Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, has expressed satisfaction with the National Examinations Council (NECO) on its aggressive deployment of technology, particularly its transition to Computer-Based Examinations (CBE), saying the reforms have significantly strengthened the Council’s capacity to conduct credible examinations.

Speaking at a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and other education stakeholders, Alausa commended the leadership of NECO Registrar, Prof Dantani Wushishi, for driving what he described as a remarkable transformation of the examination body.

‘I can tell you today, with all unequivocation, NECO is better placed. NECO conducts better exams. NECO uses better technology,’ the Minister said.

He was particularly emphatic about NECO’s speed in embracing computer-based testing, describing the Council’s technological transformation as ‘amazing.’

‘When we also go to this CBT, they move quickly, they deploy better technology. The transformation of NECO, amazing,’ Alausa said.

The Minister said NECO’s ability to adapt quickly to new technologies was one of the reasons the Federal Government backed Wushishi’s continued leadership of the Council, insisting that the decision was based on performance and results rather than patronage.

‘We’ve worked with him, we’ve got him to where we want, he’s doing so well, why do we have to change him?’ he asked, stressing: ‘This thing is not about patronage to us. It’s not about patronage, it’s about value.’

The Minister’s endorsement comes against the backdrop of NECO’s broader digital transformation, which includes online registration, biometric verification, computer-based testing for selected examinations, digital certificates and automated grading.

The Federal Government is also driving the gradual conversion of NECO examinations from the traditional Paper-Pencil Test (PPT) to Computer-Based Examination (CBE), as part of measures to improve efficiency, strengthen examination security and tackle malpractice.

Alausa said the increasing use of technology was particularly important in the fight against examination malpractice, which he described as one of the most serious threats to the integrity of Nigeria’s education system.

‘It’s sad. Before we came, the acceptance of examination malpractice, cheating and examination leakages in this country was mind-boggling, and the country accepted it. It was a nightmare,’ he said.

According to the Minister, examination questions were allegedly being obtained for as little as N3,000 before the current administration of NECO, led by Prof Wushishi, began implementing reforms to strengthen the security and integrity of its examinations.

Alausa described the situation as a disturbing reflection of how deeply examination malpractice had become entrenched in the country’s education system. He said the widespread leakage of examination questions not only undermined the credibility of public examinations but also placed students who prepared honestly at a serious disadvantage.

He warned that the continued tolerance of malpractice could ultimately undermine students who genuinely prepare for examinations, creating a system in which honesty becomes a disadvantage.

‘The danger was that the good students would also become bad,’ Alausa said, urging parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals, invigilators and students to support efforts to restore integrity to public examinations.

The commendation comes as the examination body has continued to expand its international footprint, conducting examinations in at least eight countries and providing Nigerian curriculum-based examinations for schools and candidates in the diaspora.

The Council, which recently marked its 25th anniversary, says its examinations have impacted almost 35 million Nigerians since its establishment.

Wushishi has repeatedly pledged to deepen NECO’s investment in technology, human capital and institutional processes while strengthening fairness, credibility and integrity in examination administration.

The Federal Government also believes that measures such as the serial numbering of examination question papers will further help to reduce the risk of question-paper leakages before examinations.

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Prison Fellowship Nigeria, Dr Olayide Adelami, has urged inmates of the Olokuta Medium Security Correctional Centre, Akure, to use their time in custody to seek God, acquire vocational skills and prepare for a productive life after their release.

Adelami gave the advice on Friday when he visited the facility as part of efforts to provide spiritual encouragement, welfare support and hope to the inmates.

He said incarceration should not be seen as the end of life but as an opportunity for reflection, transformation and preparation for a better future.

‘Being in a correctional centre should not be seen as the end of your lives. It should be a period of reflection, transformation and preparation for a better future,’ he said.

The deputy governor urged the inmates to strengthen their relationship with God and take advantage of the vocational and educational programmes available at the centre.

He said acquiring relevant skills would make them self-reliant and help them return to society as productive members after regaining their freedom.

