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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said more than eight million Nigerians have completed the pre-online registration in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

INEC said this in an update released in Abuja, said that 1.7 million Nigerians have completed their registration.

The statistics for week nine for the online shows that of 8,003,196 Imo State recorded the highest number with 826,850 representing 10.32 per cent, followed by Lagos State with 604,619 representing 7.56 per cent and Ogun with 510,062 representing 6.37 per cent.

The state with the lowest online pre-registration was Yobe with 2,714 representing 0.03 per cent while the exercise is suspended in Anambra in line with Section 9 (6) of the Electoral Act 2022, until after the Nov. 8 Governorship Election in the state.

The demographic breakdown of the figure shows that female registrants slightly outnumbered males with 4,190,890 represents 52.37 per cent, while male registrants accounted for 3,812,306 representing 47.63 per cent.

The youth between the age of 18 and 34 dominated the registration with 5,533,514 representing 69.14 per cent, middle-aged between 35and 49 accounted for 1,678,212 representing 20.97 per cent, while the elderly between age 50 and 69 accounted for 704,866 representing 8.81 per cent.

Also students formed the largest occupational group with 2,018,967 representing 25.23 per cent and business was the second-largest group with 1,659,690 representing 20.74.

Also Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) registrants were 182,718 representing 2.29 per cent of the total online registrants.

On the completed registration for week eight, INEC noted that the over 1,7 million, represents the total number of citizens who successfully concluded both online pre-registration and physical capture across the country.

According to the data, 956,566 registrants completed their process online, while 753,884 completed physical registration at designated centres.

A breakdown of the demographics reveals a strong participation of the youth between age 18-34 years accounting for a 73.74 per cent of the total completed registrations, with 1,261,288 individuals in this age bracket.

The breakdown according to gender further shows that female registrants were 945,305 accounting for 55.27 per cent compared to 765,145 for males, representing 44.73 per cent, while PWDs were 24,207 at 1.41 per cent.

In terms of occupation, students recorded the highest figure with 566,391 at 33.11 per cent, followed by businessmen with 316,295 at 18.49 per cent and house wives with 259,932 at 15.28 per cent

State-by-state analysis showed Osun, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) leading the chart in overall completed registrations.

Osun State recorded the highest figure with 151,593 total registrations, followed by FCT with 106,855, and Lagos State with 85,831.

Other states with high totals include Imo (90,469), Kano (96,280), and Rivers (28,507).

INEC reiterated that the final figure is subject to data clean-up and deployment of the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to detect and remove multiple or invalid registrations.

The commission urged all eligible citizens who are yet to register to visit the online registration portals at https://cvr.inec.gov.ng or https://cvr.inecnigeria.org or proceed to their nearest registration center.

The United Kingdom has announced a major change to its post-study work visa policy, reducing the period international graduates have to remain in the country after completing their studies from two years to 18 months, effective January 1, 2027.

The decision was confirmed by UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, as part of the government’s new immigration plan aimed at tightening migration rules while prioritising highly skilled talent.

According to a statement published on the UK Government’s website, the new measure is part of the country’s ‘Plan for Change’ immigration white paper, which introduces stricter controls on who can live and work in the UK.

‘The time for international students to find a graduate-level job after completing their studies will also be cut to 18 months from the current two years,’ the statement read.

Additionally, the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC), a fee paid by employers who sponsor foreign workers, will be increased by 32 percent starting 2027. The UK government stated that this increase is aimed at boosting investment in training British citizens and reducing dependence on foreign labour.

The government also announced that international students, including Nigerians, will be required to meet an A-level standard of English proficiency before qualifying for study, work, or settlement visas.

This policy shift comes amid ongoing concerns over the rising cost of studying in the UK. Tuition fees for undergraduate programmes are expected to rise by 3.1% in the 2025/26 academic year-from £9,250 to £9,535. Additional charges for overseas applicants are also set to be introduced, making higher education in the UK increasingly expensive.

