For Nigerians, securing a visa usually means dealing with a lot of rigorous, time-consuming, and sometimes expensive procedures. Some countries have made things easier with affordable and quick e-visa systems, but others require detailed documents, interviews, or even approvals from multiple agencies. Here are five of the most difficult visas to obtain as a Nigerian:

1. United States (USA) Visa 

The United States remains one of the toughest destinations for Nigerians to get a visa. The US Embassy in Nigeria conducts rigorous interviews, and many applicants find themselves rejected despite having all the required documents. The consular officers are particularly keen on verifying whether applicants have strong ties to Nigeria, meaning steady jobs, family connections, or properties, to make sure people are not trying to immigrate illegally. For students and tourists, the process can be discouragingly long, expensive and stressful. Many Nigerians have had to try multiple times before finally getting approval and even then, there is still no guarantee of visa approval. The cost of a US visa in Nigeria is one of the highest despite the lack of guarantee, costing around ₦270,000.

2. United Kingdom (UK) Visa

For Nigerians, getting a UK visa is not as easy as in other countries. The British High Commission demands extensive paperwork, including proof of financial stability, travel plans, and sometimes evidence of accommodation. Interview questions are sharp and can be quite intimidating, especially when consular officers suspect an applicant might overstay. There is also the added pressure of biometric data collection and long waiting times. Despite the stringent process, many Nigerians still apply with hopes to visit family, study, or seek business opportunities, but the visa refusal rate remains high.

3. Canada Visa

Canada is known for its friendly immigration policies, but for Nigerians, securing a Canadian visa remains a challenge. The visa officers here are cautious, often requiring detailed proof of purpose for travel and strong ties to home. Processing times can drag on for months, leaving applicants in a state of uncertainty. Medical examinations, police clearance certificates and financial proofs are mandatory. The Canadian visa process demands patience and resilience, and many Nigerians who apply for visitor or student visas often face rejection if they can not convince the officers of their intent to return to Nigeria. The cost of the Canadian visa is also on the high side, with biometrics and service charges added to the total costs.

4. Schengen Visa (Europe)

Europe’s Schengen visa, which covers multiple countries, is equally challenging for Nigerian travellers. Whether you are applying to visit France, Germany, or Spain, you must submit a mountain of documents, including travel insurance, hotel bookings, bank statements, and a clear itinerary. Visa officers are known for their strict scrutiny and any small error or inconsistency can lead to outright rejection. Nigerians often complain about long queues, high fees and confusing rules. The pressure to prove financial capability and ties back home makes the whole process stressful and uncertain.

5. Australia Visa

Australia is fast becoming a top destination for Nigerians who want to study or work abroad, but getting a visa is no easy feat. The Australian embassy requires medical check-ups, police clearances and detailed documentation of educational and financial status. Their process focuses heavily on ensuring applicants have legitimate intentions and the means to support themselves. Waiting times can be long, and the fees are steep. Many Nigerians find the whole process complicated and stressful, especially those applying for student or skilled worker visas where competition and strict vetting are high.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, along with the Peoples Democratic Party and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, criticised President Bola Tinubu over his remarks expressing satisfaction at the prospect of a divided opposition.

The June 12, 2025 celebration marks 26 uninterrupted years of democratic governance in Nigeria.

During his address to a joint session of the National Assembly and Nigerians in commemoration of Democracy Day, President Tinubu stated that it was a pleasure to watch the opposition in disarray and had no intention of helping them put their house in order.

In response, Atiku in an exclusive with The PUNCH through his media aide Paul Ibe, condemned the President’s remarks as reckless, accusing Tinubu of running the country like a civilian dictator.

Also reacting, the Publicity Secretaries of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, and the NNPP, Oladipo Johnson, in separate interviews with The PUNCH, called on President Tinubu to focus on governance and stop interfering in the internal affairs of opposition parties.

The ruling All Progressives Congress in its June 12 message signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said under President Tinubu, the democratic space remained vibrant, with citizens and political stakeholders freely exercising their rights to expression and association in the lead-up to the next election cycle.

Tinubu was accompanied to the House of Representatives Chamber, venue of the joint session by top government functionaries, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, as well as Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Hope Uzodinma of Lagos and Imo States respectively, among others.

Speaking against the backdrop of fears expressed in some quarters that the wave of defections into the APC may birth a one-party state in the country, President Tinubu dismissed the notion, stating that the beauty of democracy lies in the plurality of policies and programmes of different political parties.

He also called on parties currently losing members to look inward and address their internal issues.

“Political parties fearful of members leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes and affairs rather than fearfully conjuring up demons that do not exist. For me, I would say try your best to put your house in order. I will not help you do so. It is, indeed, a pleasure to witness you in such disarray.

“We must welcome and accept the diversity and number of political parties just as we welcome and embrace the diversity of our population. Our efforts must never be to eliminate political competition but to make that competition salutary to the national well-being by working across the political aisle whenever possible,” the President said.

He added, “To those who ring the alarm that the APC is intent on a one-party state, I offer you a most personal promise. While your alarm may be a result of your panic, it rings in error. At no time in the past, nor any instance in the present and at no future juncture shall I view the notion of a one-party state as good for Nigeria.

