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Immediate past Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, has clarified remarks attributed to her on university fees and financial sustainability.

Olatunji-Bello was recently quoted as saying that public universities in Nigeria might need to charge a minimum of one million naira as tuition per student annually.

She was quoted as saying the aim was to achieve financial self-sustainability and independence from government funding.

However, her media aide, Mr Emmanuel Adeyemi, made the clarification in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

Adeyemi quoted Olatunji-Bello as saying her comments were made in the context of the cost of delivering quality university education comparable with international standards.

The media aide said the former VC did not advocate that students or parents should bear the entire cost of university education.

According to Adeyemi, Olatunji-Bello’s central argument was that providing the quality of undergraduate education Nigerians desire costs about one million naira per student annually.

‘Crucially, however, she did not suggest that this cost must necessarily be transferred wholesale onto students or their parents,’ he said.

He quoted Olatunji-Bello as saying, ‘Universities can achieve financial self-sustainability.

”If they can innovate and ensure improvements in the institution, money will come in.’

Adeyemi said the former VC also encouraged parents to prioritise their children’s education, noting that quality education required adequate funding.

‘I enjoin parents to ensure their children are well-educated by prioritising their fees. Good quality education needs money,’ he quoted her as saying.

The media aide said the remarks reflected a broader call for universities to pursue innovation and diversified revenue streams to achieve financial sustainability.

He said the former VC also acknowledged the cost implications of quality education, while encouraging shared responsibility among universities, parents and other stakeholders.

Adeyemi urged the public, media and education stakeholders to consider Olatunji-Bello’s complete remarks, rather than relying on isolated statements for a more accurate understanding of her position.

The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Abeokuta Chapter, has called for closer collaboration among academia, government, industry and professional bodies to leverage geosciences for sustainable development, economic diversification and environmental safety.

The call was made on Tuesday, September 16, 2026, during the Society’s Third Quarterly Meeting held at the Green Chamber, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), which also featured the inauguration of the FUNAAB Chapter of the NMGS.

The meeting was attended by the NMGS Chairman, Prof. Adewole Gbadebo; Vice Chairman, Prof. Stephen Ariyo; General Secretary, Mr Agboyinu Sogo; lecturers from FUNAAB’s Department of Geology, government officials, industry partners and students.

In his welcome address, the Chapter Chairman said the quarterly meeting provides a vital platform for knowledge sharing, professional engagement and partnership building within the geosciences community. He thanked the management of FUNAAB for hosting the event and for its support to the Department of Geology.

He explained that geology goes beyond the study of rocks, with critical applications in water supply, food production, infrastructure development and environmental management.

He disclosed that the Department has introduced five new areas of specialisation – Urban Geology, Medical Geology, Geo-Terrorism, Geo-Archaeology and Agrogeology – to expand the frontiers of geoscience education and research in Nigeria. He noted that FUNAAB’s Department of Geology is the first in the country to offer Agrogeology.

According to him, geosciences hold huge potential for addressing national challenges in economic diversification, environmental security, public health and food security.

He said solid minerals exploration and mining could boost economic diversification, while geoscientific expertise remains crucial in tackling flooding, erosion and climate change adaptation. He added that Medical Geology and Agrogeology are key to improving public health and food security.

The chairman further stated that the NMGS is contributing to national development by providing professional advice and geological data to government, raising public awareness on the relevance of geology to everyday life, and mentoring young geoscientists to focus research on local and national problems.

He urged stakeholders to deepen partnerships and strengthen the role of geologists in advancing Nigeria’s development agenda, especially in economic prosperity and environmental sustainability.

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, with 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtaining at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

The Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the results at a news conference at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday.

According to him, 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females, while 1,371,992 candidates, made up of 678,903 males and 693,089 females, eventually sat for it.

Wushishi said 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of their performance in English Language and Mathematics.

He, however, said 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

The examination was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as six foreign countries: Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia.

Wushishi said the results were released 63 days after the conclusion of the examination, following the completion of marking, verification and quality assurance processes.

He described the 2026 examination cycle as one of the most challenging for the council, saying it had tested NECO’s systems, processes and readiness.

The registrar also announced a significant reduction in examination malpractice, with 1,406 candidates involved in various forms of malpractice in 2026, compared with 3,878 candidates recorded in 2025.

He said this represented a 64.74 per cent reduction in examination malpractice.

Wushishi attributed the decline to the council’s sustained efforts to strengthen examination security and quality assurance, noting that the deployment of technology, including Computer-Based Examination (CBE), had also contributed to the reduction.

Giving a breakdown of candidates’ performance by geopolitical zones, Wushishi said the Southwest recorded the highest proportion of candidates who obtained five credits and above, irrespective of performance in English Language and Mathematics.