Adelami also advised the inmates not to allow past mistakes to determine their future, but to learn from them and turn over a new leaf.

‘Please seek God, strengthen your faith and use this opportunity to acquire skills that will make you self-reliant when you regain your freedom,’ he said.

He later visited the Juvenile Correctional Centre in Akure, where he interacted with children serving various sentences.

Adelami encouraged the young inmates to reflect on their actions, change their attitudes and take advantage of available opportunities to learn and prepare for their reintegration into society.

He assured them that their present circumstances should not prevent them from becoming responsible and productive members of society, stressing that they still had their entire lives ahead of them.

The Officer-in-Charge of the Olokuta Medium Security Correctional Centre, Mr Olayinka Dada, commended Adelami and members of Prison Fellowship Nigeria, Ondo State, for their continued partnership and support for the correctional service.

Dada said the interventions had contributed to the welfare and rehabilitation of the inmates.

He also acknowledged improvements in infrastructure and welfare under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, particularly the ongoing construction of a modern cell block at the facility.

He disclosed that some inmates were currently pursuing various academic programmes through the National Open University of Nigeria.

The visit featured the presentation of foodstuffs and other essential items to the inmates as part of efforts to support their welfare, rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society.

New analysis based on 2023-24 Department for Education Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data offers an interesting answer.

The Edumentors analysis, reviewed by COSMIQ, compares 33 UK subject fields by estimating how long graduates take to recover the financial gap created by higher education.

The calculation considers graduate earnings against a non-graduate baseline, missed income during study and student loan deductions rather than simply ranking subjects by starting salary.

Therefore, this distinction matters, because a degree can lead to a high salary but still take longer to repay its initial financial cost if it requires more years of study or produces significant income.

In this article, Tribune Online discusses some familiar professional degrees that perform astonishingly well.

Economics: 5.6 years

Economics comes out on top, with an estimated 5.6-year payback period. The analysis also puts the subject’s 10-year median earnings at about £71,400, the highest among the 10 fields highlighted.

The attraction is partly the range of careers available after graduation. Economics can lead into banking, consulting, financial analysis, government, policy, business and data-related roles, giving graduates several routes into relatively well-paid professional work. That flexibility can be valuable when the labor market changes.

Medicine and Dentistry: 5.7 years

Medicine and dentistry follow extremely closely, with an estimated 5.7-year payback period and 10-year median earnings of approximately £64,800.

At first glance, that result may seem counterintuitive because medical education generally takes longer than many other undergraduate routes. The calculation, though, looks beyond the years spent studying and considers the earnings trajectory after graduation.

Once qualified, doctors and dentists enter professions with established career structures and relatively strong earning potential.

For students considering these fields, the short estimated payback should not obscure the demanding training, professional requirements and long-term commitment involved.

Engineering: 6.4 years

Engineering takes third place, with graduates estimated to recover the financial cost of their education in 6.4 years. Their reported 10-year median earnings are about £53,100.

Engineering also has an advantage that is easy to overlook: it is not a single career. Mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, aerospace and other engineering disciplines can lead into different industries, from infrastructure and manufacturing to energy and technology.

That breadth gives graduates room to move as demand changes, although earnings can vary considerably depending on specialization, employer, location and experience.

Mathematical Sciences: 6.7 years

Mathematical Sciences records a 6.7-year payback period, with median earnings of around £53,800 after 10 years.

The financial value of mathematics increasingly extends beyond traditional academic careers. Graduates can move into actuarial work, finance, analytics, technology, research and other roles where quantitative reasoning is highly valued.

It is also a useful reminder that the degree title alone does not determine earnings. The skills developed during the course and how effectively graduates apply them in the labor market can have just as much influence.

Physics and Astronomy: 6.7 years

Physics and Astronomy matches Mathematical Sciences with a 6.7-year payback period, while its 10-year median earnings are estimated at £54,200.

Physics graduates are not limited to laboratory or academic careers. Their mathematical and analytical training can transfer into engineering, technology, finance, data analysis and research-intensive industries. That transferability helps explain why a subject that is not traditionally viewed as a direct vocational route can still deliver a relatively quick financial return.