“I have never attempted to alter any political party registration with the Independent National Electoral Commission. Equally, we cannot blame anybody seeking to bail out of a sinking ship even without a life jacket.

“Look at my political history. I would be the last person to advocate such a scheme. In 2003, when the then-governing party tried to sweep the nation clean of political opposition through plot and manipulation, I was the last of the progressive governors standing in my region.

“In all their numbers and false grandeur, they boasted of ruling, not governing, Nigeria for the next half century or more. Where are they now?”

He noted that even at the height of political intolerance in the country, no system succeeded in foisting a one-party state on Nigeria.

“My allies had been induced into defeat. My adversaries held all the cards that mortal man could carry. Even with all of that, they could not control our national destiny because fate is written from above. A greater power did not want Nigeria to become a one-party state back then. Nigeria will not become such a state now.

“The failed effort to create a one-party state placed progressive political forces on a trajectory to form the APC. It put me on the trajectory which has brought me before you today. I dare not do such a favour to any political adversary by repeating the same mistake of political overreach.

“A one-party state is not in the offing and it should never be. That said, we would be guilty of political malpractice if we closed the door on those from other parties who now seek to join the APC and I sincerely welcome our party’s newest members from Delta and Akwa Ibom States led by Governors Sheriff Oborevwori and Pastor Umo Eno and other members of this National Assembly,” he added.

He saluted the courage of Chief Moshood Abiola, the winner of the June 12, 1993, Presidential election, his wife, Kudirat and Pa Alfred Rewane, all of whom lost their lives to the struggle to revalidate the annulled election.

“Whilst Chief MKO Abiola is June 12’s central figure, we must not forget the long list of those who equally deserve to be called heroes of Nigerian democracy. We must celebrate the courage of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and Pa Alfred Rewane, both of whom were murdered by agents of military repression.

“We also remember the many civil rights activists, journalists, and politicians imprisoned, exiled, tossed aside, tortured and beaten by the military regime,” he added.

The President also lauded his administration for the achievements recorded in the past two years, saying, “We are already seeing results. Gross Domestic Product grew by 3.4 per cent in 2024, with Q4 hitting 4.6 per cent, the highest quarter of growth in over a decade.

“Inflation is easing gradually, steadying the price of food staples like rice and beans. Our net foreign reserves have increased fivefold, and the Naira exchange rate has stabilised. Our balance of payments position is positive; our sovereign credit rating is improving as we continue to promote oil and non-oil exports. States now do not need to go about borrowing to pay salaries.

“In less than one year, over 100,000 Nigerians, including 35,000 civil servants, have benefited from affordable consumer credit through the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, enabling them to purchase vehicles, light up and improve their homes and purchase life essentials. This July, we will launch a bold new initiative to empower 400,000 Nigerians, including youth corps members, with consumer credit.

“We are committed to giving more opportunities to young people through job creation and skills development. Through such programs as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, we are investing in education, vocational training, apprenticeships, and internships to ensure our youth are job-ready and future-ready,” he added.

According to the President, the Federal Government has embarked on an ambitious project “To lay fibre optic cables across the nation, a transformative step toward bridging the digital divide and fostering greater connectivity.

“This initiative promises not only to enhance the speed and reliability of internet access but also to revolutionise how businesses operate, how students learn, and how communities stay connected. By extending this critical infrastructure, we are empowering entrepreneurs, enabling digital education, and providing the tools for our youth to compete in a globalised world.

“Our ‘Nigeria First’ policy will further enhance progress as we consolidate market-driven growth. The improved economic performance is encouraging and validates the soundness of our policy measures. Our medium-term growth target remains an economy growing at a 7 per cent clip with a stronger manufacturing base. We must learn to produce and grow most of our food and we are on the path to achieving food sovereignty,” he further said.

The President urged the lawmakers to be receptive to criticisms, saying, “Do not be afraid to hear an unkind word spoken against you. Some of the best advice a politician gets sometimes comes from his most ferocious opponents. We dare not seek silence because the imposed silence of repressed voices breeds chaos and ill will, not the harmonics of democracy in the long term.

“While malicious slander and libel should not go unattended, no one should bear the brunt of injustice for merely writing a bad report about me or calling me names. Democracy requires a fair degree of tolerance for harsh words and stinging insults. Call me names, call me whatever you will, and I will still call upon democracy to defend your right to do so.”

He commended the security agencies for their crusade against all forms of criminality, even as he pledged his government’s commitment to continuous support to the defence and security sector.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu also conferred the national honour of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, the highest honour in the land, on the late Chief of General Staff, Gen Shehu Yar’ Adua and the second-highest national award, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger on Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka.

He also conferred national honours on key National Assembly leaders, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who were awarded the GCON title. Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu also received the CFR honour.

Speaking at the event, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, gave the 10th National Assembly a glowing pass mark, praising lawmakers for surpassing legislative expectations within their first two years in office.

In a historic move, the lawmakers also proposed to institutionalise an annual presidential address to a joint session of the National Assembly on June 12 annually.

In his address, Senate President Akpabio outlined the Senate’s extensive legislative output, declaring that the 10th National Assembly had demonstrated “renewed vigour” in confronting Nigeria’s most complex challenges.