He said the Southwest accounted for 24.60 per cent of the performance, followed by the Northwest with 22.10 per cent, North Central with 19.00 per cent, Northeast with 14.70 per cent, South-South with 10.53 per cent and Southeast with 9.07 per cent.

At the state level, Kano recorded the highest number of candidates who obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, with 74,413 candidates.

Lagos followed with 72,496 candidates, while Oyo came third with 55,543 candidates.

Wushishi said the detailed statistical tables also provided separate rankings by geopolitical zone, state, gender and candidates who obtained five credits and above, with or without English Language and Mathematics.

In the North Central, Benue led the state-level ranking with 3.82 per cent, followed by Nasarawa with 3.66 per cent.

In the Southeast, Anambra topped the ranking with 2.92 per cent, followed by Enugu with 2.14 per cent, while Ebonyi and Abia recorded 1.15 per cent and 0.57 per cent, respectively.

For the South-South, Rivers ranked first with 3.03 per cent, followed by Edo with 2.17 per cent, Delta with 1.84 per cent, Akwa Ibom with 1.61 per cent and Cross River with 1.30 per cent.

The registrar said the male and female performance rankings also showed variations across the geopolitical zones and states.

Wushishi further disclosed that 1,334 candidates with special needs participated in the 2026 SSCE Internal.

He said the figure comprised 640 candidates with hearing impairment, 149 with visual impairment, 84 with albinism, 94 with autism, 136 with low vision and 231 candidates with adermatoglyphia.

He assured candidates, parents, schools and other stakeholders that NECO would continue to uphold the integrity and credibility of its examinations.

The registrar also expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, for their support to the council.

He commended security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), as well as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other institutions, for their support during the examination.

Wushishi urged candidates to access their results through the NECO website using their examination registration numbers and to continue their academic pursuits with renewed hope and determination.

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, with 84.70 per cent of candidates scoring five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the release of the results on Thursday at a news conference held at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

He formally declared the 2026 SSCE Internal results released to the public, urging candidates to continue their academic pursuits with renewed hope and determination.

According to Wushishi, a total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females.

He said 1,371,992 candidates eventually sat for the examination, comprising 678,903 males and 693,089 females.

Wushishi disclosed that 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

He, however, disclosed that 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

The examination was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as six foreign countries: Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia.

The examination was held from June 15 to September 4, 2026.

Wushishi said the results were being released 63 days after the conclusion of the examination, following the completion of all processes of marking, verification and quality assurance.

He described the 2026 examination cycle as one of the most challenging for the council, saying it tested its systems, processes and readiness.

He said the council remained committed to ensuring that certificates issued to candidates reflected their true academic performance and were not obtained through impersonation, manipulation or other forms of examination malpractice.

On examination malpractice, the NECO boss disclosed that 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice in 2026, representing a 64.74 per cent decrease from the 3,878 cases recorded in 2025.

He attributed the reduction to the council’s sustained efforts to strengthen examination security and quality assurance.

Wushishi also disclosed that 1,334 candidates with special needs participated in the examination.

He said the figure included 640 candidates with hearing impairment, 149 with visual impairment, 84 with albinism, 94 with autism, 136 with low vision and 231 candidates with adermatoglyphia.

The NECO registrar expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, for their support for the council.

He also commended security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), as well as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other institutions for their support during the examination.

Wushishi said candidates could access their results through the NECO website using their examination registration numbers.

He assured stakeholders that the council would continue to uphold the integrity and credibility of its examinations.

More than 300 students of the University of Ibadan (UI) have participated in a mental health and suicide prevention programme designed to encourage openness, empathy and early help-seeking among young people.

The programme, the fourth edition of Matters That Matter (MTM 4.0), was organised by the Asido Campus Network, University of Ibadan (ACN UI), at the KAAF Auditorium of the university on Saturday.

Themed ‘MOVE’, an acronym for Mindfulness, Openness, Vulnerability and Empowerment, the programme used dance, creative performances, discussions and mindfulness exercises to engage students on mental health and suicide prevention.

ACN UI is the youth arm of the Asido Foundation, a mental health advocacy organisation focused on changing perceptions about mental health through advocacy, education and empowerment.

Seven student organisations also examined suicide prevention from different perspectives under the sub-theme, ‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide.’

The organisations included the UI Students’ Union Mental Health Committee, Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), Junior Chamber International (JCI), AIESEC in Ibadan, Literary and Debating Society, Health Law Network and Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, UI Chapter.

The presentations explored the issue from legal, social, faith-based and medical perspectives, with emphasis on replacing stigma with empathy and more responsible conversations about suicide.

AIESEC in Ibadan, in one of the presentations, used a 40-second countdown to demonstrate the frequency of suicide globally, drawing from the World Health Organisation’s estimate that one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds.

