Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. The government’s recent decision to impose an 18-year age restriction on students taking the National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams has sparked widespread outrage among parents and stakeholders. Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman announced that both NECO and WAEC must enforce this age limit, which aligns with the existing rule that students must be 18 to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). While the government argues that this policy is not new and reflects the standard educational timeline, many parents and educators are concerned that it will hinder students’ academic progress and limit future opportunities.
2. Long queues have emerged at NNPC outlets after independent oil marketers in Nigeria significantly increased petrol prices to between N900 and N1,000 per liter, far higher than the N568 to N617/liter prices at Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) stations. In response, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), vowed to shut down stations selling at exorbitant rates. However, marketers justified the high prices by claiming they purchase petrol from private depots at N850/liter. But NMDPRA disputes this, citing lower prices reported by their field agents. Despite this, supply shortages from NNPC have allowed private depots and independent marketers to raise prices, leading to increased profits. This situation has caused fuel scarcity, and a thriving black market, particularly in areas like Lagos, Ogun, and Kano.
3. The Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, has resigned. President Bola Tinubu has appointed Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi as the new DSS Director-General and Mohammed Mohammed as the new Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), following the resignation of the previous NIA Director-General, Ahmed Abubakar. Bichi had a long career in the DSS, serving in various roles before his appointment as DG by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018. President Tinubu expects the new appointees to address Nigeria’s security challenges effectively
4. Doctors in Anambra State, under the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), suspended a three-day strike initiated after the kidnapping of Dr. Steven Ezeh, a private practitioner in Ihiala. The strike was a response to the abduction, with the NMA issuing a 48-hour ultimatum for his release. The strike disrupted healthcare services, causing significant distress among patients. Dr. Ezeh was eventually released, leading to the strike’s suspension. The incident highlights ongoing insecurity in Anambra State, where professionals, including lawyers, have faced similar situations due to kidnappings.
5. The campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are in a dispute ahead of their September 10 debate about whether microphones should be muted when a candidate isn’t speaking. Harris’s team wants microphones to be live at all times, arguing that Trump can’t behave presidentially without interruptions. Trump’s team, however, supports muting microphones, as was done in a previous debate. The debate’s rules are being set by the host network rather than the traditional bipartisan commission, adding to the complexity of the negotiations. Trump has suggested he might skip the debate altogether.
6. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed German coach Bruno Labbadia as the new head coach of the Super Eagles, following the resignation of former coach Finidi George. Labbadia, who has a notable coaching history with clubs like Hertha Berlin and VfB Stuttgart, becomes the 37th coach of Nigeria’s national team and the sixth German to hold the position. His immediate challenge is to lead the Super Eagles in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, beginning with matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda in September. The appointment comes after Nigeria’s recent struggles, including a disappointing loss to Benin in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which led to increased criticism and the eventual resignation of George Finidi.
