WHALEXTRA

Saudi Arabia announced that the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan will begin on Friday. “The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Thursday, is the completion of the 30th day of the month of Ramadan. Friday is the day of the Blessed Eid al-Fitr,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. The timing of the holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, in accordance with the Muslim lunar calendar. Observing the Ramadan fast is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring believers to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours. Ads by  Observant Muslims are also encouraged to donate to the poor.

State governments have called for a forensic audit of Nigeria’s crude oil-backed borrowing arrangements , warning that opaque crude-for-loan and swap deals may be undermining inflows into the Federation Account. The PUNCH earlier reported that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited pledged 272,500 barrels per day of crude oil through a series of crude-for-loan deals totalling $8.86bn, according to an analysis of a report by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the NNPC’s financial statements. According to The PUNCH’s findings, NNPC has already fully repaid $2.61bn in loans, representing 29.4 per cent of the total credit facility, while $6.25bn or 70.6 per cent, remains outstanding. Also, out of the $8.86bn credit facility, only about $6.97bn has been received from seven crude-for-loan deals, as of December 2023. The demand was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the 2026 retreat of the Federation Account Allocation Committee Post-Mortem Sub-...

  President Bola Tinubu  has approved the procurement of new equipment for the armed forces and other security agencies to enhance the fight against terrorism and banditry across the country, the Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (retd.), has disclosed. Musa, who briefed State House correspondents after a nearly two-hour security meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, said the President remained committed to supporting security agencies in their operations against insurgents. “The President has promised more equipment for us to be able to protect the nation, and we assure victory,” Musa stated. However, he did not specify the type or quantity of equipment approved by the President. Rather, he explained that the meeting, which was the first attended by the new Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, since his appointment, was convened to brief the President on the current security situation following recent attacks on military formations.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the alleged assassination attempt on Peter Obi and other party leaders in Benin City, describing the incident as a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy. In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the attackers allegedly followed Obi and members of the ADC from the party’s secretariat to the residence of a party leader, John Odigie-Oyegun, before opening fire. Reacting to the incident, the ADC said the attack represented “a grave and disturbing development” for the country’s democratic process. “Today’s attack on Mr. Peter Obi and other leaders of the African Democratic Congress is a grave and disturbing development, especially in light of the threats issued last year by the Governor of Edo State, warning Mr. Obi not to come to Edo State,” the statement said. The party added: “We didn’t know at the time that the Governor’s threat would include an assassination plot.”

Federal Government, through the National Social Investment Programme Agency, says no fewer than 22,000 farmers will benefit from interest-free loans under its FarmerMoni Dry and Wet Season Programme. The National Programme Manager, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme under NSIPA, Mr Hamza Baba, said this at the inauguration of the Renewed Hope GEEP 3.0. and the FarmerMoni Technical Working Group in Abuja on Wednesday. Baba, who described the loan as interest and collateral-free, said that the loans aimed to strengthen agricultural productivity and would be given to farmers across the country. “Under this particular scheme, we are expecting that from today our portal will be open for eligible farmers, to go and register, to access our loans. And these loans are interest-free and collateral-free. “The total sum per beneficiary is N300,000, and we arrive at this by looking at the economic production of each farming activity. So, we are targeting the vulnerable, poor farmers a...

  The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has rescued and repatriated 23 Nigerian youths suspected to be victims of human trafficking from Thailand. The Director-General of  NAPTIP,  Binta Adamu Bello, disclosed this on Wednesday while alerting the public to a new trend of trafficking to the South Asia region for cyber-enabled crimes. The Head of Press and Public Relations Unit of NAPTIP, Vincent Adekoye, conveyed the development in a statement titled ‘DG NAPTIP alerts on new trend of trafficking to the South Asia region for cyber-enabled crimes as the agency rescues 23 victims from Thailand.’ According to the statement, the operation was carried out with the support and collaboration of Eden (Myanmar), with critical assistance from the British Government.

The federal government has commended the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, for his strategic role in securing Nigeria’s election into Category C of the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for the 2026–2027 biennium. According to a statement by the Agency’s spokesperson, Osagie Edward, obtained by The Nation at the weekend, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, acknowledged Mobereola’s instrumental leadership and effective campaign coordination in a letter dated January 28, 2026. The statement indicated that the commendation letter addressed to the Director General highlighted his pivotal role in Nigeria’s victory at the IMO Council elections held in London. According to Edward, the minister noted that Mobereola’s strategic engagement with IMO Member States and effective campaign management were pivotal to Nigeria’s resounding success, reflecting a high level of dedication...

