Hon. Rita Odichi Orijifor, who represented the Ajeromi Ifelodun Federal Constituency between 2015 and 2019, has been arrested by the Nigerian Police over allegations of using a fake WAEC certificate during her tenure in the House of Representatives. According to sources, Orijifor was apprehended earlier today at her residence in Wonderland Estate, Abuja, after police officers had waited for over five hours for her to come out. She reportedly locked herself in her bedroom and made calls to....Read Full Article>>

Iran has repeatedly vowed to retaliate against Israel’s attacks, and it seems they’re now preparing to make good on that promise. Iran is gearing up to “respond” to Israel’s recent attacks, according to Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, as reported by Iran’s Tasnim news agency on Sunday. This comes after Israeli fighter jets launched a series of attacks on Iranian military targets on October 26, which was preceded by Iran firing around 200 ballistic missiles at Israel a few weeks prior. Iran has repeatedly vowed to....Read Full Article>>

An ex-Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, has called on the Federal Government to devolve power to foster growth and development in Nigeria. Gambari, who stated this on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme on Channels Television, said too much power is vested in the Federal Government.....Read Full Article>>

“We have to decentralise power. The power of the central government has become so much. “We have to find a way of decentralisation; it’s not necessarily by creating 50 more states or 200 more local governments, but those things that could be done competently like education, agriculture, and others, let the state take charge.

“It’s not by accident that power has become so concentrated at the centre; it is the prolonged military rule.

“They (heads of state) nominate governors and so on. But now, we are in a democracy, and I sincerely believe that we have to take a second look at that so that matters that don’t need to be on the exclusive or concurrent lists are not there.

“We must strengthen local government authorities. The local government autonomy is a good step but it is not just about money because if you don’t strengthen the capacities of the local governments and also the process as to which people become chairmen of local governments, you can throw money there, and it goes down the drain,” he said.

According to the elder statesman, all Nigerians have a stake in the unity of Nigeria, its stability and its progress.

The diplomat added that the future of Africa depends on Nigeria, stressing that based on the United Nations’ statement, Nigeria will become the most populous country in the world by 2050.

“It’s not late. The country, by God’s grace, is going to survive because I believe that the Almighty has a purpose for putting this number of people in this place, and to an extent, we cannot be ignored in the world,” he said.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and dust haze from Monday to Wednesday across the nation. NiMet`s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja predicted slight dust haze on Monday in the northern region with localised visibility of 2 km to 5 km over the region throughout the forecast period.....Read Full Article>>

“In the North Central region, sunny skies in a hazy atmosphere are expected over the region throughout the forecast period. ‘My songs will make you buy bedsheets’- Ironha, who took hawking when fire razed his Yaba shop

“In the southern region, sunny skies with patches of clouds are anticipated, with prospects of thunderstorms with light rains expected over parts of Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States during the afternoon/evening hours, “it said.

According to it, moderate dust haze with localised visibility of less than 1,000 m is anticipated over the region on Tuesday throughout the forecast period in the northern region.

The agency envisaged slight dust haze over the region throughout the forecast period in the north-central region.

It anticipated sunny skies in the southern region with patches of clouds with prospects of afternoon and evening thunderstorms.

NiMet predicted light rains over parts of Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States.

“On Wednesday, in the northern region, moderate dust haze with localised visibility of less than 1,000 m is anticipated over the region throughout the forecast period.

“In the North Central region, a slight dust haze with localised visibility of 2 km to 5 km is anticipated over the region throughout the forecast period.

“In the southern region, sunny skies with patches of clouds are anticipated, with prospects of afternoon and evening thunderstorms with light rains expected over parts of Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states,” it said.

According to it, dust particles are in suspension; the public should take the necessary precaution, and people with asthmatic health conditions and other respiratory issues should be cautious of the present weather condition.

It urged the public to take adequate precaution as strong winds might precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms were likely to occur.

“Adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities. Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

“Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet. Visit our website, www.nimet.gov.ng, it said. (NAN)

The spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Youth Group, Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, has lauded the Government of Finland for the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a self- proclaimed Biafran separatist. Ekpa, a Finland- based secessionist, was detained on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda on social media and subsequently remanded in custody by the district court of Päijät- Häme.....Read Full Article>>

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Sunday, 24 November, Akinniyi urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’ s administration to collaborate with Finnish authorities to ensure Ekpa’ s extradition to Nigeria. He stressed that Ekpa should face terrorism charges for his alleged role in fuelling unrest and violence in Nigeria’ s southeast region.

Ekpa, who has been linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was reportedly involved in disseminating messages that promoted violence and disrupted public peace. The court in Finland found that he committed the offence in 2021 in the municipality of Lahti.

In his remarks, Akinniyi expressed optimism that Ekpa’ s arrest could mark the beginning of a restoration of normalcy in the region. ” This is good news for an average lover of the Igbo Nation and peace, ” he said. ” The killings in the South East, as reinforced by Simon Ekpa, are unwarranted, and no one sensible will complain about this new development. I am calling for his extradition; he should face the laws here in Nigeria. ”

Akinniyi highlighted the economic and social toll of Ekpa’ s activities, particularly the enforcement of a ” sit- at- home” order on Mondays, which he said had crippled businesses and economic activities in the South East. ” Ekpa’ s online commands to unsuspecting lovers of Biafra have done more damage than good to the struggle, ” he stated.

He also criticised Ekpa’ s alleged denials about his role in the secessionist movement, saying, ” I was surprised at his denials about being the ‘ Prime Minister of Biafra’ , and he was allegedly quoted to have called himself a ‘ content creator’ . That is cowardice, and I am disappointed in him. “

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have declared that the party remains a formidable force in Nigeria. Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, made the assertion at the end of a meeting on Saturday in Jos.....Read Full Article>>

Mohammed said the party will overcome all its challenges, adding that the ‘minor setbacks’ would soon be over. He called on lovers of the PDP and Nigerians in general not to lose hope in the party.

“The Forum notes the concerns of Nigerians, the founding fathers, elders and members of our great party about the seeming divisions within its rank and file.

“The Forum, however, wishes to state categorically that it remains resolute in its determination to ensure unity and cohesion within the party.

“This is a party that Nigerians have come to trust as the best platform to provide democratic governance to all; it is still the party to beat,” he said.

The chairman also called on the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, to convey a meeting of the National Executive Council, NEC, as part of measures to address internal wranglings.

He commended members of the National Assembly elected under the platform of the party for their contributions toward the growth of democracy.

Mohammed, however, called on the leadership of the National Assembly to critically interrogate all bills to ensure fairness, equity, national balance and even development.

The governor, who noted with deep concern the current economic crisis in the country, called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently review his administration’s macro-economic and fiscal policies to address the welfare and well-being of Nigerians.

While commending Governor Caleb Mutfwang for hosting his colleagues in Plateau, Mohammed, equally commiserated with the government and people of the state over the recent fire outbreak at a wood market.

The NJC, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, disclosed this in a statement following its 107th meeting held in mid-November 2024.....Read Full Article>>

The council’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, signed the statement. The statement read, “The Council also empanelled a committee to investigate all complaints and petitions against Hon. Justice O. A. Ojo, Chief Judge, Osun State.”

The investigation stems from a petition submitted by Temitope Fasina, an Osun-based activist, who requested a review of Justice Ojo’s activities.

In the petition dated October 14, 2024, and received by the NJC, Fasina, through her lawyer S.M. Essienkek, accused Justice Ojo of abuse of office, disobedience to court orders, mismanagement of public funds, and unilateral suspension of judicial staff, among other allegations.

The activist highlighted what she termed “ongoing irregularities, corruption, and high-handedness” allegedly characterising the Osun State Judiciary under Justice Ojo’s leadership.

The petition referenced other grievances, including submissions by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to the Osun State House of Assembly and the NJC. Fasina cited irregularities in the judiciary’s audited financial statement, alleging that funds allocated for training and manpower development were not utilised appropriately.