He said, “The Senate has introduced 844 bills in two years—an unprecedented figure in our legislative history,” he said. “Of these, 96 have been passed, and 52 have been assented to by the President. These bills span critical sectors including education, local government autonomy, regional development commissions, agriculture, and tax reforms.”

Akpabio also revealed that 26 executive bills were among those passed, pointing to a collaborative and effective relationship with the executive arm.

“In addition, we received 80 petitions from citizens and civil societies. Eighteen of these have been fully adopted, showing the growing trust in the National Assembly as a vehicle for redress and justice,” he added.

In a passionate plea to preserve Nigeria’s democratic legacy, the Senate President urged President Tinubu to consider establishing a June 12 Museum to serve as a repository of the nation’s pro-democracy struggles.

“Let us preserve the memory of June 12. A museum will serve as a living archive—housing the stories, artefacts, and sacrifices of our journey toward democracy,” Akpabio said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Reps Speaker Abbas noted that the House had reviewed 2,263 bills within two years, with over 65 per cent reaching second reading and 186 fully passed.

“A total of 51 bills have received presidential assent, a record for any administration within its first two years,” Abbas said, commending Tinubu’s commitment to legislative collaboration.

He highlighted the National Assembly’s role in pivotal national decisions, recalling its rejection of the third-term bid in 2006 and the invocation of the Doctrine of Necessity in 2010 to preserve constitutional order.

The Speaker cited economic and security reforms as key outcomes of the Assembly’s work, including the N6.11trn (11.1 per cent) budgetary allocation to the security sector and legislation backing the removal of petrol subsidies and foreign exchange reforms.

“With legislative support, Mr President, you have established ten new universities, polytechnics, and specialised institutions—an unprecedented feat in any President’s first term,” Abbas said.

He also revealed that the House Public Accounts Committee had recovered over N61.5bn in debts owed to the Federal Government by oil and gas firms.

Looking ahead, Abbas announced that the House would immediately begin a comprehensive review of the 2007 Mining Act, aiming to empower subnational governments and strengthen regulatory oversight.

“The reforms we envision will allow states to participate legally and profitably in mining while addressing the security vulnerabilities currently plaguing the sector,” he explained.

He also outlined legislative priorities for the second half of the Assembly’s term, including constitutional amendments to reserve seats for women, grant formal roles to traditional rulers, and establish a 35% affirmative action policy.

Bringing his remarks to a close, Abbas appealed to President Tinubu to institutionalise the presidential address to the National Assembly as an annual event.

“By honouring our invitation today, you have made history,” the Speaker said. “Let us make this a tradition. Let it become law. Let it become democracy in action.”

The joint session ended with a standing ovation for President Tinubu, as lawmakers and dignitaries applauded what many hailed as a landmark moment for Nigeria’s democracy.

Meanwhile, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, described the administration of Tinubu as the lowest point in Nigeria’s democratic history.

In his Democracy Day message on Thursday, Atiku stated that Nigerians were not experiencing true governance, but rather a form of domination.

He lamented that the democratic progress, which began in 1999, was now gradually being undone.

Atiku stated, “The political class made painful compromises, but it was the Nigerian people who bore the heaviest burden. They yearned for a new democratic order, and many paid dearly for it. I, too, made my fair share of sacrifices, most notably setting aside my own presidential ambition in deference to the late Chief MKO Abiola, a gesture made in faith and fidelity to a higher national cause.

“But others gave far more. The late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Tafida Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and Alfred Rewane; these brave souls gave their lives in pursuit of a freer Nigeria. Their memories are etched into our national conscience and must never be forgotten.

“The gains of June 12 were hard-won. But sadly, the democratic promise that blossomed in 1999 is being steadily dismantled before our very eyes.”

The former Vice President accused the ruling APC and the Federal Government of governing with a clear aim to dominate, suppress, and silence dissent.

He stated, “Today, Nigeria teeters on the edge of a dangerous precipice—a creeping one-party dictatorship is replacing the democratic order we bled for. Those who laid down their lives did not do so for Nigerians to groan under the yoke of authoritarianism and economic suffocation.

“The ruling party and its federal government now govern with the unmistakable intent to dominate, subdue, and silence. Their tactics are not subtle. Opposition voices are being systematically erased. Contracts for multi-billion-naira infrastructure are funnelled to cronies and family associates of the president. National institutions, once symbols of unity, are being brazenly renamed in honour of a sitting president, as though the country were a private estate.

“What we are witnessing is not governance, it is conquest. This government represents the lowest ebb in our democratic journey. Institutions have been weaponised. Policies are crafted not to empower the people but to entrench fear, obedience, and control. The common Nigerian has been abandoned at the altar of elite comfort. And make no mistake: this is the antithesis of everything June 12 stands for.”

Atiku stated that as long as oppression persists, June 12 will endure, not merely as a memory, but as a continuing movement.

Reacting to President Tinubu’s comments about the opposition, he stated that the President undermined the dignity of his office with such statements.

Atiku called on the President to allow the opposition the freedom to function without interference.

He stated, “And when you are speaking as the Commander-in-Chief, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you diminish that office when you say that kind of thing.

“It’s like a father who is saying that he will be happy to see some of his children go wayward. That’s exactly what it means. It’s not everything that you politicise about. That is a reckless statement.

