FocalPoint Reports

ABUJA — Nigeria and the United States have signed a framework agreement aimed at deepening American investment in Nigeria’s mining sector and developing the country’s mineral resources, estimated by the Federal Government at about $700 billion. The agreement was signed and exchanged on Wednesday at the Nigeria Mission House in New York by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and US Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The framework is designed to use the Nigeria-US government relationship as a foundation for business-to-business transactions and greater investment across the country’s mineral value chain. It covers geological data and exploration, mineral development and processing, infrastructure and technical capacity building. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Alake said the agreement marked a new phase in Nigeria’s efforts to attract investment into the mining sector and move beyo...

Former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to explain why it declared him wanted.  Maina made the challenge in a statement on Thursday by his Senior Media and Legal Assistant, Emmanuel Umahi Ekwe. It would be recalled that the EFCC on Wednesday declared Maina wanted over an alleged case of receiving stolen property. The notice by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday identified 61-year-old Maina as an indigene of Biu, Borno State and asked members of the public with useful information about his whereabouts to contact the EFCC or the nearest police station and other security agencies. However, his legal team said the notice did not disclose the nature or description of the alleged stolen property, the transaction involved, the person or persons from whom it was allegedly received, or the date and circumstances of the alleged offence. It therefore urged the EFCC to mak...

ABUJA — The Federal Government has declared child labour intolerable in Nigeria, describing it as a criminal offence and directing relevant agencies to immediately report cases involving children engaged in hazardous work, including mining, agriculture and construction. Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, gave the directive at a training workshop for labour reporters organised by the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria, LACAN, in Abuja. Shoretire also clarified the responsibilities of ministries, departments and agencies in monitoring and enforcing regulations against child labour, stressing that specialised sectors such as mining must be monitored by the agencies regulating them. He said although the ministry had a clear policy on the elimination of child labour, monitoring activities in specialised sectors remained primarily the responsibility of the relevant regulatory authorities. According to him, legal mining op...

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Tuesday questioned who is exercising Nigeria’s presidential powers as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima remain outside the country. The opposition party said Tinubu’s absence had crossed the 21-day period referenced in Section 145 of the Constitution, raising questions over whether the constitutional procedure for transferring presidential functions had been followed. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC asked whether Tinubu had transmitted the required written declaration to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives. “President Tinubu left Nigeria on 30 August and has now been away for more than 21 days. We therefore demand to know whether the required declaration was transmitted by the President. If he did not, we would like to know why the National Assembly has ignored Section 145 of the Constitution,” the ADC said. The party...

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Nigeria to tap its agricultural potential instead of relying heavily on imports. According to him, part of the reason Nigeria is poor is because it has failed to properly harness agricultural production. The former president spoke during an interview on C-Suite Cafe, hosted by Ikem Okuhu. He said Nigeria has the land, water, rainfall and human resources needed to produce enough to meet its needs and create wealth. “Give me one reason why Nigeria should be poor. Is it the land that we don’t have or the desert that we are in or the people that we don’t have or the water that we don’t have or the rain that we don’t have?” he said. Obasanjo cited his experience during his tenure as chairman of the African Union, when he travelled to Guinea-Bissau with John Kufuor, then chairman of the Economic Community of West African States. According to him, the two leaders observed that the country had abundant agricultural resources but relied o...

Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has warned the Federal Government against inviting, arresting or interrogating African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar over a corruption petition before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Melaye said the ADC and its supporters would mobilise against any attempt to use the petition to target Atiku, insisting that Nigerians were far more numerous than those in government. “This is our note of warning, if due to this frivolous petitions you invite, arrest, or interview Atiku Abubakar, and we are not saying it with fear or favour, we will prove to you that those in government are less than one percent of the population of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We will prove to you that the people own government,” Melaye said in a video shared on his X account on Friday. Melaye’s warning followed a petition submitted to the EFCC by former House of Representatives member Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, urging the agency to...