Architecture, Building and Planning: 7.6 years

Architecture, Building and Planning ranks sixth, with a 7.6-year estimated payback period.

The field sits at an interesting intersection of technical knowledge, design and the built environment. Graduates can work across architecture, construction, planning, property and related professional services, although earnings and career progression can differ significantly across those paths.

For prospective students, the result also highlights the importance of considering the total education journey. Professional qualifications and additional training can affect how quickly the initial investment is recovered.

Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy: 7.8 years

Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy comes next at 7.8 years. These subjects connect scientific training with healthcare, pharmaceuticals, research and regulated professional practice.

Pharmacy, in particular, offers a clearly defined professional route, while pharmacology and toxicology can open doors into research, pharmaceutical companies and other scientific roles. The payback figure therefore provides a useful financial benchmark, but students should still investigate the specific qualification and registration requirements attached to their chosen career.

Computing: 7.8 years

Computing also records a 7.8-year payback period, putting it level with Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy.

The result is notable because computing is often associated with high-paying technology careers. Yet a degree’s financial return depends on more than the headline salaries attached to software engineering or artificial intelligence. Graduate outcomes vary according to specialization, technical ability, experience, employer and the broader technology market.

The long-term opportunity remains broad, particularly as digital skills continue to spread across finance, healthcare, manufacturing, government and professional services.

Medical Sciences: 8.2 years

Medical Sciences has an estimated 8.2-year payback period. It is another example of a degree where the career destination matters enormously.

Medical science graduates may pursue laboratory research, healthcare-related roles, postgraduate study or careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Unlike a degree leading directly to one regulated profession, the financial outcome can depend heavily on whether the graduate continues into further education and which career path follows.

Nursing and Midwifery: 8.4 years

Nursing and Midwifery completes the top 10 with an estimated 8.4-year payback period. That is slower than the subjects above it, but the field offers something the payback figure does not fully capture: strong employment stability.

The Edumentors analysis notes that 91.2% of nursing and midwifery graduates remained in work or further study 10 years after graduation, the highest retention figure highlighted in the analysis.

That makes the subject particularly interesting for students who value dependable employment alongside earnings. A slightly longer financial payback may be a reasonable trade-off for a career with strong demand and a clearer employment pathway.

What the payback figures really mean

It is crucial to note that rankings does not interpret or promise that every economics graduate will recover their university costs in 5.6 years, or that every computing graduate will do so in 7.8 years. These are estimates based on aggregated data and a particular methodology.

The underlying DfE LEO statistics track education, employment and earnings outcomes using linked administrative data from sources including the Department for Education, HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions. The latest 2023-24 release was published in June 2026 and provides graduate outcomes by subject and other characteristics.

There is also a changing cost backdrop. For the 2026-27 academic year, the maximum standard tuition fee for eligible full-time students at providers meeting the relevant conditions is £9,790, up from £9,535 in 2025-26.

For an international student, the calculation can look very different although, because overseas tuition fees are often substantially higher and may not follow the same financing arrangements as UK students. Due to the living costs, visa expenses, accommodation and the ability to work while studying can further change the real payback period.

Ultimately, the smartest degree choice is not necessarily the one with the shortest payback. Economics may win the financial race, but medicine may offer professional security, engineering offers career breadth, and nursing offers strong employment stability.

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has criticised what it described as attempts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to downplay worsening insecurity in the country, saying the government is ‘living in denial’ of the realities confronting Nigerians.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APM, Mr Abubakar Yusuf, stated this in Abuja on Saturday while reacting to the security situation in the country and comments made by the Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (retd), that security had improved under the Tinubu administration.

The Minister, while speaking in a television interview earlier on Tuesday, had stated that the government had ‘defeated terrorists.’

Musa also claimed that kidnapping had been decimated to a point where it had become more of a ‘social ill’ than a wider security concern.

‘Frankly speaking, we have defeated terrorists because now, like I said, the attacks are not as rampant and it is now kidnapping.