“What he said, not only at the National Assembly, but also yesterday (Wednesday) at the commissioning of a project, that ‘as e dey pain them, e dey sweet us’ is reckless. Yes is paining Nigerians, and President Tinubu is happy about it. You begin to ask yourself, does this President care about Nigerians? No, he doesn’t.

“The President should roll his sleeves; let them do the work of governance. Everything is not about politics. Nigerians are suffering. The President does not give a damn. And all he does is go to France and have a good time while Nigerians are being killed in their numbers.

“That is the nature of the kind of President that we have—an irresponsible APC government who does not give a damn about the people under his watch, the people that he has a mandate to make life better for. And he doesn’t care. He knows about them. He doesn’t care about their well-being. He doesn’t care that they cannot put food on the table, that people are suffering, that the cost of food inflation is high.”

Atiku maintained that President Tinubu was deploying state machinery to intimidate and destabilise the opposition.

The former Vice President stated, “He is using state apparatus to put the opposition in disarray. There is a state capture, the capture of the judiciary, the capture of anti-corruption agencies and others. They have been used as an instrument of coercion. So what is he talking about?

“It is so unfortunate that the man is saying this. I mean, this is a so-called democrat. A so-called democrat who has become a modern-day dictator.

“There must be opposition. Opposition is an integral aspect of any democracy. There must be an alternative viewpoint. Otherwise, it’s no longer a democracy. So, it’s unfortunate. It’s irresponsible. We don’t expect that from the Commander-in-Chief, to say that on a day that we are observing Democracy Day. Now, rather unfortunately, we are having a civilian dictatorship—because that is exactly what is going on.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ologunagba, on his part, expressed regret that President Tinubu would speak about opposition parties in such a manner.

Ologunagba stated, “It is unfortunate that the President would even talk about an opposition openly on a day like this and in that manner. He has the job of organising the country. Nobody is asking him to organise a political party.

“All the political parties are saying: stop dabbling in their affairs, stop instigating a crisis in the opposition party. Concentrate on governance. That is what you were elected to do. Allow democracy. Allow for alternative views in political parties. Stop compromising democratic institutions. Allow the Nigerian people to decide who governs them.

“He has a duty, which he has already failed in: to provide security and welfare for the Nigerian people. He has failed. If he has failed in that, nobody expects him to come and organise a political party. In any event, the PDP is a well-organised party that has been around since 1998 and continues to be strong. All major members of his political party today, at least 90%, were once members of the PDP. That shows the PDP is a very organised party.

“Mr. President should reorder his priorities and stop thinking and hallucinating about opposition parties. He should be concerned about the welfare and security of Nigerians. That is his principal responsibility.”

Ologunagba asserted that the 2027 election would serve as a referendum on President Tinubu’s performance, urging the President to focus on issues of governance rather than commenting on opposition parties.

He stated, “If he believes in democracy, he should speak on the issue of electoral reforms. He should support reforms that allow opposition parties to operate and organise themselves, without infiltration or crisis instigation. He should ensure the rule of law is upheld and allow INEC to conduct free, fair, peaceful, and credible elections in this country.

“The election in Edo State is an insult to Nigerian sensibilities and an assault on democracy. For him to encourage such anti-democratic behaviour is a clear and present danger to our democracy. We are not interested in Mr. President speaking on opposition matters. Speak on the issue for which you have a principal duty: the security and welfare of the Nigerian people.”

PDP, in its June 12 message, called on Nigerians to stand against what it described as an alleged plot by President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

The party stated, “Peoples Democratic Party calls on Nigerians to use the occasion of the June 12 Democracy Day to re-awaken and strengthen their resistance to the anti-democratic designs of the All Progressives Congress, particularly the plot to foist a despotic One-Party regime in Nigeria.

“The PDP urges Nigerians, Institutions of Democracy, Organised Civil Society, Development Partners and indeed all lovers of democracy to unite in speaking out against the stifling of democratic tenets of justice, the Rule of Law, free, fair, peaceful credible electoral process and the right of citizens particularly to freely participate in politics and governance in Nigeria.

“The PDP is alarmed by the anti-democratic actions of the APC government which continues to use compromised state apparatus of powers and control to brazenly violate the Constitution, emasculate opposition, defy and abridge the liberty of the citizens to freely elect their leaders, corrupt and manipulate Institutions of Democracy, asphyxiate the media and weaponize poverty, all in the attempt to impose a defeatist mentality on the people and turn our nation into a fiefdom and personal estate of few individuals in power.

“More distressing is that the APC-led Presidency has remained unaccountable while colluding with the corrupt, rubber stamp APC leadership in the National Assembly and certain compromised Judicial officers at very high places to undermine the sovereignty of the people ostensibly to clear the path for a totalitarian system in our country.”

The opposition party warned that suspending elected leaders in Rivers State and appointing a sole administrator, among other violations, poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

It also urged the National Assembly, judiciary, and the Independent National Electoral Commission to uphold their constitutional independence and act strictly in accordance with the rule of law and the will of the people, in order to protect democratic principles.

