Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped one place in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings released on Thursday, now occupying the 44th position globally.
The three-time African champions also fell to fifth place on the continent, behind Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and Algeria, who maintain the top four spots in Africa.
In the period under review, the Super Eagles played a 1-1 draw against Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
World champions Argentina remain at the top of the global rankings
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Uju Anwukah, has revealed that Nigeria currently ranks second on the global malnutrition index, making it the worst-affected country in Africa.
Anwukah made the disclosure on Wednesday while speaking at the ongoing National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Nutrition.
Her remarks were reinforced by the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Chike Okafor, who noted that malnutrition is costing Nigeria an estimated $1.5 billion annually.
Anwukah said the Federal Government is addressing the crisis through the N-774 initiative, which focuses on tackling malnutrition at the grassroots level. She noted that the initiative has been endorsed by both the National Council on Food Security and the Nigerian Governors Forum.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday announced the replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
During plenary, Akpabio named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new head of the committee, effectively ending Akpoti-Uduaghan’s tenure amid her suspension from the Senate.
Although no official reason was given for the change in leadership, the decision is believed to be linked to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s ongoing suspension.
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court had earlier ordered her reinstatement, directing her to issue a formal apology to the Senate for her conduct. However, the Senate has stated that it is yet to receive a certified true copy of the court ruling, while Akpoti-Uduaghan has not tendered the required apology.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday complimented Liberian President Joseph Boakai on his command of the English language, despite English being Liberia’s official language and widely spoken by its citizens.
The remark came during a White House luncheon with African leaders. After brief comments by Boakai, Trump turned to him and asked, “Thank you, and such good English… Where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated?”
Boakai, a business graduate who was educated in Liberia and speaks English as his first language, responded briefly. Facing away from the media, his low-toned reply made it difficult to discern his reaction, though it appeared restrained.
Trump, seated among several French-speaking West African presidents, continued, saying, “It’s beautiful English. I have people at this table can’t speak nearly as well.”
The exchange drew attention for its awkwardness and the apparent unfamiliarity with Liberia’s linguistic background.
The Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.
In a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo, for lacking in merit.
Ighodalo had sought to nullify the outcome of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state, alleging widespread irregularities, including over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
However, the apex court ruled that there was no justification to overturn the earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had both declared Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the valid winner of the election.
The court held that the appellant failed to present credible and admissible evidence to substantiate his claims
Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has stated that despite ongoing infrastructure projects under current FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, former Minister Nasir El-Rufai remains the most impactful in the role.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm on Tuesday, Kingibe argued that the infrastructural strides credited to Wike have not translated into tangible benefits for ordinary Abuja residents.
“The common people in the FCT are not benefiting from Wike’s projects. He appears out of touch with the real needs of the people,” she said.
According to the senator, effective leadership in the FCT goes beyond infrastructure. She noted that while Wike is being praised in some quarters for his development efforts, such projects fail to address basic concerns such as food security and access to essential services.
“If you ask any FCT person who has been the most effective minister, they will tell you El-Rufai,” Kingibe said. “He built roads and also responded to the needs of the people.”
She recalled that El-Rufai, during his tenure, addressed community concerns directly without political interference.
“El-Rufai was the type of minister who, when there was a major problem, would act swiftly. For example, when the abattoir was relocated, and there were issues with infrastructure, security, and water in the new location, he didn’t shift blame or ignore the matter,” she said.
Kingibe stressed that to succeed as FCT minister, one must remain engaged with residents and responsive to their concerns.
The leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has emerged as a central figure in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape, as both opposition leaders and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) intensify efforts to win his allegiance.
A source within the NNPP told reporters on Sunday that prominent political figures from the northern region are actively pressuring Kwankwaso to join the ADC opposition coalition.
“Kwankwaso is being pressured to join the coalition. Tinubu’s allies are also engaging with him, but it’s clear many are distancing themselves from the current administration,” the source said.
“As things stand, our leader has not made a final decision on whether to align with the coalition or the ruling party. However, his inclination appears stronger towards the coalition. The APC is no longer seen as a viable political force.”
The source added that as the 2027 election cycle approaches, Kwankwaso’s next political move will become clearer.
“Kwankwaso is currently the ‘new bride’ because Kano State is one of the country’s major voting blocs.
Both the APC and the opposition coalition understand that securing his support could mean securing Kano,” the source added.