‘Like I said, kidnapping is a social ill where you now see wives kidnapping husbands and husbands kidnapping children’, he responded to a question.

The minister went on, ‘I can tell you there is improved security. Maybe if you noticed, you don’t hear so much of Boko Haram attacks, ISWAP attacks and all these things here and there, maybe one-off.

‘Now, I say, the trajectory is this: from criminality to kidnapping to terrorism, insurgency; once you are able to hit them, it goes back downwards.

‘So, we are now back into the stage of abductions and kidnappings because that is the easiest way for them to try and raise money.’

However, the APM noted that the Global Terrorism Index 2026 ranked Nigeria as the fourth most insecure country in the world, adding that the country had moved up two places from the sixth position recorded in the 2025 index.

The party berated the Minister for what it described as a ‘dangerous distortion of reality’, arguing that the situation on the ground and reports by international organisations contradicted claims that insecurity had improved.

‘It is deeply disappointing that a minister of the Federal Republic could appear on national television to make such claims at a time when millions of innocent Nigerians are being killed, kidnapped, displaced and terrorised in various parts of the country,’ Yusuf stated.

The spokesman said the government’s position demonstrated what he described as insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians facing killings, maiming, rape, abductions for ransom and captivity by bandits in dehumanising conditions.

According to him, the administration could not claim to feel the anguish of families whose lives had been permanently ruined by insecurity over the past three years.

He noted, ‘Only last week, 600 Nigerians, mostly women, children and the elderly, were abducted from Dekera, Gidan-Zana and Sabon Gida villages in Niger State and are still languishing in captivity.’

Yusuf further cited data by SBM Intelligence, which he said showed that kidnapping for ransom had become a highly monetised industry under the Tinubu administration, with more than N7.78bn reportedly paid as ransom between July 2025 and June 2026.

The APM accused the administration of either being ‘dangerously disconnected from reality’ or deliberately attempting to manipulate public perception by denying the worsening security situation.

It also criticised what it described as the administration’s dismissal of abductions as a ‘family affair’, saying such acts constituted terrorism and should be treated as a national security emergency.

‘If the security situation has truly improved as the administration claims, the APM challenges the President, the Minister of Defence and other senior officials of the Tinubu Presidency to travel by road without armed security details as other Nigerians must do,’ it said.

The party argued that insecurity was ‘festering’ under Tinubu because, according to it, the administration lacked the capacity to develop and implement an effective blueprint to tackle the challenge.

The APM urged Nigerians not to despair, but to remain committed to voting for its presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, in the 2027 election.

It boasted that Makinde was prepared with a blueprint to tackle insecurity and other challenges facing the country, adding that the tenure of the Tinubu administration would end on 29 May 2027.

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, and his wife, Engineer Tamunomini Makinde, have been honoured with the chieftaincy titles of Aare Asoludero of Ibarapa Land and Yeye Aare Asoludero of Ibarapa, respectively.

The titles were conferred on the couple by the Eleruwa of Eruwa Land, Oba Samuel Adegbola Ajobo Olurin I, during activities marking his first anniversary on the throne and the commissioning of the newly reconstructed Eleruwa Palace in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area.

The ceremony, held on Saturday, attracted traditional rulers, government officials, community leaders and other dignitaries who gathered to celebrate the monarch’s first year in office and witness the commissioning of the palace.

Speaking at the event, Governor Makinde expressed appreciation to the Eleruwa and the people of Eruwa for the honour bestowed on him and his wife.

Makinde said his administration would continue to promote inclusive governance and equitable development across the state, assuring residents of Ibarapa that ongoing projects in the zone would be completed.

He specifically assured the people that the Ido-Eruwa Road project would be completed, while stating that the government would also explore the possibility of establishing a university campus in the zone.

The Governor said, ‘Our administration will continue to ensure inclusivity and equitable development across all zones of the state.’

He also appealed to traditional rulers in the state to remain above partisan politics and continue to provide leadership for all members of their communities, irrespective of political affiliation.