“The PDP therefore demands that the APC administration respects the memory of Chief Abiola, the law and sovereignty of the Nigerian people by adhering to the Principle of Separation of Powers, end the intrusion in the activities of the National Assembly and other Democracy Institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Judiciary, allow for a free press, commit to credible elections, be truthful, transparent and review all its poverty weaponizing policies.

“Against this backdrop, our Party demands that the National Assembly, the Judiciary and INEC assert their Constitutional Independence and operate only on the basis of the Rule of Law and the collective interest of the people in the promotion of the tenets of democracy.”

NNPP Publicity Secretary, Johnson, stated that the President’s comments about the opposition exposed his real agenda toward opposition leaders and parties.

He stated, “What he said in his earlier statements shows the position he really wants, to put opposition in disarray. Explaining it now is an afterthought. What we have seen from the various parties—the crises in some of them, in one way or another, are linked to people within their party instigating or encouraging the turmoil.

“I agree with him that it is not his job, or that of his party, to ensure that the opposition is well-organised. But the truth of it all the President and APC leaders are behind the opposition parties’ crisis.

“I think he should learn that democracy feeds on constructive opposition. A multi-party liberal democracy thrives on constructive opposition. It is of no use stifling or ensuring that no one is there to present an alternative vision of how the country should be run. It is always good to have that. The opposition is very important.”

Meanwhile, the APC stated that Nigeria was led by a courageous reformer and one of democracy’s finest.

The ruling party said that under President Tinubu, the democratic space remains vibrant, with citizens and political stakeholders freely exercising their rights to expression and association in the lead-up to the next election cycle.

The party stated, “Fortuitously, today, our country is led by one of democracy’s finest, fearless and resilient champions, President Bola Tinubu, a visionary leader and bold reformer. Under his watch, our country has finally risen to its feet to tackle deep-seated structural challenges and barriers to national growth and development.

“President Tinubu has initiated unprecedented policy reforms and interventions designed to restore vitality to the economy and pull our country back from the brink onto safer, solid ground. He has demonstrated courage and political will to perennial problems where other Presidents before him faltered. He has chosen to bear witness to his oath of office by upholding and defending Nigeria’s strategic best interest rather than pander to momentary calculations of political self-interest. Putting Nigeria first has now become embedded at the core of state policy under this President of Progress.

“Two years of President Tinubu’s administration’s reforms, encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda, and centred on economic restructuring and revitalisation, infrastructure development, agriculture and food security, citizens’ welfare and national security have begun to yield results and benefits for our people. The policies, also designed to promote social and economic inclusion of Nigerians, have secured improved minimum wage, access to student loans, NHIS health care subsidies, improved food prices, competitive pricing and stable supply of petroleum products nationwide, thanks to global standard innovations in the petroleum sector, and breaking news report of a N5.17trn trade surplus in Q1 of 2025.

“The administration has achieved the elusive financial autonomy for local governments, and massively increased federal allocations to states, now positioned to pay off suffocating loans and improve service and infrastructure delivery. Our tetiarry institutions are now better funded, and crippling incessant strikes have abated.

“Despite growing insecurity in the Sahel region with its spillover impact on Nigeria’s security, this administration has continued to tackle insecurity with ironclad resolve and with many recorded successes nationwide and has revitalised the country’s security architecture through investment and use of advanced technology and intelligence-gathering techniques.”

The APC reiterated its dedication to democratic values and expressed its support for President Tinubu and his administration’s initiatives to create a better future for all Nigerians.

It added, “Our democratic space remains robust with citizens and political actors exercising their democratic freedom of expression and association ahead of the next electoral cycle. As the President’s strides win more interest in his groundbreaking reforms, among opposition politicians who are choosing to support the Renewed Hope Agenda by joining our great Party, some desperate opposition figures continue to baselessly chorus tales of the APC’s attempt to foist a one-party state, among other imagined absurdities.

“No democratic norm imposes any obligation on the ruling Party to intervene to solve the internal crisis or failure of leadership of opposition parties. The utter dysfunction and chaos in major opposition parties speak to their incapacity to govern themselves, much less govern Nigeria.

“Democratic governance remains the best solution to Nigeria’s challenges,  and this administration is putting democracy to work for the economy and for more peace, well-being and security of all our people.”

A Nigerian-Australian woman, Binta Abubakar, has been arrested by the Australian Federal Police for allegedly trafficking students from Papua New Guinea and forcing them into unpaid labour on farms across Queensland under the guise of educational scholarships.

Abubakar, 56, was arrested on Wednesday at the Brisbane Airport upon arrival from Papua New Guinea, where she was primarily based.

Her arrest follows a two-year investigation by the AFP’s Northern Command Human Trafficking Team, which launched a probe into her activities in July 2022 after receiving a tip-off from Queensland Police.

According to the AFP, “A group of PNG nationals who had moved to Australia to study were instead allegedly forced to work against their will on farms.”

The dual citizen reportedly lured at least 15 PNG nationals, aged between 19 and 35, to Australia between March 2021 and July 2023 through her company, BIN Educational Services and Consulting, by offering fake full educational scholarships.

The report disclosed that her company’s website claimed to offer a “holistic and modern approach to education, training, and employment.”

However, police said the reality was far different.

