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Nigeria’s inflation rate continued its downward trajectory in September 2025, easing to 18.02 percent, the lowest level in three years, in what the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) described as a clear reflection of the impact of its sustained monetary tightening and market reforms.

The latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that headline inflation has now declined for six consecutive months, marking a significant reversal from the peak of 34.19 percent recorded in June 2024.

CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said the consistent drop demonstrates the effectiveness of the Bank’s measures aimed at restoring price stability and anchoring inflation expectations.

‘In response to earlier price pressures, the Bank raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 18.75 percent to 27.50 percent through a sustained tightening cycle, alongside an increase in the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) to 50 percent for commercial banks and 16 percent for merchant banks,’ Cardoso explained.

He added that at its September 2025 meeting, the Bank slightly relaxed its stance by reducing the MPR by 50 basis points to 27.00 percent and the CRR for commercial banks to 45 percent, while maintaining a firm anti-inflationary posture.

Cardoso also highlighted that the monetary policy adjustments were reinforced by foreign exchange market reforms, including exchange rate unification and improved transparency to enhance price discovery.

These efforts, he noted, have led to greater stability in the naira, with the gap between the official and Bureau de Change (BDC) rates narrowing to below two percent.

Improved liquidity in the FX market, according to the CBN, has eased imported inflation pressures and bolstered overall price stability.

The Bank’s foreign reserves remain robust, standing above $43 billion, enough to cover over eleven months of imports, supported by steady foreign exchange inflows.

Cardoso, speaking at the ongoing Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group in Washington D.C., expressed optimism about the inflation outlook.

‘We expect inflation to continue its downward trend in the near term, driven by tight monetary conditions, a stable naira, and improved food supply,’ he said.

The NBS data also showed a moderation in both core and food inflation.

Core inflation declined to 19.53 percent, while food inflation eased to 16.87 percent, reflecting improvements in domestic supply and the effects of sustained policy interventions.

Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has called on all accredited tertiary institutions across the country to update their existing student records and upload the details of all their students, both returning and newly admitted on the NELFUND Student Verification Portal ahead of the official opening of the portal for the 2025/2026 academic session.

Director, Strategic Communications NELFUND, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the directive was a proactive exercise aimed at ensuring a seamless verification and loan application process for students once the portal opens.

According to the statement, institutions are therefore required to ensure that each student’s data is accurately captured and uploaded using the admission number or any other unique and verifiable identifier.

Oluwatuyi said NELFUND recognizes the vital role that tertiary institutions play in the success of the Education Loan Scheme and sought their continued cooperation and partnership in achieving the collective goal of expanding access to higher education for all eligible Nigerian students.

‘Only students whose details have been duly uploaded and verified through their respective institutions will be eligible to apply for and benefit from the loan scheme.

‘As such, NELFUND urges all institutions to commence and complete the upload process promptly, designating appropriate officers to oversee this critical exercise in line with the provided technical guidelines.

‘This collaboration is key to ensuring that no eligible student is left behind as the Fund prepares to open its application portal for the new academic session.

‘For technical support or further enquiries, institutions are advised to reach NELFUND through the official communication channels or official social media platforms,’ the statement added.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday ruled that state Attorneys-General has locus standi (legal right) to file suits on behalf of their Local Governments.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the ruling in a case brought by the Attorney-General of Osun State against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) on the withheld funds of Osun State Local Governments.

The judge, in the ruling, dismissed an application brought by the defendants seeking the dismissal of the case on the ground that the Attorney-General of Osun State lacked locus standi to sue on behalf of the local governments.

Relying on the Supreme Court decision in A.G. FEDERATION V. AG ABIA STATE and 35 ORS. (2024) 17 NWLR (PT. 1966) 1 AT 107 PARAS E – G; 142 PARAS B – C., Justice Nwite held that the plaintiff, as the chief law officer of the state, has the duty and authority to act in the public interest, including protecting local government allocations.

The judge further held that the ongoing suit challenging local government allocations ‘does not constitute an abuse of court process.’

Justice Nwite noted that while parallel proceedings ‘may lead to unnecessary and duplicative objectives and judicial resources,’ there was no evidence that the plaintiff had ‘misused, perverted, or abused the expression of justice.’