The organisation said the statistics should not obscure the individual experiences and pressures behind suicide, particularly among young people.

The programme also featured creative performances by Noohrah, De Ultimate Steppers and BlessedSoul, all students of the university, as well as a solo music performance by Bethel.

The Ibadan Peace Club led participants through a mindfulness session involving breathing exercises and practical techniques for staying present.

At a panel session, writer and mental health advocate, Sapphire McLaniyi-Agbley; public speaker, Barnabas Michael; Research Fellow and psychiatrist-in-training at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Dr Rita Frinue Tamambang; dancer and filmmaker, Progress Adetula; and Miss Tourism Nigeria 2026, Rebecca Ogunnaike, discussed the challenges surrounding young people’s mental health.

The panellists urged members of the public to listen to people in distress before offering solutions, stressing the importance of empathy and early support.

They also noted that mental health goes beyond mental illness and should be treated as a responsibility shared by individuals and society.

On academic pressure and disappointment, the panellists encouraged students to develop supportive relationships, cultivate interests outside academics and adopt healthy ways of coping with setbacks.

Participants described the programme as impactful, with some saying the combination of dance, speeches and discussions helped them view suicide prevention from different perspectives.

One participant said the event reinforced the message that people should not carry their struggles alone, while another 300-level student, Rahmat, described the programme as ‘wholesome and amazing.’

The event was attended by representatives of the university’s Student Affairs Division, UI Health Services, Council of Faculty Presidents, hall chairmen and hall health ministers.

The programme ended with the induction of new ACN UI ambassadors, a development expected to strengthen the network’s mental health support activities among students on campus.

The Asido Foundation urged people experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties, or those concerned about someone struggling, to seek help through its helpline, 09028080416.

The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has visited the Emir of Minna, Alhaji (Dr.) Umar Farouk Bahago, and families affected by the deaths of 37 miners in Niger State.

Audi also visited the family of the survivor of the incident, where he expressed condolences and assured the affected families of the Corps’ commitment to justice and transparency.

The NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

The NSCDC boss said the Corps would not shield any personnel found culpable in the incident, stressing that anyone found to have acted wrongfully would be held accountable.

He said the Federal Government, following a directive from the Presidency, had constituted a high-powered investigative committee to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Audi assured that the NSCDC would provide the committee with full cooperation to enable it conduct a transparent investigation.

He disclosed that relevant personnel had already been placed in protective custody to ensure their availability to the investigative panel and facilitate the investigation process.

The Commandant-General said his visit was also intended to identify with the community and bereaved families during the period of mourning, noting the significance of the third and seventh-day prayers for the departed in the Muslim faith.

He joined the Muslim faithful in praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased and for strength for their families.

Responding on behalf of the traditional institution and the affected families, the Emir of Minna appreciated the Commandant-General for personally visiting the community and identifying with them in their moment of grief.

He also commended the NSCDC leadership for the administrative measures taken so far and its willingness to cooperate with the presidential investigative committee.

The Chairman of the Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, on Thursday affirmed that conflicting regulatory demands by the NUC and professional regulatory bodies were imposing huge and avoidable costs on Nigerian universities and students.

Ogundipe stated this while delivering the 16th convocation lecture of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Coping With Double Oversight: Harmonising the NUC and Professional Bodies for a Sustainable University System,’ the former UNILAG vice-chancellor said overlapping regulatory responsibilities had become a major challenge to the effective administration of university education in Nigeria.

He maintained that while professional regulatory bodies had important roles to play in ensuring professional standards, they should not usurp the statutory responsibilities of the NUC, particularly in matters concerning the admission of students into universities.

According to him, the NUC remains the statutory authority responsible for determining whether universities can admit students, stressing that professional councils should operate within clearly defined jurisdictional boundaries.

Ogundipe explained that the NUC operates alongside several professional regulatory bodies, including the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Council of Legal Education, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

He said the situation had become increasingly complex because the different regulatory agencies operated under separate laws, accreditation requirements and professional standards, sometimes resulting in conflicting directives to universities.

The academic don, however, stressed that the solution was not to weaken regulation, but to make it more coherent, predictable and transparent, noting that quality assurance must remain central to the university system.

‘Nigeria does not need less regulation of university education; it needs better regulation. Quality assurance must remain non-negotiable,’ he said.

Ogundipe identified six major areas of friction between the NUC and professional bodies, including curriculum ownership, accreditation timelines and costs, differences between minimum university standards and professional standards, institutional capacity, resistance to new universities, and challenges associated with professional registration after the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

He also identified inadequate data as another major weakness in the regulatory system, warning that poor coordination among regulators could affect institutional planning, academic staffing, students and public confidence in the university system.