No fewer than 173 people lost their lives in 1,156 emergency incidents recorded across Lagos State in 2025, according to data released by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). A breakdown of the emergency statistics showed that despite the fatalities, the total number of emergencies recorded in 2025 declined compared to figures from 2024. The report revealed that road crashes accounted for the highest number of incidents, with 394 cases recorded during the year. This was followed by tanker and truck-related accidents with 249 incidents, while fire outbreaks accounted for 204 emergencies. On a monthly basis, February 2025 recorded the highest number of emergencies with 122 cases. April followed closely with 121 incidents, while May recorded 119 cases. The data also showed that Alimosho Local Government Area had the highest number of emergencies in the state, recording 180 incidents. Eti-Osa followed with 144 cases, while Ikeja recorded 139 emergencies.

The naira depreciated against the dollar at the official  foreign exchange market  on Monday to begin on a bearish note. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s data showed that it dropped to N1,390.36 per dollar on Monday, down from N1,386.55 traded last week Friday. This means that the Naira weakened by N3.81 on Monday when compared to last week’s close of work exchange rate. Meanwhile, at the black market, Naira remained unchanged at between N1460 and N1470 per dollar on Monday, the same as on Friday, according to multiple Bureau de Change operators in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. Recall that after last week’s currency trading, the  naira appreciated significantly  across official and parallel foreign markets. The apex bank data showed that Nigeria’s external reserves stood at $46.18 billion as of January 29th, 2026.

Former presidential adviser Hakeem Baba-Ahmed has predicted that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) could suffer an implosion  if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar secures the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 general election. Baba-Ahmed made the assertion on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s  Politics Today , where he spoke on the dynamics within the coalition-backed party and the ambitions of its leading figures. According to him, Atiku is strongly positioned to emerge as the ADC’s flagbearer if the party conducts a national convention, a development he believes would trigger an exodus of aggrieved aspirants and supporters. “If ADC goes to convention, and it certainly will, because that’s what former Vice President Atiku wants, he will get the ticket,” Baba-Ahmed said. “And then, a lot of people will walk out because a lot of people are in that party only for the same thing. They want the ticket.”

  FOLLOWING the dispute over the rotational chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas between the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as  Sunday Igboho , yesterday, urged the monarchs to work together to address insecurity in the South West and advance its development agenda. This came as the Egbe Omo Oyo Niiwa Nitooto, yesterday, insisted that the primacy of the Alaafin of Oyo in the Council of Obas is settled by history, sacred by tradition, and non-negotiable under any political arrangement. Ads by  Recall that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had named Oba Ladoja the new chairman of the Council of Obas and Chiefs. Under the new arrangement, the permanent chairmanship of the council is to rotate among the Olubadan, the Alaafin, and the Soun of Ogbomoso.

The Federal Government yesterday said its concerted efforts and international collaboration in tackling terrorism would have no negative effect on the overall economy. Such decisive actions, it believes, have the potential to reinforce investor confidence and economic growth. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy,  Mr. Wale Edun , in a statement, said the country’s security operations were designed to strengthen security rather than create uncertainty in financial or investment circles. Edun spoke against the background of concerns in some quarters on the joint security operation conducted by Nigeria and the United States (U.S.) against identified terrorist elements in Sokoto on Thursday. He explained that the context of the operation was crucial to understanding its broader economic implications.

Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has said the Federal Government will operate a single budget from March 2026. Agbese disclosed this on Friday in an interview with journalists in Abuja, stating that the repeal and re-enactment of both budgets would ensure a coherent and predictable funding structure. He said the repeal and re-enactment of the budget is intended to align the nation’s budgeting system with global and international best practices. According to him, it would also ensure transparency and accountability at all levels and lessen the burden of oversight during implementation.

