Author: user user

The United Kingdom (UK) Department for Education has removed Nigeria, Ghana and India from the countries whose teachers can use the direct route to apply for Qualified Teacher Status in England.

The change took effect on September 9, 2026, following an update to the DfE’s guidance on the ‘Apply for QTS in England’ service.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is the professional teaching qualification for teachers in England and is recognised by many schools across the country.

Under the revised rules, teachers trained in Nigeria, Ghana and India can no longer use the service to apply for QTS.

The decision came after the DfE published data on applications from overseas-trained teachers for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The data, released on August 27, showed that 1,076 applications were submitted by teachers trained in Nigeria, with 364 resulting in QTS awards while 599 were declined.

For Ghana, 1,067 applications were recorded, with 196 resulting in QTS and 749 declined.

The DfE said it had revised the eligibility criteria to ensure that countries included in the service have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional standing and providing references that meet its requirements.

Explaining India’s removal, the department said it ‘does not have a national regulator that can confirm professional standing.’

On Nigeria and Ghana, the department said, ‘Our data shows that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses, such as Gmail or Hotmail, rather than a school’s official email domain.’

It added that this meant assessors spent ‘additional time and resources trying to verify information provided in applications.’

According to the department, the requirements are intended to ensure that information supplied by overseas applicants can be verified and that teachers awarded QTS possess the skills and experience required to teach in English schools.

‘Teachers who are not eligible to apply for QTS in England service can explore other routes into teaching,’ it said.

Before the latest change, overseas-trained teachers applying through the service were required to hold a valid passport and an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree.

They also needed professional recognition as teachers in the country where they trained and had to complete any mandatory induction requirements for full teacher registration there.

Applicants were required to show that they were qualified to teach children aged five to 16 and had at least nine months of teaching experience gained after qualifying as a teacher.

Employment references were also required to verify applicants’ work history, with the email address expected to be linked to the school’s official domain.

Additional requirements could apply depending on the applicant’s country of training, including qualifications to teach pupils aged 11 to 16 and specialisms in subjects such as mathematics, science, biology, chemistry, physics, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.

The DfE noted that teachers in England are employed by individual schools rather than the department, meaning schools may consider alternative routes for recruiting overseas-trained teachers.

It therefore advised teachers who are no longer eligible for the QTS application service to consider other routes into teaching in England.

With Nigeria and Ghana no longer included, South Africa is now the only African country listed among those eligible for the service.

Other countries and regions that remain eligible include Australia, Canada, the European Economic Area, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Jersey, New Zealand, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States.

As petrol prices are approaching N1,500 per litre in parts of Nigeria, thereby putting pressure on commuters and transport operators, the Federal Government has been urged to reactivate its refineries to increase domestic supply and help moderate pump prices.

The energy experts, while justifying the call, said the impact of high petrol costs goes beyond the filling station, as increased fuel expenses are passed through the transport system to commuters.

A former chairman of Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Adetunji Oyebanji, while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, argued that bringing the government-owned refineries back into operation would expand Nigeria’s refining capacity and create greater competition in the downstream petroleum market.

According to him, the country needs several functional refineries competing for customers, rather than relying on a limited number of major suppliers.

He identified the Dangote, BUA and government-owned refineries as examples of facilities that could contribute to a more competitive refining market if operating at substantial capacity.

Oyebanji said that competition among refiners could help moderate petrol prices, although it would not necessarily make the product cheap.

‘If it’s only one person now, he can say, ‘I will sell at N1.500.’ But if there are three or four big refineries, one may say, ‘In order to get some business, I’ll sell my own at N1.400,” he said.

He explained that other refiners would then have an incentive to respond to competitive prices in order to retain customers.

‘So, it will keep the price moderate, but it’s not that it is going to reduce it completely,’ he said.