Recent data shows a decline in the number of international students choosing the UK as their study destination in 2024, a trend experts link to previous immigration restrictions.

In January 2024, the UK government had already barred foreign students from bringing dependants, except those on postgraduate research programmes or government-funded scholarships.

The UK Home Office said the change in post-study work duration is based on evidence showing many international graduates were not securing graduate-level jobs within the two-year period, as the pathway was intended.

‘To ensure graduates contribute effectively to the economy, the maximum post-study stay will be reduced to 18 months,’ the statement added.

Nigeria is one of the largest sources of international students in the UK. The reduction in post-study work rights is expected to significantly influence study abroad decisions among Nigerians, who often rely on the Graduate Route Visa as a pathway to gain work experience and potentially settle in the UK.

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has urged staff of the Local Government Service Commission to embrace teamwork, empathy, and purpose-driven leadership as vital ingredients for effective service delivery at the grassroots level.

Speaking during the inaugural OLGE and T Leadership Series webinar organised by the Office of Local Government Establishments and Training, Hamzat stressed that the strength of any organisation lies not in its financial resources or technology, but in the collective effort of its people.

‘For an organisation to succeed, teamwork is key, not finance, not strategy, not technology. Teamwork remains the most powerful competitive advantage because it fuels daily productivity and drives development at state and national levels,’ he said.

The Deputy Governor explained that every staff position carries value and contributes to institutional success, adding that collaboration and mutual respect among workers are the foundations of progress.

He further observed that while leadership challenges remain a recurring issue in Nigeria, true leadership begins with empathy, active listening, and patience.

‘A good leader must win the people’s hearts, not just their minds,’ Hamzat noted.

‘Leadership must be purposeful and emotionally intelligent. Leaders are made, not born-it depends on self-awareness and the choices we make,’ he said.

Hamzat also encouraged participants to regularly question their motives and timing when making decisions, emphasising that reflection and information gathering are essential tools for responsive and humane leadership.

Touching on national cohesion, the Deputy Governor said unity in language could enhance trust and foster national development, citing India as an example where linguistic alignment has strengthened social integration.

He added that effective land use planning remains critical to achieving food security and economic growth, urging Nigerians to adopt a more deliberate approach to agricultural and urban planning.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Local Government Establishments and Training Commission, Kamal Ayinde Bayewu, said the leadership series was designed to strengthen capacity building among local government staff.

He commended the innovation and encouraged participants to apply the lessons from Hamzat’s lecture to improve service delivery.

Bayewu praised the Permanent Secretary, Office of Local Government Establishments and Training, for initiating the programme, describing it as a step towards building a more efficient and responsive local government workforce.

Pop superstar and billionaire entrepreneur, Rihanna, has reportedly lost a staggering $36 million following the collapse of her luxury fashion line, Fenty, launched in partnership with French fashion giant Louis Vuitton (LVMH).

According to new filings from her British company, Denim UK Holdings, the singer’s high-end fashion venture suffered heavy financial losses before shutting down in 2021.

Rihanna, 37, unveiled Fenty in 2019 as part of a historic collaboration with LVMH, making her the first Black woman to lead a brand under the luxury group. However, the project struggled to stay afloat, largely due to COVID-19 travel restrictions that prevented the singer from overseeing production in Paris and Italy.

Reports show that Rihanna invested pound 29.9 million (about $34.8 million) through Denim UK Holdings, while LVMH matched her contribution with a similar amount. The French-based company operated under the trade name Project Loud France, a nod to her fifth studio album Loud.

Despite its star power and initial buzz, the brand failed to resonate with consumers. Items such as a padded denim jacket priced at nearly $1,000 and an $810 corseted shirtdress were seen as too expensive, especially when compared to her more accessible brands, Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty.

In 2021, Rihanna and LVMH jointly agreed to close the fashion label and focus on her booming cosmetics and lingerie lines. In a statement, both parties said:

‘LVMH and Rihanna reaffirm their ambition to concentrate on the growth and long-term development of the Fenty ecosystem, focusing on cosmetics, skincare, and lingerie.’