A lawyer who retains a retired judge for the purpose of reaching a serving judge is as culpable as the person who accepts the assignment. Law firms must therefore review the manner in which they engage retired judicial officers. Any consultancy arrangement should be transparent, properly documented and confined to legitimate services. A retired judge who provides an opinion should not participate in any communication with the judge handling the matter. Litigants must also be warned. The desperation to win a case at all costs is one of the factors corrupting the administration of justice. Some litigants appear less interested in retaining competent counsel than in locating someone who claims to know the judge. They move from one supposed intermediary to another, paying enormous sums for promised interventions. In many instances, the retired officer’s name may even be used without his knowledge. Fraudsters and influence merchants thrive because litigants are willing to purcha...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said its 2027 presidential campaign will focus on the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration rather than personal attacks on political opponents. The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulazeez Yari, disclosed this in Gusau, Zamfara State, after meeting behind closed doors with Governor Dauda Lawal and traditional rulers in the state on Wednesday. Yari said the party would use the campaign to tell Nigerians what the Tinubu administration had achieved and what it planned to do if given another term. He said the campaign would be based on issues and the records of the government, rather than making promises or attacking individuals. According to him, Nigeria has gone through difficult periods that made some people doubt whether the country would remain united, but Nigerians have continued to protect the unity of the nation. “Nigeria is a wonderful country. We have been seeing so many thin...

President Bola Tinubu has challenged Nigerian banks to rethink their approach to risk and play a more active role in driving economic growth and improving the welfare of Nigerians, insisting that strong profits alone are no longer enough. The President spoke at the opening of the 19th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Abuja, yesterday. Represented by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, President Tinubu said banks must move beyond celebrating huge profits and shareholder dividends to financing productive sectors of the economy. He said: “For years, we have measured financial institutions by balance-sheet growth, profitability and shareholder returns. These remain important. But we must increasingly ask: what is the financial system doing for the real economy? “A resilient banking system cannot exist indefinitely where businesses cannot obtain affordable credit, man...

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has recalled making nothing less than ₦10 million monthly from his akara and bread business before venturing into politics. Eno’s comment comes months after the Nigerian First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, sparked reactions after encouraging Nigerians to explore small businesses such as akara and kuli-kuli as part of efforts to improve their livelihoods. Speaking after a Renewed Hope Initiative meeting with wives of state governors in Abuja in June, Oluremi said such businesses could be started with relatively little capital. She said at the time, “We’re trying to give hope, and to start Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or somebody even said kuli kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant.” Speaking during Akwa-Ibom State’s monthly covenant prayer service on Tuesday, Eno, in a video trending online, said he started the business by selling akara and bread, which he packaged a...

The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has criticised the campaign by opposition politicians over the alleged United States government documents concerning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday evening, Agbese described it as an attempt to damage Nigeria’s collective image abroad. A Washington-based lobbying firm has been spearheading a campaign to draw the attention of officials in the Donald Trump administration and members of Congress to allegations concerning Tinubu. Speaking jointly for concerned lawmakers and civil society groups on the matter, the lawmaker said political disagreements should not be pursued at the expense of the reputation and wellbeing of Nigerians living, working and doing business outside the country. According to him, the circulation of old documents and unproven allegations in foreign political circles could create consequences far beyond the individuals being targeted, particu...

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will have an easy ride in the 2027 presidential election. Wike said the emerging opposition coalition would not pose a serious challenge to Tinubu. He added that the President would return to the Presidential Villa without facing much pressure. The minister spoke during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while discussing the opposition coalition and preparations for the 2027 election. “This will be an election where a president will be walking to the Villa with no pressure,” Wike said. Wike also spoke about the Rainbow Coalition, saying its main objective was to support Tinubu rather than promote the interest of any particular individual. “Rainbow coalition is not about one person. What is important is that we are supporting Mr President. No one party takes everything,” he said. The minister further dismissed the strength of opposition parties, arguing that ...

Digital payment platform OPay has threatened legal action against a 𝕏 user after a social media post claimed the fintech company would shut down its operations on September 1, 2026. The user, identified as Cute Hafserh (@Haifah_Er_Abba), reportedly shared the publication online, prompting OPay to issue a formal warning and demand its removal. The company, through its Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Moses Rokosu, accused the social media user of circulating false and misleading information that has harmed the company. OPay directed the user to delete the post, warning that it was prepared to pursue legal action. The development followed the company’s earlier clarification that it had no plan to suspend its operations on September 1, after a shutdown rumour circulated across social media. OPay had reassured its customers that its services would continue without interruption, urging them to disregard the unverified claims. In the warning issued to the 𝕏 user, OPay said it wo...