He emphasised that the plaintiff did not act in ‘a biased or deliberate manner in seeking the present action’ and adjourned the matter till October 17 for continuation of hearing.

On the transfer of case from the Osogbo judicial division of the court to Abuja division, Justice Nwite said he had carefully considered the positions of both parties and came to the conclusion that Section 21(1) of the Federal High Court Act provides that a Chief Judge of the court may, ‘at any time or stage of the proceedings before final judgment, either on the application of any of the parties to transfer any cause or matter before him to any other judge of the court.

‘Accordingly, this application challenging the transfer of the case from the Osogbo Division to the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court lacks merit and is hereby dismissed’, the judge ruled.

On the allegation of bias, the court held that the accusation is wholly unfounded and speculative, saying that bias denotes a disposition or inclination of the mind that prevents a judge from making an objective determination based solely on the law and evidence.

‘A mere administrative act by the Chief Judge transferring a case cannot, by any stretch, amount to bias. The plaintiff has not produced any credible evidence to support such a grave allegation’, he said.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has called for closure of schools in Nigeria that charge tuition fees in foreign currencies.

Alake made the statement on Wednesday in Abuja during the Nigeria Gold Day Celebration, held on the sidelines of the 10th edition of Nigeria’s Mining Week, themed ‘Nigeria Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance.’

He described the practice of charging in foreign currencies as one of the loopholes affecting the country’s economy.

‘I am still going to make a proposal to the Federal Executive Council that all those schools in Nigeria that are charging in foreign currencies should be closed.

‘These are some of these leakages and loopholes that we say exist in our economy that people do not really take these things very seriously,’ he said.

Alake explained that parents paying in dollars or pounds for schools within Nigeria were putting pressure on the naira.

‘If your child is attending a school in Abuja or Lagos or somewhere in the country and is paying 10,000 pounds or 10,000 dollars as their fees, that means you will be looking for naira to go and buy dollars.

‘Driving the value of dollar up, whereas this school is in Abuja in Nigeria, you can’t go to the UK, establish a school and then be charging naira, it’s not done.

‘It’s only in this country that I see so many contradictory things that really demolish the economy,’ he said.

He added that the country must start changing its value system toward more productive and constructive activities that support national growth.

The minister also spoke about the government’s efforts to block leakages in the gold value chain through digital measures aimed at limiting corruption and boosting transparency.

According to him, the Federal Government’s National Gold Purchase Programme (NGPP), implemented through the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), is part of these efforts. The programme allows the government to buy gold directly from local miners in naira, helping to strengthen the national currency and grow foreign reserves.

Alake explained that the initiative is a key part of the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI), which aims to ensure Nigeria benefits more from its mineral resources.

In her remarks, Hajia Fatima Shinkafi, Executive Director of SMDF, noted that gold exploration funding in Nigeria was rising and encouraged investors to explore opportunities in the sector.

‘We implore everyone here to examine Nigeria’s gold resources and support the minister’s efforts to make Nigeria a premier destination for junior miners.

In another year or so, let’s look at this Nigeria’s Gold Day 2025 as a pivotal turning point,’ she said.

The Nigeria Mining Week, which runs from October 13 to 15, is organised by the Miners Association of Nigeria in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the VUKA Group.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has dismissed allegations of substandard construction on the ongoing Ore-Ondo-Akure highway expansion project, assuring Nigerians of the road’s structural integrity and adherence to approved international standards.

The minister who stated this on Thursday, expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done by the contractor, said the project is being executed to last more than 50 years, reflecting the federal government’s commitment to delivering durable, safe, and cost-effective infrastructure.

Umahi’s reassurance followed a viral video by a content creator who questioned the use of wire mesh instead of heavier iron rods in some sections of the project.

Speaking through the Controller of Works in Ondo, Olajide Hussein, during an inspection at the Ajue corridor in Odigbo Local government area of the state, the minister clarified that the use of wire mesh in certain areas was both deliberate and standard engineering practice.