The House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions has invited the managements of Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, and Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, over alleged non-submission of 2024 and 2025 capital budget.

In a statement by the Clerk of the committee, Mr Abubakar Sadiq, the committee asked the provosts of both institutions to appear before it on Thursday with relevant documents to account for expenditures within the period.

According to the clerk, the meeting will hold at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room 028 at New Building, House of Representatives, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

He said that the appearance and submission of the relevant documents were critical to determining both institutions’ budgetary provisions for the 2026 appropriation year.

‘I am directed to remind you that the committee has not received your submissions on the above subject matter and you did not appear before the committee on the day allotted to your agency.

‘You are by this letter reminded that your appearance and submission of these vital documents will go a long way to determine your budgetary provisions for 2026 appropriations.

‘You are hereby requested to appear unfailingly before the committee with your Director of Procurement and Director of Finance.

‘Failure to honour this invitation could affect the colleges’ 2026 budget consideration; prioritize full compliance with the legislative oversight process and cooperation with the committee,’ he said.

Nigerian media personality Idowu Adeyemi, popularly known as Yhemo Lee, has spoken about indecent dressing while at gym centres.

The actor, on his social media page, called out men for dressing inappropriately to the gym. He stated that indecent dressing is not gender specific.

Yhemo Lee added that although he has no problem with people who attend fitness centres, he feels the need to address the issue.

‘I’m not an antagonist for the gym, but I feel like we need to start dressing appropriately for the gym. If you’re not a prostitute, why would men wear tight shorts to the gym? I understand why women do it because they need to keep their breasts and bum firm when they work out, but men? As a man, why would you wear tights? And your whole outline is showing?,’ he stated.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has charged Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of federal agencies to uphold accountability, transparency, and integrity in their duties, describing public service leadership as ‘a sacred trust held on behalf of the Nigerian people.’

Akume gave the charge at the opening ceremony of the 13th Cohort of the Mandatory Training Programme (MTP) for chief executives of federal agencies, organised by the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) in Badagry, Lagos.

Represented by Prof. Simon Akaayar of the University of Lagos, Akume said the CEOs were appointed based on their proven competence and must align with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of rebuilding and repositioning Nigeria through effective governance and institutional reform.

‘Leadership in the public service is fundamentally about stewardship, accountability, and impact,’ Akume said.

‘Every public officer holds office in trust for the people and must therefore demonstrate integrity, transparency, and commitment to service,’ he added.

He stressed that as heads of agencies, the CEOs serve as the direct link between government and citizens, and their efficiency, responsiveness, and quality of service determine public confidence in governance.

Akume highlighted President Tinubu’s eight-point Renewed Hope Agenda, adding that the creation of the Policy Coordination Office would ensure all agencies align with measurable national outcomes. He said the CEOs’ performance contracts were designed to translate government policies into tangible benefits for Nigerians.

‘The mission of governance is in your hands. Every reform and every promise we make as a government will only be realised through your strength, integrity, innovation, and discipline,’ he said.

He explained that the training programme was a deliberate policy intervention to close leadership and governance gaps, equipping appointees with a deeper understanding of fiscal responsibility, ethics, and accountability in public administration.

In her remarks, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a competent, ethical, and digitally driven civil service under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP25).

‘The programme reflects our collective commitment to building a public service that is competent, ethical, digitally empowered, and citizen-centred,’ she said.

She emphasised the six strategic pillars of the FCSSIP25-capability building, performance management, innovation, digitalisation, integrated payroll systems, and staff welfare, noting that leadership remains central to every reform effort.

Walson-Jack announced that participants would later proceed to Abuja for an executive masterclass designed to prepare senior officials for dignified transitions and knowledge retention.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr Bode Agoro, underscored the importance of continuous training and retraining to enhance accountability and leadership effectiveness in governance.

‘Given the dynamic nature of public service and technological change, our leaders must continually upgrade their skills and strategic thinking,’ Agoro said.