She further alleged instances of expenditures without supporting documentation, violating the Osun State Government Financial Regulations Law.

One specific allegation detailed how, on November 13, 2019, the state high court directed the forfeiture of N7.4 million held in bond with the Chief Registrar of the Osun State High Court to the Osun State Government. Fasina claimed that Justice Ojo subsequently ordered the funds to be paid into an undisclosed account without authorization.

The petitioner called on the CJN to review the allegations and argued that Justice Ojo is “unfit to remain a judge and Chief Judge of Osun State.”

The principal of Presbyterian Senior Science College, Ididep, Akwa Ibom State, Dr NSE Sunday Umoh, has been suspended following an alleged poor feeding of students of the school.....Read Full Article>>

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet, who announced this in a statement in Uyo on Saturday, said the suspension was in the wake of a viral video where the students were seen eating unpalatable and non-nutritious meals. Etiebet, while condemning the act, ordered a full investigation into the incident as well as the state of boarding facilities in the school and the other 25 boarding secondary schools across the state.

She said the review, which will focus on hostels, dining halls, recreation areas, menus, kitchens, and sanitary facilities, will be jointly overseen by the permanent secretaries of the Ministry of Education and the State Secondary Education Board.

She said: “Following the very disturbing video where students were fed with unpalatable and innutrious meals at Presbyterian Senior Science College, Ididep, I paid an unscheduled visit to the school. I have directed a comprehensive investigation into the state of boarding facilities in the school and the other 25 boarding secondary schools across the state.

“Consequently, I have also directed the immediate suspension of the principal of the school, Dr NSE Sunday Umoh, pending the outcome of the investigation.

“The Ministry is committed to ensuring that all public school facilities meet irreducible minimum standards that uphold the well-being of both learners and staff.”

The commissioner said though the free education policy of the state government covers tuition fees only and not boarding fees, the welfare and dignity of all students, especially those in public schools, remain a priority to government, appealing to parents to support their children.

Mr Finbarr said he resigned to pursue a new professional role after serving the state government for almost a decade. Aniekeme Finbarr, the special assistant to Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State on Social Reorientation has resigned his appointment.....Read Full Article>>

“After almost a decade in the service of the Government I have decided to pursue a new professional role,” Mr Finbarr said in his resignation letter, dated 21 November and received by the state government on Friday. Mr Finbarr is one of the aides of former Governor Udom Emmanuel inherited by Mr Eno.

He served the immediate-past governor as special assistant on new media but Mr Eno reassigned him to social reorientation.

In his resignation letter posted on Facebook, Mr Finbarr, a journalist, said he wants to pursue a new professional role without giving any detail.

Project
The former aide to the governor is one of the 120 journalists from 101 countries who won the prestigious US Department of State International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) Impact Award Grant for 2024.

With that grant, Mr Finbarr two months ago lunched a project where he trained 60 fresh journalism graduates on digital media, AI, and ethical reporting.

The fresh graduates were selected from three tertiary institutions in Akwa Ibom State – University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden and Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua.

In October 2021, the Nigerian government launched the eNaira, which is otherwise termed as Africa’s first digital currency.....Read Full Article>>

According to the Nigerian government under former president, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2021, launching eNaira was going to be pivotal and key to enabling more remittances and growing Nigeria’s economy. The eNaira is a Central bank digital currency issued and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Hence it was the first of its type in Africa. Denominated in naira, the eNaira serves as both a medium of exchange and a store of value and claims to offer better payment prospects in retail transactions when compared to cash.

Describing the eNaira launch, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), had noted that eNaira uses the same technology as Bitcoin and Ethereum and is stored in digital wallets which can be used for payment transactions.

The move to launch eNaira 2021 came few months after the country banned cryptocurrency trading by commercial banks in the country.

Nigeria had banned cryptocurrency trading in February 2021, which made the eNaira to ensure that digital currencies are still used for trading in the country.

There have, however, been concerns on the digital currency since its launch.