While assuring that there is no cause for concern, Umahi disclosed that the construction of the 86.43-kilometre highway is in accordance with approved engineering designs and specifications, adding that the structural integrity of the pavement was not compromised.

He said, ‘We also saw the viral video, and the complainant specifically mentioned the use of wire mesh on the outer shoulders and suggested that the contractor use the same heavy reinforcement here on the carriage where we are standing with the outer shoulders.

‘There is a functional difference between the main carriageway and the outer shoulder. So there are also structural differences in their construction.

‘The main carriageway is the central part of the road pavement, and it is used for continuous traffic, with very heavy traffic loads running constantly.

‘We have trailers, trucks, buses, and other kinds of articulated vehicles. So it experiences very high flexural stresses, and it has to be designed to counter these forces. ý

‘The outer shoulder, on the other hand, is expected to carry only occasional loads, maybe for diversions, maybe a vehicle breaks down and needs to be removed from the main carriageway to aid continuation of traffic, or for short stops to pick up and drop off passengers.

‘So it doesn’t experience this continuous axle load, and it is designed with minimal reinforcement.

‘Now, the use of A142 wire mesh, which you have seen on the outer shoulder, is a standard practice all over the world. In Nigeria and internationally, it is a standard practice.

‘We use the heavy reinforcement which you can see on the carriageway because of the flexural stresses, and we use light wire meshes on the outer shoulders because they don’t carry as much load.

‘So if you go to all our single carriageway rigid road constructions nationwide, you will find a similar design. It is not peculiar to the Ore-Ondo-Akure Road. It is not peculiar to Ondo State. It is a highway standard found in Nigeria and internationally.’

Umahi also clarified that the road project is a single carriageway, not a dual carriageway, but with significant design improvements.

‘The only addition is the shoulder. The current condition of the road before this construction had no shoulder, and in the few cases where there was a shoulder, it was a surface-dressed shoulder. So now, the government has introduced a full 2.75-metre shoulder on each side.

‘The contract is for a 4-year duration, and the contractor is fully on course, poised to complete before the end of the four years.

‘It is a very standard road built according to international standards. Initially, the road was built using asphalt.

‘But now, the ministry’s policy is to build all new roads with the CRCP technology, that is, Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement, which stands a better chance of surviving longer than the asphalt we were initially using.’

Leaders and Elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, under the auspices of the Ondo APC Aborigines, on Thursday reaffirmed their unwavering loyalty to the party and to the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

They declared the group’s readiness to garner no fewer than 400,000 additional votes across the 18 local government areas of the state in support of President Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general election.

Rising from a meeting of the group in Akure, the Convener, Ambassador Sola Iji, said members of the Aborigines were resolute in their loyalty to the party and to President Tinubu, stressing that their support for the administration remained unwavering and uncompromising.

He said the meeting was convened to galvanized members and strengthen the group’s resolve to work as a united political force dedicated to the success of President Tinubu and the APC.

He said ‘Our commitment and loyalty to the party and the government cannot be compromised.

‘We cannot and must not allow the Aborigines to be counted among individuals or groups determined to bring down the government or cause disaffection in our party, the APC.

‘This gathering is to remind us of our sacred obligation to rededicate ourselves to the cause of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and to ensure his re-election.

‘As loyal party members, we are determined to complement the structures of our great party to achieve overwhelming victory in 2027,’

Iji described Ondo State as the ‘progressive capital of politics in Nigeria,’ noting that the state had consistently delivered one of the highest percentages of votes for the APC in past elections and promised to do better for the re-election of Tinubu.

He said, ‘We appreciate our leaders for their efforts during the last election. The next round of election before us is that of Mr. President, and we must all come together.

‘In the last elections, Ondo State had the highest percentage – 67 percent, higher than any other state. This time around, we must do more than that.’

He explained that the Aborigines group was not out to rival the existing structure of the party but to complement it through a robust grassroots mobilisation strategy.

‘Our efforts are to complement those of the party and our leaders at both state and federal levels, to ensure we deliver maximally for Mr. President.

‘We want to contribute nothing less than 400,000 votes in addition to what the party structure will mobilise.’

According to him, the group’s work will focus primarily on the grassroots, leveraging its network of ward and unit canvassers rather than depending on social media campaigns.