Makinde urged the monarchs to ‘remain apolitical and continue to serve as fathers to all, regardless of political affiliation.’

In his remarks, the Eleruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola Ajobo Olurin I, said the Governor and his wife were deserving of the titles, describing them as ‘foremost achievers, humanists and accomplished professionals.’

The monarch commended Makinde for what he described as his administration’s developmental strides in Eruwa and other parts of Ibarapa.

He, however, appealed to the Governor to expedite action on the completion of some projects in the area, particularly the Eruwa Farm Settlement and Ido-Eruwa Road.

Oba Adegbola said the Governor and his wife had demonstrated ‘commitment to the progress and development of society,’ adding that the honour was in recognition of their contributions and achievements.

The event was attended by several dignitaries.

Candidates who will be below 16 years old by September 30, 2026, fall into the underage/exceptional category, and JAMB stated that their results would only be released after the required evaluation process.

If the candidate’s result has now been released, follow these steps:

Visit the JAMB e-Facility portal.

Log in using the candidate’s registered email address and password.

On the dashboard, select ‘Check UTME Examination Results’ or the relevant result-checking option.

Enter the required details, if prompted, and submit.

If the result has been released, the candidate’s UTME score and subject breakdown will be displayed.

If the portal shows ‘No Result Yet,’ the result may still be undergoing the process applicable to underage candidates.

Check by SMS

The UTME results for underage candidates can also be checked by sending UTMERESULT to 55019 or 66019 using the phone number used during UTME registration.

Important information for underage candidates

JAMB’s general admission age requirement is 16 years by September 30, 2026. However, exceptionally talented underage candidates may be considered through JAMB’s special assessment process.

Underage candidates who achieved the required high score may also be invited for further assessment before their results are fully processed.

Three years after the Federal Government approved a three-month N25,000 monthly palliative for vulnerable Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidy, pensioners are still waiting for payment, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The union, in a letter to the President, appealed for the immediate release of the N75,000 total relief to pensioners, saying none of its members had received the approved payment since the measure was announced in October 2023.

The NUP, through its General Secretary, Comrade Godwin Amadin, said the palliative was approved as part of measures to cushion the impact of subsidy removal on vulnerable Nigerians, including pensioners.

According to the union, the approval was received by senior citizens ‘with joy and renewed hope,’ particularly because pensioners have been among those hardest hit by rising costs of food, drugs, transportation and electricity.

‘However, we are constrained to inform Your Excellency that no single pensioner has been paid this approved palliative to date,’ the NUP said.

The union expressed concern that the prolonged delay had further worsened the hardship facing pensioners, many of whom, it said, had served the country for 35 years or more under specialised public service conditions.

It argued that the N75,000 due each beneficiary would have provided significant relief for food, medication and other basic necessities had it been paid promptly.

The NUP therefore appealed to Tinubu to direct the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) to commence payment of the palliative to pensioners nationwide.

The union also pointed out that the palliative had already been paid to civil servants ‘almost three years ago,’ further fuelling its demand for immediate action on the pensioners’ outstanding payment.

The pensioners said they had already provided verified data to NASSCO to facilitate ‘seamless, transparent, and direct payment’ to beneficiaries.

The union commended the President for the regular payment of monthly pensions and the recent approval of N25 billion for the implementation of pension harmonisation and payment of other pension arrears.

It urged the administration to extend the same commitment to the outstanding palliative, saying its release would help restore hope and dignity to senior citizens.

‘We have absolute confidence in your ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ and your commitment to ‘leaving no one behind’,’ the union said, appealing to the President to urgently intervene.

I was diagnosed for depression some years ago. Since then, I have been taking anti-depressant pills. I now feel okay and more importantly, I am tired of taking the drugs. Can I stop taking them?

Luke (by SMS)

Don’t do anything until you talk with your prescribing doctor. The name of the game is a slow wean. Since your body has become accustomed to receiving the chemicals from the antidepressant, quickly stopping it will require an adjustment from your body that it’s not ready for.

