying a strong foundation for continued progress, pledging to build on existing reforms while strengthening the Service’s EPIC culture of Efficiency, Productivity, Incorruptibility and Citizen Centredness. He called for the continued cooperation of Permanent Secretaries, Directors and the wider workforce, stressing that the Civil Service’s success depends on collective ownership of its mandate and a shared determination to deliver better outcomes for Nigerians. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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ECOWAS Honours Peacekeeping Heroes as It Unveils Playbook for Regional Security

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ECOWAS has unveiled a series of strategic publications in Abuja designed to preserve institutional memory and strengthen evidence based approaches to peace and security across West Africa, drawing on three decades of regional peace interventions and mediation efforts. The launch brought together an influential gathering of policymakers, defence leaders and diplomats, including Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Gwabin Musa, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs Ambassador Abdel Fatau Musah, and members of the ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Committee from across West Africa. Discussions centred on preserving regional knowledge and leveraging lessons from past interventions to strengthen responses to terrorism, violent extremism and other evolving security threats confronting the region, drawing participation from UNOWAS, WANEP, WACSI and the Centre for Democracy and Development. At the occasion, former ECOMOG Commanders, their deputies and journalists who reported on regional civil wars from the frontlines were honoured for their sacrifices to West Africa’s peace and stability. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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El Rufai Brothers Clash Publicly Over Loyalty to Kaduna Governor

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Bashir El Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El Rufai, has launched a public attack on his brother, Bello El Rufai, accusing him of prioritising political interest over family loyalty following Bello’s defection to the African Democratic Congress. Bello, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency, remained in the APC after their father left the party in March 2025, before defecting to the ADC on May 7, 2026, to join his father in opposition. In a series of posts on X, Bashir accused his brother of staying loyal to Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani until he realised he was being sidelined, questioning where Bello’s family loyalty had been until that point and describing his conduct as purely self serving. Bashir further alleged that his brother had maintained neutrality while others criticised Sani and had previously asked him to tone down his own criticism of the governor, describing Bello as a hypocrite. The exchange adds to ongoing political and legal tensions surrounding the El Rufai family, with Nasir El Rufai remaining in custody since February 2026 over alleged financial impropriety linked to his tenure as Kaduna governor, an allegation he denies. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Shettima Heads to Angola to Represent Tinubu at AU Peace Summit

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Luanda, Angola, where he will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, focused on conflict resolution and lasting peace across the continent. Shettima, accompanied by senior defence and security officials, will join African leaders converging on the Angolan capital to discuss practical solutions to regional security challenges and strengthen collective efforts toward preventing and resolving conflicts. Nigeria, which has continued to play a strategic role in peacebuilding across Africa, is expected to contribute to deliberations on strengthening continental mechanisms for conflict prevention and sustaining peace. The Vice President will deliver President Tinubu’s address at the summit, outlining Nigeria’s position on the issues under consideration and reaffirming the country’s commitment to continental peace and stability, before returning to Nigeria at the conclusion of his engagements. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Interior Minister to Atiku: Nigeria’s Borders Were Never Closed to Reopen

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The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, has pushed back against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s pledge to reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected President in 2027, stating plainly that the borders in question are not closed and therefore cannot be reopened. Tunji Ojo said Seme, Illela, Maigatari and Mfum were reopened as far back as December 2020, with Idiroko and Ikom following in April 2022, and Kamba and Tsamiya in Kebbi State reopened under the current administration in February 2026, linking Nigeria to Niger Republic and Benin Republic respectively. On the Cameroon border crossings at Banki and Amchidé, the Minister said their prolonged closure had nothing to do with a 2019 trade policy, tracing it instead to 2014, when Boko Haram forced their shutdown for security reasons, with Fotokol and Gambaru reopening in 2021 following joint military efforts by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad. He said folding this separate security driven history into a single 2019 shutdown wrongly conflates two distinct issues, trade regulation and counter insurgency, arguing that tighter control at some northern crossings reflects a deliberate security judgement given ongoing banditry rather than neglect. Tunji Ojo said modern border management requires balancing security, documentation and customs compliance rather than choosing between total closure and unrestricted movement, urging Atiku to present a concrete new proposal rather than rewriting recent history for political gain. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Nigeria, Germany Move to Update 16 Year Old Aviation Pact as Lufthansa Eyes Expansion

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Nigeria and Germany have agreed to review and ratify their existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement, first signed in 2010, following talks between officials and a Lufthansa Group delegation in Abuja focused on strengthening aviation ties between both countries. The delegation comprised Alexandra Dietzen-Zill, Senior Manager for Aeropolitical Relations and Traffic Rights at Lufthansa Group, and Walid Mahmud, Sales Executive at Lufthansa Technik Aero Alzey, with discussions centred on updating the agreement to reflect current realities in the Nigeria Germany aviation relationship. Both sides agreed the BASA is overdue for review and worked out modalities to begin the process immediately, alongside plans by the German aviation group to further expand its operations within Nigeria. The engagement adds to ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to modernise the country’s air services agreements with major international carriers and aviation partners. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Tinubu Swears In Enitan as Nigeria’s New Chief Administrative Officer

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the new Head of Civil Service of the Federation, succeeding Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who retired after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60. The brief ceremony took place at the State House, Abuja, marking the official start of Enitan’s tenure as the country’s Chief Administrative Officer, following his nomination by President Tinubu as the most senior Permanent Secretary on August 19, 2026. Born on December 12, 1966, and an indigene of Osun State, Enitan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Lagos and a Master’s in Public Policy Analysis from Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He joined the Federal Civil Service in 1998 as a Senior Operations Officer at the now defunct Family Economic Advancement Programme. He went on to serve at the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and later at the Office of the Vice President, rising from Chief Administrative Officer to Director between 2010 and 2018, before his appointment as Permanent Secretary in December 2018, with postings across the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Ministries of Environment, Police Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and Education. President Tinubu congratulated the new Head of Service and urged him to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, accountability and efficiency across the Nigerian Civil Service, with former HoCSF Walson-Jack among the dignitaries in attendance. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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