Earlier, ASCON Director-General, Mrs Funke Femi Adepoju, said the programme was aimed at strengthening leadership capacity across federal parastatals, ensuring alignment with national priorities and the president’s focus on competence and ethical governance.

‘Through this programme, we are building a community of leaders who will champion reforms and deliver measurable outcomes for national development,’ Adepoju said, urging participants to apply their lessons toward institutional transformation.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its ongoing two-week warning strike following a marathon National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held overnight in Abuja.

ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the decision at a press briefing on Wednesday, saying the meeting, which ended around 4:00 a.m., reviewed the government’s latest response to the union’s demands.

Piwuna said the union opted to suspend the strike after ‘useful engagements’ with government representatives on the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, though he noted that more progress was still needed.

‘We’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government to consider the response to the draft renegotiation of the 2009 agreements. However, we are definitely not where we were prior to the commencement of the strike,’ he said.

According to him, ASUU acknowledged the government’s return to the negotiation table and decided to reciprocate the efforts of students, parents, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who intervened in the impasse.

‘Consequently, NEC resolved to suspend the warning strike to reciprocate the efforts of well-meaning Nigerians,’ he added.

ASUU had embarked on the strike on October 13 over the federal government’s failure to meet several outstanding demands, including the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, payment of withheld three and a half months’ salaries, revitalisation of public universities, and an end to the alleged victimisation of lecturers in LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO.

Other demands include the payment of outstanding 25-35% salary arrears, four years’ worth of promotion arrears, and the release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions and union check-off dues.

Former Big Brother Naija Season 10 housemate Thelma Lawson has complained about keeping up with the lifestyle that comes with fame and recognition.

While speaking in an interview, Thelma stated that her fanbase constantly expects her to keep up with fashion trends and show up in full glam. She revealed that such lifestyle costs more

‘This new life is expensive. Because you are showing up for events. I came out of the house and found out that I was named ‘the most fashionable’ now I have an audience that wants to see what Thelma is wearing. I had the type of audience going into the house but now it is like more people waiting to see what I’d wear,’ she stated.

Thelma also stressed that she struggles with keeping up with such expectations and funding her business. She added that she feels very overwhelmed.

‘So it is expensive and I have a business that requires constant restocking and money is going to different places. It is overwhelming. There is a lot of work to do, put yourself out there and again, you can’t be everywhere,’ she added.

The Enugu Government has demolished a bungalow at Umueze Awkunanaw in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state a kidnapped victim was recently rescued.

The building was allegedly used by the prime suspect, identified as Igwenagu Ogbodo, and his gang for holding their victims captive.

The building was demolished in the aftermath of the rescue of a kidnapped victim by security operatives

Ogbodo and some of his gang members, however, escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds when security agencies stormed the property.

The building was demolished in line with the laws of the state the council Chairman, Mr John Ogbodo told journalists.

He commended Gov. Peter Mbah for consistently demonstrating the political will in the war against insecurity.

He said: ‘The prime suspect and his gang kidnapped the person and brought him here.

‘He was rescued and his vehicle recovered. Some arms and ammunition were equally recovered.

‘I thank Gov. Mbah for his political will and demonstration of capacity, in line with what he told Enugu residents that any house that harbours criminals or used to aid criminality will be demolished.

‘That is exactly what is happening here today (Tuesday) and it is in line with the laws of the state.

‘This is not the first house to be demolished in Enugu by this administration, in connection with kidnapping, neither is it the second nor the third.

‘But this is the first one to be demolished in Nkanu West, and I know this is going to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements,’ Ogbodo said.

He called on communities and Presidents-General to be mindful of the kind of people that live amongst them and to report any suspicious person to security agencies.

‘Again, I want to use this opportunity to advise anyone who has a property in the state to be mindful of their tenants and the activities going on in their property.

‘This is because any house used to harbour criminality, like kidnapping, stands to be demolished,’ he said.

He also said that the demolition would show other criminals in the state that there is no hiding place for them given the level of technology and manpower deployed by the governor to fight insecurity and criminality in the state.