‘Our work is not intended for social media, we are going directly to the people through our canvassers, we have five canvassers per polling unit, to energise them and ensure that we deliver results that will reflect Ondo State’s reputation as a stronghold of progressive politics.’

Iji commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for creating an enabling environment for party groups to operate freely, and the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for his encouragement and consistent support for the group’s mission.

‘We appreciate the governor for allowing independent groups like ours to thrive, and we thank the Honourable Minister for Interior for his encouragement and support toward the realisation of this mission,’ he said.

A community leader and philanthropist, Otunba Lana Ephraim Akintan, continues to inspire change in Ogun State through his Human Rights Foundation.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the nonagenarian established the Otunba Lana Akintan Human Rights Foundation (OLAKHURF) in August 2024 to give the voiceless a voice and protect the vulnerable from injustice.

The foundation celebrated its first anniversary over the weekend with a lecture themed ‘Advocacy and dialogue for sustainable human rights’, which drew more than 700 participants from across the state.

The anniversary lecture, delivered by former Chairman, Campaign for Democracy (CD), Ogun State, Comrade ‘Lanre Ogunyinka, emphasised collective responsibility in promoting justice and civic consciousness.

Representatives of security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Amotekun Corps, vigilante group and community groups like Agbekoya and IBD Hunters Association, attended the event alongside traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society groups.

In recognition of his lifelong service, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Yewa North branch, honoured Otunba Akintan with a Lifetime Patron Award for his outstanding contributions to humanity and community development.

The foundation also distributed 1,000 notebooks to four local schools and donated sports kits to a youth football team.

The ceremony featured the unveiling of Otunba Lana Akintan Human Rights Foundation’s official website – www.olakhurf.org – and a human rights roadmap aimed at promoting education, advocacy and dialogue on civic duties and justice.

The Oloja of Oja-Odan, Oba Adetunji Olowobese and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Oja-Odan, CSP Esther, lauded Otunba Akintan’s pefforts in shaping civic values, describing him as a beacon of justice and compassion whose legacy continues to inspire the generation yet unborn.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Oja-Odan, CSP Esther, also applauded the foundation’s leadership and its impact on the town’s civic culture.

The British High Commissioner, Dr Richard Montgomery, on Thursday concluded a two-day visit to Awka, Anambra State, engaging with key stakeholders ahead of the state’s gubernatorial election scheduled for November 8, 2025.

The High Commissioner met with Governor Charles Soludo, other gubernatorial candidates, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), the state Commissioner of Police and civil society representatives.

The visit underscored the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic processes and highlighted the importance of peaceful, transparent, inclusive and credible elections. The High Commissioner emphasised that the UK does not endorse any candidate or political party but remains focused on supporting the electoral process itself.

Key themes discussed during the meetings included technical and logistical preparations to support 5,720 polling units across the state, the security situation across the 21 local government areas of Anambra State, factors likely to affect voter turnout, and arrangements for observing the electoral process and polling day activities.

At the end of the visit, the British High Commissioner, Dr Richard Montgomery, said, ‘The UK supports Nigeria in conducting democratic contests in accordance with Nigerian law and the constitution.

‘Our focus is solely on the electoral process itself – that it should be transparent, peaceful, inclusive and enjoy the confidence of the Anambra people. We do not endorse any particular candidate or political party.

‘I encourage all eligible voters to exercise their democratic rights and to engage peacefully in the election.’

The visit comes as part of the UK’s broader engagement with Nigerian democratic institutions in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections. The High Commissioner reinforced that violence has no place in the democratic process and that peaceful conduct benefits all stakeholders.

The UK remains committed to its partnership with Nigeria in supporting good governance, democratic institutions, and peaceful electoral processes across all levels of government.

Barely 24 hours after the Governor of Bayelsa, Diri Douye, announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Konbowei Benson Friday (Bayelsa-Central), defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, read Konbowei’s defection letter to senators on the floor in Abuja.

The defection signals the next political direction of Governor Douye himself, whose destination is believed to be the APC as well.

His defection further shored up the numerical strength of the APC to 74, giving the party an overwhelming majority out of a total of 109 senators.