Speaking with reporters, the NNPP Chairman in Kano State, Hashimu Dungurawa, reiterated the party’s loyalty to Kwankwaso, saying members are prepared to follow him wherever he chooses to go.
“We are his blind followers. Wherever he takes us, we will follow. We don’t have a problem with that,” Dungurawa stated.
Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his developmental reforms in Lagos State and across Nigeria.
In an open letter shared on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Dangote specifically commended President Tinubu for addressing ocean surges and flooding in Victoria Island, Lagos.
He also lauded the administration for initiating the development of a new Atlantic city and for undertaking major infrastructure projects, including the simultaneous construction of the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways.
Full content of the Letter is shared below!!
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BOLA
AHMED TINUBU GCFR: APPRECIATION
Your Excellency, I would like to express my deep appreciation to you for your visionary leadership and farsightedness on the Bar Beach Land Reclamation project in Victoria Island, Lagos State. Through this project, a process has begun that has transformed a coastline that was once prone to incessant floods into an emerging new district with a defining skyline and a receptacle for direct investment and socioeconomic growth ever since its conception in 2008.
Asiwaju of Africa, your foresightedness is even more visible in view of the tragic incident in Kerr County, Texas, USA, where over 100 lives have sadly been lost to flash flooding. In the case of the Eko Atlantic City project spawned by you, a modern city spanning 1,000 hectares, protected by an 8.5-kilometre-long sea wall, protecting Victoria Island from coastal erosion, and giving birth to a dwelling constructed from new land created through sand dredging from the Atlantic Ocean.
Your Excellency, this success story, which is now being used for residential, business, and recreational purposes, is amongst your many legacies, and those of us who live in Victoria Island are much better off for it.
I applaud your exemplary intervention in ending the era of ocean surge and in continuously tackling the issue of perennial flooding affecting areas such as Ahmadu Bello Way, Akin Adesola Street, Bishop Oluwole Street, Amodu Ojikutu Street, Adetokunbo Ademola Street, and Karimu Kotun Street, among others.
Mr. President, you added another feat by kickstarting the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and the Sokoto-Badagry superhighway, significantly enriching the country’s stock of infrastructure while improving the national road network linking Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The latter of the two is a resurrection of a 48-year-old project, and both are being handled by a first-rate construction and civil engineering firm, Hitech Construction Company Limited.
Indeed, Your Excellency, your inspired move recalls a similar methodology in a land reclamation process in Zeeland, Netherlands, where submerged land was transformed into usable, dry land, primarily for agriculture and settlement. This practice, which was applied to combat flooding, is a testament to the Dutch ingenuity and perseverance in managing water resources and creating a habitable landscape in a challenging environment. The same ethos resonates in the Bar Beach project, for which I salute you!
For all of us at Dangote Industries Limited, as we commiserate with the families of those who died in the Texas flooding incident, we are also grateful for your compassionate and visionary leadership, which has provided huge, consistent support for our businesses and enabled a more prosperous nation for the collective good.
Our dear nation has also suffered significant losses in lives and property due to rising sea levels and incidents of flash flooding. In honour of your vision, the Aliko Dangote Foundation will soon be announcing plans to contribute to a climate fund that will target those vulnerable parts of our country that are susceptible to this natural disaster.
Your Excellency, I pray that the Almighty Allah (S.W.T.) would continue to increase your wisdom, burnish your vision, and inspire you to greater heights of success for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Thank you very much, Asiwaju!
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced the release of results for the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, a total of 179,201 candidates registered for the examination, which covered 12 subjects.
While the statement did not disclose the candidates’ performance, it confirmed that the examination was conducted from May 12 to May 23, 2025.
Sani noted that the release of the results followed the successful conclusion of the 2025 BECE Award Committee Meeting held at the Council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.
The chairperson of the Award Committee, Dr Folake Olatunji David, who is also the Director of Basic Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, expressed satisfaction with the processes that led to the release of the results.
The meeting was attended by NECO management officials and several secondary school principals from across the country.
The death toll from devastating floods in Texas has risen to over 100, officials confirmed on Monday, as rescue teams continue the search for victims swept away by raging waters.
Among the dead are at least 27 girls and camp counselors who were attending a youth summer camp on a river when the floods struck during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Authorities have warned of the possibility of further flooding, as ongoing rainfall continues to drench already saturated ground. The worsening weather conditions have complicated recovery efforts, which involve helicopters, boats, search dogs, and more than 1,750 emergency personnel.