Once in Australia, the students were allegedly coerced into signing a series of legal documents obligating them to repay unspecified “costs associated with tuition, airfares, visa applications, insurance, and legal fees.”

To settle these debts, they were reportedly forced to work on fruit farms in Queensland, including in Lockyer Valley and Stanthorpe, often in violation of their visa conditions.

According to police, the students were made to work “10 hours a day, seven days a week,” while their wages were allegedly collected and withheld by Abubakar to pay off the so-called debt.

“The farmers did not know of Abubakar’s alleged scheme,” the AFP stated.

The report further alleged that when students resisted or failed to comply, Abubakar threatened to report them to immigration or intimidate their families back home in PNG.

“She would allegedly receive the wages on the workers’ behalf and withhold them.

“If they refused to comply, Abubakar allegedly threatened to have the students deported or intimidated their family in PNG,” the police noted.

Abubakar has been charged with 31 offences, including four counts of trafficking in persons, 14 counts of deceptive recruiting for labour or services, and 13 counts of engaging in conduct that caused a person to enter into debt bondage.

She was granted conditional bail and is expected to appear in court again on September 19.

The AFP Detective, Superintendent Adrian Telfer, condemned the alleged exploitation, stating, “The AFP is committed to protecting vulnerable foreign workers who are targeted by those driven by greed and profits.”

He added, “Victims of debt bondage and other human trafficking offences can be lured to Australia with a promise of a dream career or free education—things they may not have access to in their country of origin.

“If the conditions of that promise change, it can leave victims in an extremely vulnerable situation in a foreign country, where they are likely to have little financial or emotional support and face issues with language barriers.”

Telfer assured the public that the AFP remained focused on victim welfare and urged them to report any suspected exploitation of foreign workers.

“The AFP can help people who are exploited. We are focused on ensuring the welfare of victims,” he said.

This incident comes less than two months after authorities in western Germany arrested 13 suspected members of a Nigerian mafia group.

Over 3,000 titleholders in the Federal Capital Territory, including prominent government institutions, state liaison offices, and several foreign embassies, are facing imminent loss of properties due to failure to pay statutory ground rents owed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

With less than four days remaining on a fresh 14-day ultimatum, the FCTA may recommence its enforcement drive, including sealing up defaulting properties and initiating revocation processes.

The administration’s action followed years of mounting unpaid ground rents, with debts of government agencies and state-owned liaison offices, public officials, and foreign embassies now totaling over N24bn, as contained in a publication by the FCTA on June 2, 2024.

The document released by the FCTA’s Department of Land Administration listed a total of 3,383 defaulters who had failed to remit their annual ground rents between 2014 and 2024 — a statutory requirement under the terms of their Rights of Occupancy.

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The administration warned that failure to comply would lead to revocation of titles and the withdrawal of Certificates of Occupancy, as stipulated under the Land Use Act.

“The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) hereby wishes to remind the general public, particularly allottees/title holders of landed properties in the Federal Capital Territory, of their obligations to the FCTA as stipulated in the covenanted terms and conditions of the Rights of Occupancy/Certificates of Occupancy to wit: “pay in advance without demand to the Federal Capital Territory Administration the Annual Ground Rent from the first date of January of each year.

“Accordingly all allottees/property owners, as well as beneficiaries of landed properties from the scheme of sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT who have not paid or settled their Ground Rents up to the Year 2024 are hereby given fourteen (14) days from the date of this publication to pay their ground rents, to avoid revocation or withdrawal of title,” the notice read.

Among the top government entities owing large sums are the Nigerian Navy (N5.2bn), the Department of Petroleum Resources (N1.5bn), the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (N693m), and the Federal High Court (N4.1bn).

State governments and their liaison offices in the capital — including Lagos, Kwara, Jigawa, Benue, Ondo, Adamawa, Osun, and Enugu — owing a combined N7.15bn are also listed as defaulters.

On the international front, the debt list includes embassies of major countries such as the Royal Thai Embassy, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Saudi Arabian Embassy, the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, and the Canadian High Commission. While the embassies’ debt amounts are comparatively modest — ranging from N500 to N12,000 — their presence on the defaulters’ list carries heavy diplomatic and symbolic implications.

Altogether, government bodies owe N23.85bn, while foreign missions account for an additional N3.66m, totalling N23.86bn.

On Monday the 26th of May 2025, enforcement teams comprising officials from the FCTA’s Land Department, Legal Secretariat, and Abuja Metropolitan Management Council began the enforcement of sealing of properties of 4,794 defaulters on ground rent payments between 10 and 43 years.

The FCT team sealed high-profile buildings, including the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the headquarters of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, and a branch of Access Bank, all located in the Wuse area of the Territory.

Following the action, the President intervened, granting a 14-day grace period to affected property holders to settle their outstanding obligations. 

The Director of Land, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, disclosed the development at a press briefing in Abuja, noting, however, that the defaulters would pay penalty fees of N2m and N3m respectively, depending on the location.

Sources within the Lands Department informed our correspondent that several affected institutions rushed to make payments following the ultimatum.

However, defaulters may lose their titles when the fresh ultimatum expired on Monday June 16th 2025.

However, defaulters may lose their titles when the fresh ultimatum expired on Monday June 16th 2025.