As Akpabio read the defection letter, the immediate-past governor of Bayelsa state, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, reacting in disbelief, simply packed his documents and walked out of the chamber.

Akpabio, noticing that Dickson was leaving the chamber, called his attention that, as the leader of the Bayelsa Caucus, he shouldn’t be leaving when ‘such an important letter is being read.’

Responding to Akpabio, Senator Dickson, who represents Bayelsa-West, said he was leaving because he had more important things to attend to outside the chamber.

But, in the chamber, APC senators celebrated the decision of Konbowei, as they embraced and shook hands with him in turns.

Only on Wednesday, Dickson, faulting the gale of defections to the APC, warned that democracy could be the ultimate loser in the absence of a virile opposition.

Dickson had argued that the solution to the crisis rocking the PDP was not for members to defect to the APC.

The former governor had stated, ‘We all know the PDP has issues, but those issues should be solved by its leaders. They are the ones who created them.

‘I remain standing in the PDP, the party that gave my people and the Niger Delta the opportunity to produce a Vice President, an Acting President, and a President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This other party cannot do that.

‘If, however, we do not succeed in saving the PDP, then we will be part of a collective decision; but that should not be to join the ruling party.

‘I believe there must always be opposition. A democracy without opposition ceases to be a democracy; it becomes dictatorship and totalitarianism.’

The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) and the Nigeria Police Force have reached an agreement to review the controversial tinted permit policy to ensure it serves both public interest and national security objectives.

The Chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN), disclosed this in Lagos on Thursday during an interactive session ahead of the 2025 SPIDEL Conference.

He said the decision followed extensive engagements between the association and the police after widespread complaints of harassment and arbitrary arrests of motorists over tinted vehicle windows.

According to Ananaba, the association intervened following numerous reports of indiscriminate enforcement of the tinted permit directive, which led to vehicle impoundments and rights violations across the country.

‘Following our discussions with senior police officers, we agreed that enforcement of the tinted permit should be suspended while a joint review committee is constituted,’ Ananaba revealed.

He explained that the committee, comprising representatives from NBA-SPIDEL and the Nigeria Police Force, would assess the legal, administrative, and security dimensions of the tinted glass regulation and recommend new modalities for its enforcement.

Ananaba stressed that the engagement between SPIDEL and the police was collaborative rather than adversarial, aimed at enhancing accountability and promoting justice in public administration.

‘SPIDEL is not a body of activists; our focus is public interest and development,’ he stated, adding that the association had also filed a lawsuit against the police over alleged discriminatory practices in the enforcement of certain directives.

He noted that such legal interventions were part of SPIDEL’s mandate to defend the rule of law and uphold citizens’ rights.

Ananaba further announced that the SPIDEL 2025 Conference would take place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on December 5, focusing on reforms in justice delivery, governance, and international cooperation for human rights promotion.

Meanwhile, the Vance Centre for International Justice has proposed a strategic partnership with NBA-SPIDEL to advance public interest law and institutionalise pro bono legal services across Africa.

The Director of the Africa Initiative at the Vance Centre, Mrs Adaobi Egboka, presented the proposal during the Lagos session, noting that the collaboration aims to promote access to justice, ethical legal practice, and democratic governance.

Egboka explained that the Vance Centre, a non-profit arm of the New York City Bar Association, works globally to enhance justice through cross-border legal partnerships and pro bono initiatives.

She said the proposed collaboration would help NBA-SPIDEL develop a structured pro bono framework, create a database of participating law firms, and establish measurable standards for legal aid contributions.

Egboka also called for the creation of a ‘Pro Bono Declaration for Africa’, modelled after the Pro Bono Declaration of the Americas, which commits law firms to dedicate specific annual hours to free legal services for underprivileged citizens.

She highlighted the Centre’s successful establishment of a Pro Bono Institute in Kenya, in partnership with universities and law firms, as a model that could be replicated in Nigeria.

Egboka urged the Nigerian Bar to support the initiative, emphasising that an institutionalised pro bono culture would enhance justice delivery, promote diversity, and strengthen public trust in the legal profession.