Author: NewsQuest

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on Tuesday was elected chair of the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, which oversees the UN’s budgetary and administrative matters. The appointment comes as the UN confronts a budget shortfall exceeding $1.8 billion after reductions in foreign-aid flows, a financing gap that officials say heightens pressure on the organization’s operating plans and programme delivery. “This period requires the United Nations to manage deficit financing arising from converging complexities that place significant burdens on revenue,” Ibrahim Jimoh said in his acceptance remarks. “Given heightened tensions, a prompt, critical, and innovative strategy is required to create…

The House of Representatives on Tuesday pressed the Federal Government to implement urgent and wide-ranging security reforms after armed men abducted more than 30 pupils and teachers in Oyo State and killed a mathematics teacher in captivity. The demand followed a motion of urgent public importance by Honourable Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, who described the situation in Ogbomoso and Orire local government areas as a growing humanitarian and security crisis that requires immediate federal intervention. The attacks, he said, intensified after criminal groups began operating from the Old Oyo National Park in January 2025. “Every passing hour of captivity is an hour…

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday lauded the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) after the vehicle disbursed ₦128 billion in affordable mortgages to 1,859 families across 25 States. The is part of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga in a statement said the mortgages, available for up to 20 years at a fixed 9.75% annual rate and requiring a minimum 10% equity contribution, mark a notable expansion of long-term housing finance in a country that has struggled for decades to scale affordable mortgage lending. Beneficiaries span all six geopolitical zones…

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, CON, has inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for the 27th Democracy Day Celebration, urging members to commence immediate preparations for a successful commemoration of Nigeria’s democratic journey. Speaking during the inauguration ceremony held on Tuesday in Abuja, SGF Akume described Democracy Day as an opportunity to reflect on the resilience, courage and determination of Nigerians who made immense sacrifices in the struggle for democratic governance. The SGF paid glowing tribute to the heroes of the June 12, 1993 democratic struggle and the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO)…

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media Dada Olusegun, has been named an honoree at the 15th Voice Achievers Award and Business Summit, the Netherlands-based publisher behind the prize said. The ceremony is scheduled for August 21st 2026 at the Hilton London Kensington where Olusegun will receive “African Public Relations Excellence Award”. Olusegun, who was appointed to his current role on July 10, 2023, has overseen the presidency’s digital communications during a period of heavy public scrutiny. In his position, Olusegun has been responsible for reshaping how the presidential villa communicates online—moving beyond traditional press releases toward more interactive,…

A senior presidential aide on Tuesday urged travelers in the North Central region to avoid night travel and exercise “heightened caution” on major highways after a series of security incidents raised concerns about passenger safety. In a public advisory, Dr. Abiodun Essiet who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), said long‑distance travelers should schedule trips during daylight hours and remain vigilant while on the road. Dr. Essiet, also called on transport operators to consider temporarily suspending night services until conditions improve. “The safety and well‑being of citizens remain paramount,” the notice said, asking…

Chairman of Folio Media Group and publisher of Daily Times Nigeria, Fidelis Anosike on Monday re-emphasized the newspaper’s commitment to nation building, ethical journalism and innovation as the organisation launched activities to mark its 100th anniversary. Speaking at a media briefing in the capital, Anosike characterized the centenary as a milestone for both the paper and the nation, noting that Daily Times — founded in 1926 — has chronicled Nigeria’s political, economic and social transformations across a century. He portrayed the celebration as an opportunity to reaffirm the outlet’s role as a recorder and witness to the country’s evolving institutions…

A crowd in Yangoji, Kwali Area Council, on Monday greeted the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike with an enthusiasm that signifies the President Bola Tinubu administration’s drive to demonstrate visible development in rural communities. Minister Wike inspecting a stretch of road linking the Abuja–Lokoja Expressway to Dafa, Yangoji and Gomani on Monday, said the reception reflected residents’ appreciation for projects that, until recently, seemed remote from their daily lives. “Things were bad. Things are getting better. We have come to change their lives,” Minister Wike told reporters. “They never felt any impact of the government before. They are…

Federal civil service will no longer routinely place employees on a so‑called three‑month pre‑retirement leave, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoSF) said in a directive this week, a move aimed at keeping experienced officials at their posts until formal retirement. In a circular titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre‑Retirement Activities,” Didi Walson‑Jack, HoSF, told Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Service Chiefs and other senior officials that the practice has no basis in the Public Service Rules. The circular, orders Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to stop treating the three‑month retirement notice as an automatic leave…

Romuald Wadagni, the newly inaugurated President of the Republic of Benin, paid an introductory visit Sunday to President Bola Tinubu at his Lagos residence. Wadagni, who took office May 24 after winning the April 12 presidential election, arrived Monday afternoon and was received on arrival by Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who escorted him to the residence. NewsQuest reports that the closed‑door meeting between the two leaders lasted about 30 minutes. President Tinubu was represented at Wadagni’s inauguration last weekend by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who the president delegated for the ceremony. Benin, Nigeria’s neighbour to the west, remains an important…