Also, an energy expert and lecturer at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Dr Joseph Obele, corroborated Oyebanji, urging the federal authority and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to revive the government-owned refineries, saying the rising crude oil prices have continued to put pressure on the cost of petroleum products and worsening the burden on Nigerian households and businesses.

According to him, the restart of the refineries could help strengthen domestic fuel supply and reduce Nigeria’s exposure to international market shocks.

Obele said the government should maximise every available refining capacity in the country rather than depend heavily on external sources of refined petroleum products at a time of rising global crude prices.

‘The immediate approach to the recent rise in petroleum prices is to restart the government-owned refineries,’ he said.

His position comes as international oil prices have risen amid geopolitical tensions involving the United States and Iran and concerns over potential disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.

He said the effect of the higher crude prices was already being reflected in Nigeria’s downstream market, with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) reportedly selling between N1,400 and N1,500 per litre in some locations, while Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) had risen above N2,000 per litre.

According to him, sustained increases in petroleum prices could trigger further increases in transportation, food, medical services and other essential commodities.

‘The continuous increase in the cost of petroleum products will invariably affect the prices of virtually all commodities and services. It will create additional inflationary pressure and deepen the financial hardship being experienced by Nigerians,’ he said.

Obele therefore called for the immediate return of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries to sustainable production, arguing that government-owned facilities should complement private-sector refineries in meeting national fuel requirements.

He said reviving the refineries would not only increase domestic supply but also stimulate activities across the petroleum value chain, including employment for workers, contractors, marketers, transporters and other businesses.

According to him, the prolonged dormancy of government-owned refineries has affected economic activities connected to the facilities and weakened confidence in the country’s ability to fully utilise its petroleum resources.

Oyebanji said the effect of high petrol prices was particularly significant for commuters because transportation operators had to factor fuel costs into fares.

He cautioned against the assumption that local refining alone would automatically result in cheap petrol, saying its more immediate benefits would include increased domestic supply, reduced dependence on imported refined products and stronger competition.

He also recalled the controversies surrounding previous attempts to sell or attract private investment into the government-owned refineries, noting that organised labour had opposed some of the proposals.

Despite those challenges, he maintained that the facilities should be rehabilitated and returned to productive use.

He further stressed that adequate crude supply arrangements would be essential to the success of any refinery; saying operators must have reliable access to crude to sustain production.

The energy expert called for a coordinated strategy involving the rehabilitation of government refineries, expansion of private refining capacity and secures crude supply arrangements.

He said such measures, alongside targeted government intervention for vulnerable households, could help reduce the pressure of rising fuel and transportation costs on Nigerians.

Meanwhile , the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in a statement by its management has explained that the current pricing structure remained governed by the PIA’s free-market framework, saying it does not determine the prices charged at filling stations.

The Authority said its responsibility is to regulate market conduct, enforce applicable standards, promote fair competition and protect consumers, rather than determine the retail price of petrol.

The clarification comes amid growing pressure over the rising cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and petroleum marketers calling for government intervention as higher fuel costs continue to affect households, transport operators and businesses.

NMDPRA explained that petrol pricing operates under the deregulated framework established by the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and is therefore determined by market conditions rather than a pump-price template issued by the regulator.

According to the Authority, Section 205(1) of the PIA provides for wholesale and retail petroleum product prices to be based on unrestricted free-market conditions. It added that it does not fix pump prices or issue administrative pricing templates.

According to the regulator, government intervention in petroleum pricing is restricted under Sections 205(2) to 205(4) to exceptional circumstances where there is formal evidence of a declared market failure. It said no such market failure has been declared.

The NMDPRA, however, stressed that deregulation does not remove its responsibility to enforce competition and consumer-protection rules across the downstream market.

It said Section 216 of the PIA empowers it to address anti-competitive practices, price-fixing and abuse of market dominance.

The Authority said it is working with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission under a memorandum of understanding to monitor practices including price-gouging, collusion, under-dispensing and compromised product quality.

