By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Federal Government has unveiled plans to introduce a comprehensive regulatory framework for Nigeria’s housing sector, disclosing that real estate and construction contributed more than N77 trillion to the economy in 2025 despite operating without a unified regulatory system. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, disclosed this on Tuesday, 28 July, 2026 in Abuja at a stakeholders’ validation workshop on the proposed National Housing and Built Environment Regulation Policy and the National Mortgage Industry Policy, describing the event as the final stage before the policies reached the Federal Executive Council. Addressing participants, Darma…
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service has commenced recruitment into various positions across its Superintendent, Inspectorate and Assistant cadres, with applications to be submitted online only through the agency’s official portal. The recruitment opens vacancies for candidates with qualifications ranging from SSCE, NECO or GCE to OND, NCE and university degrees, depending on the position applied for, with the process running from July 28 to August 15, 2026. Under the Superintendent cadre, the agency is recruiting for Chief Superintendent of Quarantine, requiring a first degree in Veterinary Medicine and a NYSC discharge certificate; Deputy Superintendent of Quarantine,…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has commissioned two key facilities at the commission’s Osun State office, the INEC Decides Studio and a BVAS Storage Facility, ahead of the Saturday 15, August 2026 governorship election in the state. Amupitan commissioned the facilities during a visit to the state, where he also met with Electoral Officers from the 30 local government areas, in a move aimed at boosting election communication and safeguarding critical electoral technology. The projects, initiated by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Oluwatoyin Babalola, were designed to…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Federal Government has inaugurated an interministerial committee to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural quarantine system, as part of efforts to curb the rejection of the country’s agricultural exports, enhance biosecurity and boost non-oil exports. The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Ministerial Conference Room of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Abuja, according to a press statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Julie Osagie-Jacobs, who explained that the event was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural biosecurity system, facilitating international trade and advancing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.…
A major international study has challenged decades of global health policy, concluding that economic inequality—not the strength of a country’s laboratories, emergency plans or healthcare infrastructure—is the strongest predictor of how severely nations suffer during pandemics. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine by a team led by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and other leading global health experts, argue that governments must fundamentally rethink pandemic preparedness by placing inequality at the centre of health security strategies. The research, conducted by the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, found that countries traditionally ranked among the world’s…
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Wednesday, 29 July, 2026, swore in 12 new Permanent Secretaries, charging them to uphold the oath of office, demonstrate integrity, and provide selfless leadership as they assume the highest managerial positions in the state civil service. The Governor said the appointments were not rewards or avenues for personal enrichment but a call to serve the people of Rivers State with fairness, professionalism and unwavering loyalty to both the state and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony held at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt,…
Nigeria has intensified its push for greater continental development support, calling on the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) to prioritise the country in the implementation of the African Demographic Dividend Programme and other strategic initiatives aimed at expanding economic opportunities for young people and women. The appeal came as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, held talks with the Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD, Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, on the sidelines of the African Union Executive Council Meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where African leaders reviewed progress on the continent’s development agenda and preparations…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards at the Registration Area level in Osun State to Friday, 31 July,2026 following an impressive voter turnout and public requests for more time. The extension was disclosed in a statement by the Head of Department, Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Inclusivity, Rufus Ariyo, who explained that ward-level distribution of PVCs began on Wednesday, 22 July, 2026, and was initially scheduled to end on Tuesday, 28 July, 2026 According to the statement, 322,822 PVCs, representing 62 per cent of available cards, were collected…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Federal Government has unveiled the Government Service Portal, a digital platform designed to provide Nigerians and businesses with a single gateway to access government services, in a move aimed at improving service delivery, reducing bureaucracy and advancing the country’s digital transformation agenda. The platform was unveiled on Tuesday, 28 July, 2026 at a soft launch in Abuja by Galaxy Backbone, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA. Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof Ibrahim…
By Segun Adewale in Bauchi The Khamzid Charity Foundation has unveiled plans to empower 100,000 youths across Nigeria through vocational training and entrepreneurship programmes aimed at reducing poverty, promoting self-reliance and creating sustainable livelihoods. Chairman of the Foundation, Khalil Ibrahim Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, disclosed this yesterday during the inauguration of officials and the 20 Local Government Coordinators of the Tijjaniyya Youth Economic Development Initiative (TYEDI) held at Dark Real Event Centre in Bauchi. He said that the initiative was a long-overdue awakening for a community of great spiritual wealth disclosing that part of the programme are 20,000 beneficiaries targeted…