When this happens, symptoms of depression can come rushing back. In such cases, you may find it takes weeks to months to recover and get back to where you were before. For this reason, it will be better for you continue to take your medications.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army (NA), Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, has warned troops to desist from substance abuse, misuse of social media and other related vices.

He gave the warning during his visit to 12 Brigade Area of Responsibility (AOR) from September 2 to 4, 2026, as part of his maiden operational tour of formations and units under his command.

He was received on arrival by the Commander, 12 Brigade, Chari Maigumeri Barracks, Lokoja, Brigadier General Kasim Umar Sidi, who briefed him on the operational activities within the Brigade’s AOR.

Speaking during the visit, the GOC, Major General Mahmuda, commended the commander and his troops for the tremendous operational successes recorded, particularly the recent rescue of 15 National Youth Service Corps members and six civilians abducted in Kogi State.

He further thanked them for their efforts in keeping Kogi and adjoining states safe and calm for socio-economic activities to thrive. He said this was responsible for the sharp decrease in criminal activities.

The GOC emphasised the strategic importance of Kogi State as a corridor to the eastern and southern parts of the country, urging the troops to sustain the operational tempo by ensuring that the state remains peaceful and calm.

Relatedly, the GOC visited the 21 Battalion Headquarters, Ayingba, in Dekina Local Government Area, where he was received by the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Godiya Solomon Monde.

He addressed the troops and commended them for their resilience and dedication to duty, which he said had translated into several operational exploits. He said this had brought sanity to Kogi East and glory to the fatherland.

He urged them to sustain the operational tempo by denying criminal elements freedom of action. The GOC underscored the importance of discipline, adding that it remains the bedrock of the Nigerian Army.

He charged them to maintain the core values of the Nigerian Army, in line with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu’s, command philosophy.

Major General Mahmuda emphasised the need for sustained operational readiness and effective collaboration with other security agencies and critical stakeholders.

A pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ, Iri Orun Parish, Bidemi Odukoya, allegedly killed his wife at their residence in Ogooluwa community, Akiode Ibogun, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, before later dying after jumping in front of a moving truck.

According to Punch, Odukoya, who was the father of three boys, reportedly threw himself in front of a truck along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway shortly after the incident.

The incident reportedly happened around 2am on Monday, August 31, following a fight between the couple.

A neighbour, Oluwatoyin Oseni, said the couple had a history of domestic fights, some of which left the wife injured.

‘Sincerely, Mummy Daniel and her husband, who we fondly called Iri Orun, have always engaged in domestic fights. Recently, I had to help take care of the wife after their usual fight,’ Oseni said.

‘There was even police involvement, after which we thought that the misunderstanding had been settled.

‘It was after the tragedy of Monday, August 31, that we got to understand that both husband and wife had reportedly not been on speaking terms since June as a fallout of their regular squabble.’

Oseni said the couple’s 14-year-old first son, Daniel, alerted her around 2am after his father allegedly attacked his mother.

She said she and another neighbour went to the couple’s home and found the woman dead on the ground.

‘We later got to hear that the Shepherd used a machete and wooden stool to smash the head of his wife. We also saw Daddy Daniel with a cutlass in his hand,’ she said.

‘As I was asking him why he would go to the extent of killing his wife, he calmly said that he too was as good as gone. But because he was holding the cutlass, we could not move closer.

‘He later went inside the house, but we never knew that he had escaped that midnight from the community to go and kill himself at Ifo along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.’

The youth leader of the community, Seun Adelana, said the couple’s disagreement was reportedly linked to allegations of infidelity.

‘The husband was said to have been alleging that the wife was dating another man, and some people also said that the shepherd was dating another woman,’ Adelana said.

‘So, this is what we gathered led to the altercation, which made the husband kill the woman.’

The Baale of the community, Taiwo Akiode, said some residents in Ifo later saw Odukoya on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

‘Some people at Ifo told us that when the deceased got to the expressway, he was crossing the expressway back and forth repeatedly,’ Akiode said.

‘He later sat on the divider, after which he saw an oncoming truck and jumped before it and died.’