It also plans to establish dedicated reporting channels through which consumers and industry stakeholders can submit complaints about irregular pricing and other exploitative practices for investigation and enforcement.

The regulator said it is further working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies to strengthen surveillance along border corridors and prevent the illegal diversion of petroleum products out of the country.

The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking says it has arrested more than 380 suspects and secured over 230 convictions within two months of its inauguration.

The Chairman of the Task Force, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, disclosed this on Tuesday at a press briefing on the committee’s activities and achievements since its inauguration by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on July 22, 2026.

Rimin Gado said the Task Force had intensified joint enforcement and dislodgment operations across the state as part of efforts to tackle drug abuse, illicit trafficking, thuggery, and related crimes.

He said the operations had led to the dismantling of several drug joints and criminal hideouts, including areas around Race Course, Filin Idi, Filin Mahaha, Tashar Rami, Kawo, and Tashar Rimi.

According to him, the operations resulted in the arrest of more than 380 suspects and the recovery of assorted illicit substances, including Cannabis sativa, Exol-5, diazepam, pentazocine injections, tramadol, pregabalin capsules, and a designer drug containing methamphetamine.

The chairman also disclosed that security operatives recovered locally made weapons, including knives, cutlasses, daggers, and clubs, allegedly used by suspected drug dealers and thugs to terrorize residents and resist arrest.

Rimin Gado expressed concern over the alleged diversion of about 870,000 Pregabalin capsules from a pharmaceutical company in the state for illicit use.

He called on pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy managers, superintendent pharmacists, and other personnel to strengthen internal controls and ensure transparent supply chains, warning that anyone found culpable would face the law.

On convictions, the chairman said more than 230 suspects had been convicted, including two rubber-solution dealers, Kabiru Isa, popularly known as Mada, and Usman Hamisu, also known as Mani.

He said the two men were convicted for allegedly exposing 43 underage children engaged in street scavenging to intoxicants by supplying them with rubber solution instead of paying them for their services.

Rimin Gado said the rescued children had undergone medical examinations and were receiving counselling and treatment, while efforts were ongoing to identify and reunite them with their families.

He also disclosed that the Task Force was prosecuting a former chairman of Rogo Local Government Area, Yahuza Musa, over an allegation involving the administration of pentazocine to a 63-year-old woman.

According to him, a 24-year-old man had also alleged that he spent more than N10 million and surrendered a plot of land to purchase the same injection from the former local government chairman.

Rimin Gado said the former chairman had been charged before a competent court and that the case was ongoing.

In the fight against thuggery, popularly known as ‘Daba’, he said several suspected gang members had been arrested and convicted, including Abdullahi Ahmad, alias Horror; Abubakar Sada, alias Daburi; Abdullahi Sani, alias Sarki Ale; and Umar Aliyu.

He said some of the suspects had allegedly used social media to promote and encourage violent behavior, adding that their convictions would serve as a deterrent to others.

The chairman further disclosed a breakthrough against a phone-snatching syndicate known as ‘Yan Liya’, which allegedly uses commercial tricycles, popularly known as Adaidaita Sahu, to steal mobile phones.

He said the Task Force had arrested a suspected member of the syndicate, secured his conviction, and obtained the forfeiture of a tricycle allegedly used in the criminal activity.

Rimin Gado warned tricycle owners against knowingly allowing their vehicles to be used for criminal activities, saying the Task Force would pursue the forfeiture of any vehicle established to have been used as an instrument of crime.

Beyond enforcement, the chairman said the Task Force had embarked on sensitization campaigns in communities, religious institutions, schools, and markets to educate residents about the dangers of drug abuse.

He said about 125 individuals had also been referred to the Kano Reformatory Institute, Kiru, for rehabilitation.

Rimin Gado said the growing demand for rehabilitation had led to the Kano Reformatory Institute reaching capacity, prompting Governor Yusuf to provide an additional facility in Tofa Local Government Area.