  The chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has reaffirmed that the implementation of the  new tax reforms  will commence on January 1, 2026. Oyedele assured that the reforms under the new tax laws are intended to provide relief to Nigerians and stimulate economic growth. He disclosed this while addressing journalists following the visit of the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee, NTPIC, chaired by Joseph Tegbe, to President Bola Tinubu at his residence in Lagos. According to Oyedele: “The plan to commence the two remaining new laws on the 1st of January 2026 will go ahead as planned on schedule because these reforms are designed to provide relief to the Nigerian people.

  As Nigerians join the rest of the world in celebrating Christmas today,   President Bola Ahmed Tinubu   has reiterated his commitment to the protection of all faiths in an atmosphere of religious tolerance and harmony. He said his Administration would build on sustained engagements with leaders of major faiths to prevent conflict and promote peaceful coexistence, as part of broader efforts to strengthen national unity and stability. President Tinubu acknowledged the contributions of the Christian leaders to national development and urged them to sustain the tempo. In his Christmas message, the President said dialogue with Christian and Muslim leaders had remained central to his administration’s response to religious intolerance and insecurity, noting that such engagements would be expanded to reinforce harmony across the country. Statesmen, politicians, traditional rulers and religious leaders, who also felicitated Christians, renewed their appeals for mutual understand...

  Nigeria and the United States  yesterday launched a joint military operation to flush out terrorists in the Northwest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed last night. The Federal Government confirmed in a statement by the ministry that it remained engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States (U.S.), in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the joint operation in a tweet on his X handle. He said the attacks were on Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State. The statement by the Foreign Affairs Ministry was signed in the early hours of today by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.

  In a major fiscal reset aimed at addressing revenue shortfalls, weak capital execution and overlapping budget cycles, the National Assembly on Tuesday approved a revised N43.5tn 2024 Appropriation Act and a reworked N48.3tn 2025 budget framework, with the 2025 fiscal year extended to March 31, 2026. The approval followed marathon plenary sessions in both chambers, culminating in the passage of the Appropriation Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bills for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years, transmitted to the legislature by  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu  last Friday. At the Senate, the revised budgets were approved after the adoption of a consolidated report of the Committee on Appropriations, presented by its chairman, Senator Solomon Adeola (Ogun West). The exercise, lawmakers said, was designed to align Nigeria’s budget architecture with current fiscal realities, address implementation gaps and restore discipline to the budgeting process. Presenting the report, Adeola explaine...

Nigeria has emerged as a continental leader in Africa’s fast-growing digital payments ecosystem, as instant payment systems across the continent processed transactions worth nearly $2 trillion in 2024, according to a new report.   The State of Inclusive Instant Payment Systems, SIIPS, 2025 Report, released by the AfricaNenda Foundation in partnership with the World Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA, show that Nigeria’s Instant Payments, NIP, is the first system in Africa to achieve “mature inclusivity”, setting a benchmark for other countries. The report notes that Africa’s digital payments landscape is expanding at a record pace, signalling a major shift towards more inclusive and interoperable financial systems. In total, 36 instant payment systems now live across 31 African countries, with five launched in the past year alone. Collectively, these systems processed 64 billion transactions valued at nearly $2 trillion in 2024, underscorin...

  The supply of  Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) , also known as petrol, increased to 71.5 million litres per day in November 2025 from 46million litres per day in October, indicating an increase of 55 per cent. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said the volume supplied came from both the domestic and the international market.  According to its November 2025 report – Fact sheet – released yesterday, the agency said the nation’s consumption also increased by 44.5 per cent to 52.1 million litres per day in November 2025, against 28.9 million litres in October, showing an excess of 37.4 million litres. The agency said that the significant increase in petrol supply in November 2025 was on account of the imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.).  NMDPRA noted that the imports were aimed at building inventory and further guaranteeing supply during the peak demand period.

  Ahead of the  2027 general elections , the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 polls, Mr Peter Obi, has intensified consultations with northern leaders. He first took a trip to Zaria in Kaduna State and then Minna in Niger State. In Zaria, he met the former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), and then Minna, where he met Babangida. Obi, who confirmed this development, In a post on his verified X handle yesterday, he said, “As part of my ongoing efforts to engage with various stakeholders and contribute to the nation’s development, I embarked on a trip to Zaria yesterday. “My mission was to meet with Professor Ango Abdullahi, a distinguished academic and respected voice in our national discourse. “Our conversation focused on the pressing issues facing our country, the imperative of unity, and practical ways to rebuild Nigeria.