‘ The President and Convener of the Transparency and Accountability Group, Comrade Ayo Ologun, has called for an investigation into the use of public funds for the foreign travels of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.  Ologun raised the concern after records from GovSpend showed that $553,884 was released as foreign exchange for overseas trips involving the First Lady between 2023 and 2024. Speaking with Daily Trust, Ologun questioned the legal basis for funding the foreign trips, arguing that the Office of the First Lady is not recognized as a separate government office under the law or provided for as an independent office in the national budget. He said the issue should not only be viewed from the perspective of whether financial regulations were violated but also whether public resources were being unnecessarily depleted. “Because her office is not recognized by the law, and there is nothing like the office of the wife of the President, but because we have seemingly adapted...

President Bola Tinubu has left Nigeria for a three-week vacation in Europe as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections. The President departed Abuja on Sunday for the break, which his media aide, Sunday Dare, described as an opportunity to rest and regain strength ahead of an expected period of hectic political activities. Dare, the Presidential Adviser on Media and Public Communications, spoke with journalists shortly after Tinubu’s departure from the Federal Capital Territory. Explaining the reason for the President’s vacation, Dare said Tinubu had spent the last several months dealing with major national issues, including the economy and security. He said the sustained engagement made the break necessary, particularly as the political season had begun. Dare said, “The President has had several months six, seven months of being engaged with state matters. We’ve seen monumental changes, monumental decisions taken with our security, with our economy and so many...

Former Kogi West senator Dino Melaye has urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to serve as the country’s watchdog and conscience. Melaye gave the charge at the 66th Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference (NBA-AGC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He mocked President Bola Tinubu for his inability to produce his primary and secondary school certificates, and called on the NBA to show interest in issues like these. Melaye appealed to lawyers not to leave everything to NBA executives, but to get involved in issues of the nation. Melaye said, “We must make sure that the leadership of the NBA begins to take on issues of common interest across this country. The President of this country filled an INEC form, he’s the most brilliant person on earth. He went to university straight without attending primary and secondary schools. What are we saying about it? What questions are we asking about this? “So every lawyer in this country must make sure that the leadership of th...

The choice of who will be the government anointed candidate for the role of the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been narrowed to just two names, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal. Following the resignation of Ibrahim Musa Gusau led board of the NFF, there will be fresh elections into the seats of the football house by a normalisation committee which will run Nigerian football for three months. In the build up to the process, we can exclusively reveal that former president of the NFF Amaju Pinnick who was under consideration for a return has been dropped from the options. Two names are highly favoured from the South West, with a new name emerging to challenge the initial overwhelming choice of the presidency and the National Sports Commission (NSC). Although the two are the front runners projected and presented to the presidency, former Super Eagles midfielder Seyi Olofinjana is the idea of certain interests in the NSC. There is every likelihoo...

The Federal Government has warned that 915 communities across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory are at critical risk of flooding between August 27 and September 9, 2026, urging residents in the affected areas to take immediate precautionary measures and prepare for possible evacuation. The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre classified 915 communities across the affected areas as being at critical flood risk, requiring immediate watch, preparedness and protective action. Another 429 communities in seven states were classified as high risk, while 656 communities across 13 states were placed on moderate-risk watch. The critical-risk states are Kogi, Benue, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. Major cities and communities listed include Lokoja, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Asaba, Calabar, Yenagoa, Uyo, Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Osogbo a...

The elder brother of the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has reportedly been killed by suspected bandits. The victim was the Village Head of Galla in Borgu Emirate, Niger State. The assailants were said to have stormed his palace on Monday, August 24, 2026, in an incident that has reportedly unsettled residents of the community. According to Daily Post, sources familiar with the development said the monarch had earlier warned the bandits to stay away from the community. His warning was allegedly viewed as an affront by the criminals, who later returned and attacked him at his palace. The killing has further raised concerns about the security situation in the Borgu Emirate, where bandit attacks and other criminal activities have reportedly increased in recent times. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, acknowledged receiving inquiries about the incident. He, however, said he would ge...