The NUC board chairman further faulted attempts by professional bodies to determine qualifications for academic positions in universities, arguing that the university system must retain responsibility for academic appointments while professional councils focused on standards within their respective professions.

He said the country also needed to address the gap between its population and the number of universities available to provide access to tertiary education, while ensuring that expansion did not compromise quality.

To resolve the challenges, Ogundipe proposed a five-pillar framework comprising clear legislative and policy boundaries between regulators, a permanent national consultative mechanism, harmonised accreditation procedures, student-protective developmental accreditation and a shared national regulatory information platform.

He also called for a national task group, unified regulatory matrices, coordinated accreditation pilots, student-protection protocols, improved regulatory intelligence and collective advocacy as part of measures to implement the proposed reforms.

Ogundipe disclosed that the NUC would require universities to update their institutional data annually as part of efforts to tackle the problem of academic staff working simultaneously in multiple institutions, commonly referred to as moonlighting.

He urged universities to take greater responsibility for maintaining academic standards, while advising graduating students to familiarise themselves with the regulatory requirements governing their professions and to register with the relevant professional bodies.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of UNIOSUN, Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, said the institution had recorded significant growth in its academic programmes, research activities and postgraduate education.

Adebooye disclosed that the university had increased its undergraduate academic programmes from 66 in 2022 to 128, while its postgraduate programmes had risen from 99 to 299 within the same period.

He added that the university had secured 175 international research grants, describing the development as evidence of growing research capacity and international engagement.

The vice-chancellor said the stability and growth recorded by the university were partly attributable to the character of successive administrations in Osun State, while describing convocation lectures as important platforms for generating ideas capable of influencing public policy.

Delta Air Lines is set to expand its operations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), with more than 200 daily departures planned at the peak of the summer 2027 schedule, strengthening connectivity for travellers within the United States and beyond.

The expansion, which Delta described as the largest and most premium experience in its history at LAX, will combine increased capacity with investments in airport facilities, premium services and onboard products.

The airline said the expanded LAX operation, together with its partners, will provide more than 200 daily departures during the summer peak.

Commenting on the development, Chief Revenue and Experience Officer at Los Angeles World Airports, Courtney Moore, said airline investment in connectivity was critical to strengthening Los Angeles as a global destination.

‘Los Angeles shapes, transforms, and influences the world, and LAX is proud to be the gateway connecting travellers to our city,’ Moore noted.

For Nigerian travellers, the expansion adds another routing option to Delta’s wider U.S. network. Delta operates nonstop services between Lagos and Atlanta, allowing passengers from Nigeria to connect through its Atlanta hub to destinations across the United States.

The increased LAX operation is particularly relevant to passengers travelling to California and other destinations on the U.S. West Coast, as well as those connecting onward to destinations across the Pacific.

From LAX, Delta serves 25 international destinations, including points in the South Pacific and Asia, providing additional connectivity beyond the U.S. domestic market.

The airline is also investing heavily in its LAX infrastructure through its $2.3 billion Sky Way project, which connects Terminals 2 and 3 and is designed to improve passenger flows and the overall airport experience.

Delta One customers have access to dedicated check-in facilities, private TSA security screening and Delta One Lounges. The airline also plans to open an additional Delta Sky Club at LAX in 2027.

The investment extends to the onboard experience, with Delta expanding its wine programme and offering fast, free Wi-Fi and Delta Sync entertainment to eligible customers across its network.

For Nigerian passengers travelling long-haul to the United States, the expanded LAX operation provides additional network options beyond the traditional East Coast gateways, particularly for journeys involving the U.S. West Coast and Pacific region.

Following a directive from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) over reported cases of under-dispensing of petroleum products nationwide, the Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has mandated its members to immediately inspect, calibrate and verify dispensing pumps and totalizers at their retail outlets,

A circular signed by PETROAN national president, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, and the National Secretary, Adedibu Aderibigbe, said the Association was acting on an industry circular from NMDPRA, which described under-dispensing as a breach of consumer trust that will not be tolerated.

The circular added that all petroleum retail outlet operators are required to carry out immediate calibration and verification of their dispensing equipment to ensure accurate measurement and guarantee that consumers receive full value for the products they purchase.

According to PETROAN, NMDPRA has intensified inspection and enforcement activities across the country, saying outlets found under-dispensing, using improperly calibrated equipment, or otherwise compromising dispensing accuracy would be required to take immediate corrective action.

While warning that persistent or serious violations could attract sanctions, including revocation of operating licenses, PETROAN urged its members to conduct immediate inspection and calibration of equipment, maintain accurate records of calibration and maintenance activities, cooperate fully with regulatory inspection teams, and uphold transparency and consumer protection standards across their operations.

‘Your prompt action and full compliance with this directive are highly appreciated as this require utmost seriousness from members,’ the circular read in part.