Author: Nigeriabrief

197 Written by Lizzy Chakupi The Senate was embroiled in a bitter procedural dispute Tuesday as lawmakers convened an emergency plenary session to repeal a controversial provision of the Election Repeal and Enactment Act of 2026, amid growing public anger over a potential compromise in the 2027 election. At the center of the storm was Article 60(3) of the bill, which regulates how results from voting units are transmitted, collated and declared, which sparked nationwide criticism following changes seen as diluting safeguards introduced in the Electoral Act 2022. In response to growing political pressure and public mistrust, a conference was…

Air travel between the US and Nigeria has been adversely affected by increasingly strict US visa and immigration rules, including shorter visa expiration dates, stricter entry requirements and a complete suspension of certain categories of Nigerian travelers, Daily Trust reports. President Donald Trump has imposed stricter visa rules and a complete visa ban for Nigerians visiting the United States starting January 1, 2026. The development has significantly slowed passenger movement between Nigeria and the United States, and travel industry officials say the worst is yet to come. Sponsored ads This latest development comes in…

Nii Abolizadeh, human rights lawyer and prominent head of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); …critics the government’s ₦3.6 trillion electricity subsidy plan Human rights lawyer and prominent head of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nii Abolizadeh, has expressed concern over the federal government’s plan to deduct ₦3.6 trillion from the federal account for electricity subsidies from 2026 to 2028. Describing the proposal as a “penalty for non-performance,” Aborisadeh warned that the measure would significantly reduce funding available to state and local councils for essential services such as health, education, roads and rural development. Mr Aborisad’s criticism follows revelations in the…

156 Written by Lizzy Chakupi Political dynamics in Benue State have entered a new delicate phase following the recent defection of former Governor Gabriel Suswam to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a development that will further reshape the fragile balance of power ahead of the 2027 governorship election. Before his recent relocation, Suswam was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he spent most of his political life. He served as a congressman and governor under that banner. However, on February 4, 2026, he officially resigned from the PDP, citing prolonged internal crisis and unresolved disputes within the…

Abuja Sunday Abo Risad Former Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi took his fight for credible elections squarely to the gates of parliament on Monday, joining hundreds of demonstrators in a dramatic show of defiance against what demonstrators described as a new attempt to rig the 2027 election by the back door. The protests, dubbed the “Occupy of Parliament,” were sparked by the Senate’s controversial decision to remove the word “real time” from provisions on the electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Law Amendment Bill, a move that critics say fatally weakens safeguards against post-election manipulation. Obi’s sudden…

170 Written by Oscar Okifo The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday announced a complete and permanent suspension of home quarantine across the South-East, saying the directive came directly from its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The announcement was made in a statement issued on Sunday by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerfull, who said the order will come into effect from Monday, February 9, 2026. The group said the stay-at-home order declared in August 2021 to protest Kanu’s extradition to Nigeria and subsequent imprisonment has now been revoked and should no longer be forced on anyone. According to IPOB, Kanu…

This is Follow the Money, a weekly series that unravels the revenue, business and expansion strategies of African fintechs and financial institutions. New editions are released every Monday. Nothing illustrates Nigeria’s growing dependence on the internet more than the amount of money people currently spend on data. National data spending increased by 171.41% to N7.62 trillion ($5.58 billion) from 2024 to 2025, according to TechCabal analysis of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) consumption data and average data prices. size of expenditure We break down Nigeria’s ₦7.62 trillion annual data bill across four key dimensions: time. annual national bill ₦7.62 Trillion $5.58…

New evidence has emerged showing that key documents submitted by prominent Nigerian lawyer Mike Ozekhome to a London court to claim ownership of a north London home were fake, triggering criminal charges against the senior lawyer. Ironically, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, this document was accepted as authentic by the British courts. Nigeria’s issuing authorities have now confirmed that the document is a fake. The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has admitted that a Nigerian passport submitted as evidence in a high-profile property dispute was never legally issued. In a letter to the Independent Corrupt Practices and…

Bipartisan advisory committee expressed delight that all hope is lost on electronic transmission of election results The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) on Sunday expressed deep concern at the confusion and contradictory statements coming out of the Senate regarding the 2022 Electoral Law Amendments, especially the electronic transmission of results, threatening a mass boycott if real-time electronic transmission is not adopted. The union’s president, Joe Ajaello, said in a statement on Sunday that the lack of clarity was likely to “undermine public trust,” adding: “This is deeply problematic for our democracy.” Also read: Senate e-transmission rejection raises new concerns about election…

The National Narcotics Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a Lagos-based businessman, Mr. Nwabueze, Mr. Nicholas Izueke, for allegedly attempting to traffick 1.589 kg of cocaine by taking 95 wraps.He was arrested at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), according to a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Media and Advocacy Director.The arrests are part of a broader nationwide attack by authorities on drug trafficking and abuse, which has resulted in multiple seizures and detentions in multiple states.What NDLEA saidAccording to NDLEA, the 62-year-old man was intercepted during immigration in Makia on Saturday, January 31, 2026, as he prepared to fly…