According to the United Nations outline, digital payments can help countries: to access essential services, grow their economies, be more competitive in the global economy, reduce inequalities and deliver essential services as well as foster social inclusion.

Enabling a digital payment currency or payment systems also helps to deepen the digital public infrastructure (DPI) in any country.

Despite Digital Naira, Nigerians yet to explore usage

As of March this year, the currency in circulation stood at N3.87 trillion, out of which CBN Digital currency (eNaira) stood at N13.8billion representing a merely 0.36% of the total currency in circulation.

SaharaReporters gathered that one of the challenges listed against the use of eNaira is that cash is the prevailing method of transaction in Nigeria.
Hence there is fluctuation in the penetration of digital currencies meant to ease the use of cash as a mode transaction.

In May 2023, the International Monetary Fund noted that 98.5% of the eNaira wallets were inactive.

Checks by SaharaReporters also showed that as of September 2024, the currency in circulation stood at N4.3 trillion out of which that which was outside the bank was estimated at N4 trillion representing 93% of the currency in circulation, which shows that Nigerians still prioritise cash as against Digital currencies.

Non-functional eNaira shortcode, Never-Arriving OTP

The activeness of the platforms created by the CBN for eNaira wallets use is also susceptible, for instance, a shortcode *997# was said to have been introduced for people without smartphones to create an eNaira wallet. However, checks by SaharaReporters as of Saturday showed that the code was inactive.

If shortcodes do not work, it would mean those with access to smartphones may be the ones that may have the chance of using eNaira.

A GSMA report noted that 68% of Nigerians in rural areas lack access to smartphones as of 2022. Only 58% of persons in Urban areas own smartphones, technically only 45% of Nigerians have access to smartphones.

SaharaReporters sampled different users to create wallets through the eNaira website, however accounts opening was unsuccessful, right from the step where a prospective user is asked to input phone number to get OTP.
The OTP actually never arrived.

Ten different persons were sampled by SaharaReporters to open accounts on the platform,

However, none of them received OTPs to proceed with registration, nor a call or message on WhatsApp, as was the painted picture on the government website.

SaharaReporters used the eNaira speed wallet app to register an account, since the website link was not opening, it came back as same; the OTP which would have confirmed the opening of a wallet on eNaira never arrived.

“I have tried to open an account on eNaira, however after opening the link I did not receive any OTP, even after multiple trials” a prospective user, Emmanuel Olayemi, lamented.

Another respondent, Olugbenga Ayobami also noted that he tried all options on the website to no effect.

“When the OTP was not sent, I tried the option of call and WhatsApp but nothing came through. This denied me anyway to open a wallet on eNaira or use the platform,” he stated.

Poor Awareness Maims Use of eNaira

SaharaReporters also sampled awareness of Nigerians on eNaira; only two of the 15 persons sampled have an idea of what eNaira, depicting a challenge of abysmally low awareness among Nigerians on eNaira.

One of the aims of eNaira is financial inclusion.

However, one of the major tools of financial inclusion especially for rural areas in Nigeria is point of sale machines.

According to the CBN, one of its aims is to enable eNaira cash-in and cash-out through diverse touchpoints at financial institutions, including mobile and internet banking, POS and ATM, USSD, web platforms, agent networks, and third-party channels.

However, POS operators who conversed with SaharaReporters also showed lack of knowledge of what eNaira is or how to use it for transactions.

There were over 1.1 million POS terminals in the country as of 2022, most of whom were in rural areas, based on data from Statista.

There is a need for more Regulatory Framework, Infrastructure to Support Digital Currency Penetration- ED, PSLI

Speaking to SaharaReporters, the executive director of the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative, Olusegun Elemo, noted that digitisation is an issue in not just Nigeria but Africa as a continent.

“When you have a case where even the penetrations of automated teller machines are a problem, you can imagine what that of that of eNaira would be”.

He noted that the regulatory framework for digital currencies in the country remains poor
“There is another issue of regulatory framework guiding digital currencies, just recently the securities and exchange commission (SEC) approved use of digital currencies but a lot still needs to be done around regulatory framework”
He also opined that in Nigeria ideas are built behind human not the systems.