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, has disclosed that terrorists and extremist groups are currently using the SIM cards of dead people to raise illicit funds for their criminal activities. This is contained in the agency’s 2026 Annual report released on Monday. The NFIU equally stated that terrorist financiers were also opening bank accounts in women’s names and using phone numbers for mobile banking or account alerts that were not registered to the account holders or actual beneficiaries. The agency’s report showed that the crowdfunding schemes involved foreign-based facilitators using social media platforms to solicit donations under the guise of humanitarian relief or educational support before moving the funds through multiple layers to terrorist operatives in Nigeria. According to the report, hundreds of sympathisers were encouraged to make contributions ranging from $50 to $500 through PayPal pages or conventional bank accounts, with the amounts deliberat...

The days of Ibrahim Musa Gusau as the president of the Nigerian Football Federation are numbered following the adoption of a new leader for Nigerian football by the presidency, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports. We exclusively gathered that Gusau’s tenure could possibly come to an end on Wednesday when a board member, who is presently abroad returns and make his resignation official. It will bring the number of board members who have thrown in the towel to nine out of the 12 , and by the statutes of the football house the board will be dissolved accordingly. Already contracts has been made with who will head the normalisation committee after presidency rejected the choice of former NFF supremo Amaju Pinnick. The committee will last for three months, and will organise fresh elections into the board of the NFF, and already there is a candidate who has been anointed by the presidency. We can exclusively reveal that his name was sent to the National Sports Commission (NSC) by the pres...

Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged opposition parties to focus on President Bola Tinubu’s performance rather than his academic certificates as politicking for the January 2027 election gathers steam. Ndume, a chieftain of the APC, made the call in a statement in Abuja on Monday. He noted that the back-and-forth over Tinubu’s credentials was needless and only distracts from the real issues. Ndume said, “The narrative around his certificate is distracting. What opposition presidential candidates should be doing is to tell Nigerians what they have to offer. What are their alternative economic policies? What can they do better than President Tinubu? “They should interrogate his economic policies and how his government has handled insecurity. The President has been in office for over three years now. So why should his certificates be the main talking point?” There have been renewed concerns among opposition figures after checks showed that in the EC9 form submitted by Ti...

The Delta State Commissioner for Works and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, has dismissed allegations made by former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege. Naija News reports that Omo-Agege claimed that Delta State Governo, Sheriff Oborevwor, should be held responsible and accountable if any harm happens to him or members of his family. Omo-Agege said there are increasingly credible threats to his life and members of his family emanating from the Delta State Government House in Asaba. “I note with grave concern the disturbing and increasingly credible threats to my life and my family members in Delta State emanating from the Delta State Government House, Asaba,” the ex-deputy Senate President had said. Reacting to the allegation during an appearance on Arise Television, Aniagwu said the former Deputy Senate President lacked campaign ideas. He claimed that Omo-Agege was looking for a cheap way to access the media. According to him, on Omo-Agege’s first day of campaigni...

Youths of oil-rich Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State have demanded 500 job slots from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited as part of the planned resumption of oil exploration in the area. This figure is against the already released 40 slots by the company.  Also, the youths, on the platform of Ogoni Youth Federation, OYF, have moved to convene a national congress of youths to address issues relating the oil exploration, which has sparked palpable divisions in the area.  Speaking in Port Harcourt on Friday, during the inauguration of the Planning Committee for the Congress, the President-General of OYF, Worldwide, Engr. Legborsi Yamaabana, said the congress is urgent in order to address all issues arising from the planned oil resumption. Yamaabana commended President Bola Tinubu on his efforts in giving attention to reopening oil businesses in the area, but quickly noted that Ogoni stands at a crossroads following the issues surrounding the oil...

ABUJA – The Federal Executive Council, FEC, has approved the acquisition and deployment of two new high-throughput communication satellites, NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B, to expand broadband coverage and strengthen critical communications services in Nigeria. The satellites to be deployed by the Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited, NIGCOMSAT, are expected to extend connectivity to underserved, unserved and hard-to-reach communities, while boosting broadcasting, enterprise connectivity and government services. The development moves the acquisition and deployment process into its next phase, with NIGCOMSAT leading implementation under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. According to the agency in a statement on Saturday, the satellites will complement terrestrial broadband networks by providing wider coverage in areas where conventional infrastructure may be difficult or costly to deploy. NIGCOMSAT said, “The deploy...