Nelson Ugwuagbo

Nigeria’s national electricity grid collapsed on Friday, plunging large parts of the country into blackout in the first such incident recorded in 2026.

Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that power generation dropped to zero megawatts at about 1 p.m., while electricity supply to all 11 distribution companies fell completely.

The affected distribution companies include Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja and Yola, each of which recorded zero load allocation at the time of the collapse.

The latest incident comes months after a series of nationwide grid failures in 2025, with the most recent occurring on December 29, underscoring persistent challenges in the country’s power sector.

The Federal Government has announced plans to abolish the long-standing Higher National Diploma (HND) dichotomy by granting polytechnics the authority to award degrees, in a major reform aimed at strengthening technical and vocational education in Nigeria.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday while addressing a high-level retreat of council chairmen, commissioners of education, rectors, registrars and bursars.

Describing the initiative as a landmark policy shift, Alausa said the move would end decades of discrimination against polytechnic graduates and reposition polytechnics as centres of excellence within the nation’s higher education system.

He explained that the reform would place polytechnic education on a stronger footing while preserving its core focus on hands-on, industry-driven training, noting that Nigeria’s future competitiveness depended on a workforce capable of creating, building and solving real-world problems.

According to the minister, the policy aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises job creation, industrial growth and human capital development.

With degree-awarding status, Alausa said polytechnics would be better positioned to attract stronger industry partnerships, improved funding opportunities and greater public confidence.

He assured stakeholders that the transition would be guided by clear standards, strict regulation and robust quality-assurance mechanisms to ensure global competitiveness.

Speaking on the theme, “Transforming Polytechnic Education in Nigeria: Innovation, Good Governance and Sustainability for National Development,” the minister emphasised that polytechnics were critical to building a skills-driven economy and achieving sustainable national development.

Nigeria’s non-oil exports rose to a record high of $6.1bn in 2025, marking the strongest performance in the sector since the establishment of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) nearly five decades ago.

The figure represents an 11.5 per cent increase over the $5.4bn recorded in 2024, highlighting growing momentum in the country’s drive to diversify its economy away from crude oil dependence.

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during her annual progress report and the 2026 non-oil export outlook briefing.

Ayeni said data obtained from pre-shipment inspection agencies showed that Nigeria had surpassed its previous best performance, describing the 2025 outcome as a historic milestone for formal, documented trade.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has condemned the conduct of some Senegal players, officials and supporters following chaotic scenes that overshadowed Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco.

In a statement sent to AFP, Infantino described the behaviour as “unacceptable” after several Senegalese players walked off the pitch in protest at a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

“We strongly condemn the behaviour of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members. It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner,” Infantino said. “Violence cannot be tolerated in our sport; it is simply not right.”

The incident occurred deep into injury time with the final locked at 0–0, when Morocco were awarded a spot-kick following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Diaz. Most of the Senegal team left the field in protest, delaying the match for almost 20 minutes.

Senegal captain and former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane stayed on the pitch and was seen urging his teammates to return so the match could resume.

The Senegal players were already angered after having a goal disallowed moments earlier for what appeared to be a soft foul.

Meanwhile, disorder also broke out in the stands as some Senegalese fans attempted to enter the pitch and clashed with security personnel.

After play eventually resumed, Diaz’s attempted panenka penalty was saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Despite the dramatic finish, the controversy has now drawn sharp criticism from world football’s governing body, with Infantino insisting such conduct has no place in the game.