Meanwhile, some of the defaulting embassies have denied any wrongdoing, with others claiming they had not been served a notice of the claimed debts by the Wike-led administration.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation, for instance, denied knowledge of any debts.

“The Embassy pays all bills for the rent of the territory on which the Embassy complex is located in good faith and on time. The Embassy also has all necessary documents confirming payment,” it stated.

Similarly, the Embassy of Turkiye questioned its inclusion on the FCTA’s list, citing a possible administrative error.

The German Embassy had, also in a chat with The PUNCH, clarified that it had not received any formal claim or demand regarding unpaid ren, brought to its attention by the FCTA.

“We would like to clarify that no such claim or demand has been formally brought to our attention by the Federal Capital Territory Administration,” the embassy stated, insisting that all official financial obligations relating to the embassy’s premises had been settled as of the end of 2024, adding that there are no known outstanding payments.

Similarly, the Embassy of Ghana resolved to reach out to the Foreign Affairs Ministry on ways to resolve the issue, though it had not been notified officially of the development.

The embassy stated, “The High Commission has noted the publication but has not been officially communicated to. We will liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter.”

When our correspondent reached out to find out how many defaulters had paid up their debts or when enforcements may begin, Olayinka, simply responded “a notice was published on June 2.”

The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwakwoeze, did not respond to enquiries by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.

Nigeria’s petrol import bill fell significantly in the first quarter of 2025, dropping to N1.76tn from the N3.81tn recorded in the same period in 2024, representing a difference of over N2tn.

According to the latest foreign trade statistics report released by the National Bureau of Statistics, this represents a 54 per cent year-on-year decline.

The sharp fall also reflects a 47 per cent reduction from the fourth quarter of 2024, when petrol imports stood at N3.3tn. The decline has been largely attributed to increased domestic supply from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which has been ramping up operations in the country.

The refinery’s growing contribution is beginning to displace foreign petrol suppliers and reduce Nigeria’s long-standing dependence on imported refined fuel. A five-year trend analysis shows a steady rise in petrol imports until 2024. In Q1 2020, petrol imports stood at N732bn, rising to N1.29tn in Q1 2021 and more than doubling to N2.69tn in Q1 2022.

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Although the figure slightly dipped to N2.03tn in Q1 2023, it spiked to an all-time high of N3.81tn in Q1 2024. The sharp reversal in 2025 to N1.76tn marks a return to pre-2022 levels and signals a possible structural shift in the country’s petroleum trade dynamics.

The report also shows that petrol was Nigeria’s most imported product from ECOWAS countries in Q1 2025, accounting for N89.18bn or 44.51 per cent of all imports from the region.

It also represented 41.86 per cent of Nigeria’s total imports from West Africa and 11.63 per cent of imports from the entire African continent.

Despite gains in local refining, these figures indicate that regional trade routes remain crucial in meeting domestic fuel demand, especially as full local sufficiency is yet to be achieved.

Other notable petroleum-based imports from the ECOWAS region during the quarter included gas oil (N23.15bn) and petroleum bitumen (N20.58bn), further highlighting the sector’s influence on Nigeria’s trade profile.

Petrol also featured among the top five most imported commodities nationwide, alongside gas oil, crude petroleum oils, cane sugar for refining, and durum wheat.

The NBS report read, “The most traded commodities imported during the quarter were, Gas oil, Motor spirit ordinary, Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, Cane sugar meant for sugar refinery, and Durum wheat (Not in seeds).

The declining import trend corresponds with the growing influence of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which is currently producing around 85 per cent of its 650,000 barrels per day installed capacity.

The refinery’s entry has created greater competition in the downstream market, with petrol retail prices in Lagos dropping to as low as N860 per litre in early 2025.

However, operations at the facility have faced early challenges. In March, Dangote Refinery temporarily suspended local currency sales due to difficulty in sourcing foreign exchange, as the refinery purchases crude oil in dollars but receives payments in naira.

The Federal Government has since stepped in to resolve the naira-for-crude bottleneck, allowing the refinery to continue the deal and reducing Nigeria’s reliance on petrol imports.

The President of the Dangote Group and founder of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Aliko Dangote, earlier said that there would be an announcement of what he called a major ‘shakedown’ in the entire country soon.

Dangote said this was not about price reduction, but the complete overhaul of the downstream sector. He stated this in an interview with newsmen following the recent visit of President Bola Tinubu to the $20bn refinery in Lekki, Lagos.

Asked to mention the ‘big thing’ he had in store for Nigerians with the refinery, Dangote replied, “Now that the President has visited and he has given us additional energy, we will inform you, you will hear from us soon, and that will be one of the major shakedowns in the entire country. It is not the reduction of price, it will be the total overhaul of the downstream.”

Dangote, who refused to let the cat out of the bag, noted that the company would go on a “massive trajectory” with the refinery.

“I told the President that he had not seen anything yet, we are going on a massive trajectory, much more than what you have seen here. If you come back in the next five years, the refinery will be on the back burner,” he stated

The businessman also restated that the refinery would be listed on the stock exchange market, starting with the fertiliser company this year. Dangote noted that the refinery offered extensive benefits to the Nigerian economy and its people, declaring that the days of long fuel queues were over in Nigeria.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic transformation, supporting your administration’s efforts to build a self-reliant, globally competitive nation. We have remained Nigeria’s highest tax-paying company. With continued collaboration and shared resolve, we are confident that the journey ahead will usher in even greater opportunities for our people and our country,” Dangote said.