He said the facility would be equipped and put into use immediately to accommodate more people seeking rehabilitation.

The chairman added that the Task Force was engaging industrial stakeholders on employment and skills-acquisition opportunities for rehabilitated youths.

He said the committee’s target was to take 10,000 youths off the streets, rehabilitate them, provide them with skills and reintegrate them into society as productive members of their communities.

Rimin Gado commended Governor Yusuf for what he described as his commitment and political will in establishing the multi-agency task force.

He also acknowledged the contributions of the NDLEA, police, DSS, NSCDC, Customs, Correctional Service, KOSSAP, Vigilante, Hisbah, KAROTA, and other security and community-based organizations.

He urged residents to continue providing timely and relevant information to the Task Force to support efforts to make Kano safer and address the challenges posed by drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

Edo State has opened a new chapter in Nigeria’s evolving electricity market with the issuance of a provisional electricity licence to BEDC Electricity Edo Ltd by the Edo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ESERC).

The development is expected to deepen competition, attract fresh private-sector investment and improve electricity supply to households, businesses and industries as the state moves towards the full operation of its regulated electricity market.

Speaking at the licensing ceremony in Benin City on Tuesday, Edo State Commissioner for Power, Paul Usenbo, said the framework was designed to encourage qualified operators and sustained investment in the power sector while ensuring better service for consumers.

Usenbo urged BEDC to deepen its investment in the state and comply with the conditions of the provisional licence, stressing that improved access to reliable and affordable electricity must remain central to the new regulatory regime.

The commissioner assured investors of the state government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private-sector participation while protecting the rights and interests of electricity consumers.

Chairman of ESERC, Shittu Shaibu, said the commission would enforce compliance with regulatory requirements and service standards, adding that its responsibilities included accountability, improved service quality and faster resolution of consumer complaints.

Receiving the licence, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BEDC Electricity Plc, Engr. Jonathan Lawani, said the company was ready to work with ESERC and the Edo State Government to develop the state’s electricity market, noting that BEDC had obtained similar licences in Ekiti and Ondo states.

Lawani, however, urged ESERC to promote collaboration and fair competition rather than confrontation as the new market structure takes shape.

He reaffirmed BEDC’s commitment to providing reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity, adding that the success of the framework would ultimately be measured by increased investment, improved infrastructure, stronger consumer protection and better service delivery across Edo State.

The Ondo State Government and unions in the state-owned universities have resolved the lingering dispute over the implementation of the new Federal Government and university unions’ wage structure and allowances.

The agreement followed a series of meetings between officials of the state government, led by Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).

Under the agreement, the state government approved the full domestication of the Federal Government-ASUU agreement on the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) for academic staff of the state-owned universities.

The implementation, according to the government, will take into account the peculiarities of the state, while outstanding issues relating to salary adjustments, allowances and other welfare matters will also be addressed.

Aiyedatiwa, who described education as a cardinal priority of his administration, said the approval was aimed at improving workers’ welfare and ensuring that the state’s universities remained competitive.

He said, ‘Our administration will continue to prioritise the welfare of workers, especially in the education sector, because we understand that a motivated workforce is key to academic excellence.

‘We have approved the FGN-ASUU pact for our universities because we want our institutions to compete favourably and our staff to be at par with their counterparts elsewhere.’

The governor also assured the unions that his administration would continue to engage stakeholders to sustain industrial harmony and prevent incessant strikes in the state’s tertiary institutions.

Reacting to the development, the ASUU chapter of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, commended the governor for what it described as his ‘listening disposition’ and approval of the agreement.

In a letter to the governor signed by its Secretary, Dr Y.K. Kazeem, the union said the intervention demonstrated Aiyedatiwa’s commitment to workers’ welfare and showed that his administration was ‘worker-friendly’.

The unions pledged to reciprocate the gesture by ensuring academic stability and improved productivity in the state-owned universities.