The Centre for Social Justice has called on political parties and presidential candidates to make strict budget discipline, transparent public borrowing and enforcement of statutory debt limits central to their manifestoes ahead of Nigeria’s next political transition. The centre warned that rising public debt, mounting debt-servicing obligations and persistent breaches of public financial management rules were undermining fiscal stability, calling for structural reforms to strengthen accountability in the management of public funds. In a policy commentary, Paul Dasimeokuma of the Centre for Social Justice said Nigeria needed to move away from discretionary fiscal practices towards strict compliance with existing laws…
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
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Nigeria’s failure to translate nutrition policies and funding commitments into measurable results has come under scrutiny, with the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership calling for performance-based financing, stronger legislative oversight and tougher accountability measures to address child malnutrition. The centre said on Wednesday that under-five stunting in Nigeria stood at 40 per cent, against a national target of 18 per cent that has expired, highlighting the gap between policy commitments and implementation. Speaking at a policy webinar in Abuja, the Director of the Olikoye Ransome-Kuti Institute for Health and Social Equity, Dr Danjuma Iyaji, said Nigeria had developed systems…
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for stronger safeguards against violence and exploitation targeting women and children, tighter oversight of detention facilities and increased protection of civic freedoms ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, said persistent cases of sexual and gender-based violence, child abuse, discrimination and other forms of exploitation required more effective prevention mechanisms, thorough investigations and improved access to justice. Ojukwu, who spoke in Abuja during the presentation of the Commission’s September 2026 Human Rights Situation Dashboard, urged government authorities to translate ongoing reforms into practical protection…
By: Dr. James Bwala The political tension in Borno State is being shaped by two closely connected developments: the strategic emergence of Engr. Mustapha Gubio as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election, and the growing backlash against Governor Babagana Zulum over the controversial arrest of individuals associated with the #TinubuMustGo campaign. Together, these developments reveal a deeper contest over political succession, party control, public accountability, and the limits of democratic expression in a state still recovering from years of insecurity. The APC’s decision to endorse Gubio, reportedly supported by Governor Zulum and Vice President…
By: Dr James Bwala Many Nigerians are still wondering about President Bola Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election. They speak about religious balance and often relate to Atiku Abubakar and the coalition’s ticket. But it never reflects a strategic calculation built on loyalty, competence, electoral strength, and political stability that the Tinubu team put into consideration in their blueprints. Rather than altering a partnership that has remained relatively free of internal conflict, the All Progressives Congress (APC) appears determined to preserve a joint ticket that has already been tested…
The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has challenged the 19 governors of Northern Nigeria to adopt Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni’s commercial development blueprint, describing it as a potential pathway to economic recovery, job creation and improved security across the region. The association also urged President Bola Tinubu to provide accessible soft loans and special intervention funds for traders and entrepreneurs operating in newly developed markets, saying inadequate business capital remains a major constraint to unlocking the economic potential of Northern Nigeria. KACRAN, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National President, Hon. Khalil Mohammed…
The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has elected Justice Charlyne Brumskine of Liberia as its new President and Justice Désiré Henri Aihou of Benin Republic as Vice-President, ushering in a new leadership for the regional judicial institution. The two judges were elected on Tuesday, by the Court’s newly constituted college of judges, following the swearing-in of five new judges on October 6 at the new headquarters of the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja. Their emergence marks the beginning of a new judicial term following the conclusion of the tenure of the outgoing college…
The Federal Government has expressed condolences to Djibouti following the death of nearly 140 migrants, including 15 children, in a boat disaster off the country’s coast, calling for urgent collective action to address the root causes of irregular migration. Nigeria, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, said the boat capsized between October 8 and 9, 2026, leaving scores of people missing, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The government expressed sympathy to the bereaved families and solidarity with the government and people of Djibouti over the tragedy, describing the incident as a…
The Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg has demanded a thorough investigation into the death of another Nigerian national, Odueze Chimezie Odueze, who allegedly died following torture by South African police officers in Cape Town. The consulate, in a press statement dated October 13, 2026, said Odueze died on October 9 in the Parklands area of Cape Town, describing the incident as a source of shock and distress to his family and the Nigerian community in South Africa. According to the statement issued by the Consul General, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, the deceased was reportedly arrested at a shopping centre on suspicion of…
Former President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has challenged African governments to stop treating their growing youth population as a potential burden and instead invest in education, healthcare, skills, technology and entrepreneurship to drive economic transformation. Adesina warned that Africa’s demographic advantage would remain unrealised unless governments deliberately equipped young people with the capabilities, resources and opportunities to create businesses, develop technologies and generate employment. He made the call while delivering the keynote address, titled “Africa Next: Building the Demographic Asset Class,” at the inaugural Seyi Tinubu Colloquium in Lagos on Monday. The colloquium, which brought…