“When an idea is built around human, once the human leaves office, the idea becomes less functional” he noted.

Olusegun noted that the Nigerian economy is controlled by the informal sector and as such, the issue of awareness on use of eNaira is an issue.

“You understand that the Nigerian economy is penetrated by the informal sector, the awareness on use of eNaira is an issue, also the infrastructure support needed is another issue to consider” he told SaharaReporters.

He stated that the issue of use of eNaira will take gradual phases in terms of development.

According to the State of Inclusive Instant Payment Systems in Africa (SIIPS 2024) report by Africa Nenda and done in partnership with the African Union and the World Bank, though seven countries (Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania) have multiple live IPS of different types, only Nigeria has a sovereign currency IPS.

The report said, “As for sovereign currency IPS, Naira in Nigeria remains the only one of this type on the continent. No other central bank digital currency (CBDC) is live, though several teasibility pilots are underway. Most countries have focused instead on implementing existing national payment systems projects or upgrades, leaving CBDC projects to compete for resources, especially from a regulatory perspective (Stakeholder Interviews, 2024), Ghana seems to be furthest along with its CBDC pilot at the time of writing this report, yet there is no official update on the pilot outcomes or whether a CBDC launch is imminent.”

Speaking on the West African regional bloc efforts on the Instant payment system, the report added that “ECOWAS has mandated the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) to establish a regional payment and settlement system (including an instant retail payment systemi, as part of realising the roadmap for the ECOWAS single currency programme.

“The aim is to harmonise and interconnect existing payment system initiatives in the region, including the regional system that is being rolled out in WAEMU (which is a regional sub-group of ECOWAS). To realize this project, WAMA nas received funding from the African Development Bank and is in the process of recruiting a consultant for technical assistance (AFDB, 2024)

“WAEMU is developing a system for instant, interoperable payments between banks and non-bank providers The system has been in the works for many years and is nearing official launch: The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) announced on their website that they started piloting the system in July 2024 (BCEAO, 2024b). Moreover, the BCEAO recently published new instructions that set out the conditions for banks and non-banka to provide their services in the WAEMU zone (BCEAO, 20248; Muko, 2024).

“This provides a regulatory base to enable participation of different actors in the system. In addition to instant cross-border payments, the IPS will enable domestic payments interoperability within the eight member countries.”

Digital payment systems in Africa generally have continued to grow, reaching 37% in transaction volume over the past five years, reflecting a major shift in the continent’s financial ecosystem.

This was according to the 2024 SIIPS Report, launched in Accra on November 20, 2024.

The report also revealed that there were 31 operational Instant Payment Systems (IPS) across 26 countries, with 27 more nations preparing to roll out similar systems.

Despite this progress, the report highlights persistent challenges in achieving financial inclusion, particularly for women and other vulnerable groups, who face barriers such as fraud concerns and limited recourse mechanisms.

Commenting on the report, the Chief Executive Officer of AfricaNenda Dr. Robert Ochola said that: “AfricaNenda and its partners are calling for a collective push to expand IPS and deliver solutions that cater to every citizen, particularly those in rural and underserved areas. The goal is to ensure universal financial inclusion by 2030.”

While IPS transaction values have risen by 39%, the report emphasizes the need for more robust systems to address security and network reliability.

Jean Pesme, Global Director of Finance at the World Bank, reiterated IPS’s transformative potential.
“Access to safe, low-cost, and efficient digital payments can transform lives, close the gender finance gap, and foster resilience. While progress is remarkable, more needs to be done through fintech promotion and private sector involvement,” he said.

Speaking on the sidelines on the launch, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of AfricaNenda Foundation, Sabine Mensah also impressed on regulators within the financial space to enhance data transparency.

The report calls for accelerated innovation in fintech licensing, universal IPS adoption, and cross-border payment systems.

The report says these measures aim to create a more inclusive and interconnected digital payment infrastructure, driving Africa closer to universal financial inclusion.