An operative of the Osun State Amotekun Corps, Sheriff Ogundiran, has been announced to have collapsed in his house while preparing for work and was later confirmed dead minutes later.

The spokesperson for the corps, Yusuf Idowu, during an interview with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, explained that Ogundiran suddenly took ill at home and could not be revived.

Idowu said Ogundiran, who until his death, served as the Provost of the B Division at the Ila-Orangun Command, “collapsed unexpectedly and was later confirmed dead,” noting that the death left a profound void within the corps and the larger security community in Osun State.

In a condolence message signed by the Osun Amotekun Corps Commander, Mr. Adekunle Omoyele, in Osogbo, the organisation condoled with the late Ogundiran’s family, friends, colleagues, and the entire community of Ila-Orangun.

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Describing the deceased as a disciplined, loyal, and tireless operative, Omoyele further said, “Sheriff Ogundiran was more than just an operative; he was a pillar of our operational command structure and a proud son of Osun who served with unwavering dedication to the security of our people. 

Osun Amotekun operative slumps, dies while preparing for work

Nigeria have retained their position as the highest-ranked women’s football team in Africa, following the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking published on June 12, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Despite a marginal increase of just 0.8 points, which saw them rise from 1622.49 to 1623.29 points, the nine-time African champions remain the continent’s best, holding firm at 36th in the world.

The rankings reflect matches played since the last update on March 6, 2025, in which Nigeria didn’t play any game but returned for two games against Cameroon in the May-June international window, recording one win and cancelling the other.

South Africa continues to trail Nigeria as the continent’s second-best side, ranked 54th globally with 1488.49 points. However, Banyana Banyana dropped 1.57 points from their previous tally of 1490.06, despite an impressive four-match winning streak.

Morocco, one of Africa’s best performers at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, dropped eight points to settle at 1419.63, falling to 60th in the global standings.

Cameroon made the most notable progress among African teams, despite losing their only game in the last international window to Nigeria. The Indomitable Lionesses climbed two places up to 64th with a 7.3-point increase to 1396.2.

Zambia, who continue to show promise on the continental stage, slipped slightly to 65th after losing 4.67 points. The Copper Queens’ recent form has been patchy, drawing twice and losing twice.

Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire remain unchanged in terms of points, each holding steady at 66th and 72nd, respectively. Both nations had mixed results, with Ghana recording a loss and a draw, while the Ivorians claimed a win and a draw.

Further down the African rankings, Mali (78th), Senegal (81st), and Algeria (82nd) all recorded no points change, each drawing all their fixtures in the match window.

Globally, the United States remain top despite a recent defeat to Brazil. Spain and Germany are closing in, while Brazil’s resurgence, including a victory over the Americans, has propelled them to fourth place. Egypt, Africa’s biggest climber, moved up seven places to 93rd, marking the most significant leap in the global rankings.

The next FIFA Women’s World Ranking update is scheduled for August 7, 2025, 10 days after the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations while the men’s ranking is scheduled to be officially released by the global governing body on July 10, 2025.

A political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has called for the restructuring of Nigeria before the 2027 general election.

Utomi made this appeal while speaking at the June 12: Annual Democracy Day National Dialogue in Ikeja on Thursday.

DAILY POST reports that the programme, which was organised by the June 12 Pro-Democracy Movement of Nigeria, is themed: ‘Democracy Without a Democratic Constitution: Which Way for Nigeria?’

According to Utomi, Nigeria’s democracy would be strengthened with total restructuring. “The agitation for total restructuring through will stabilize and advance democracy in the country.

“This is because the present democracy is not the type of democracy Chief Abiola sacrificed his life for,” he said.

The political economist stated further that the present political and economic structure of the country, and “the unworkable 1999 constitution” were a big challenge for democracy.

He urged all Nigerians to accept restructuring as a vehicle for deepening democracy and strengthening the country.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu would win the confidence of the electorate if he listened to the agitations of Afenifere, Ohanaeze and other ethnic groups on restructuring.

Utomi urged Nigerians to guard democracy jealously and be wary of anti-democracy forces and their agents in the country

A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, says professors have constantly rejected bribes offered to them by politicians during elections

Jega defended the inclusion of academics in the conduct of Nigeria’s elections, saying they have brought integrity into the electoral process.

Jega stated this on Thursday during the June 12, Democracy Day edition of The Platform, a socio-political programme hosted by a Lagos-based church, Covenant Nation.

Recall that Jega, an academic and former vice-chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, began the deployment of university professors and vice-chancellors as returning officers and ad hoc staff during elections when he served as the chairman of INEC between 2010 and 2015.

According to him, the fact that one or two professors have been prosecuted for electoral offences should not rubbish the hard work and integrity that academics have brought into Nigeria’s electoral processes.

“Election was terrible by the time we came to INEC. I was lucky, I was a co-chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors before I went to INEC.

“So, I used the vice-chancellors to help us get academic staff with good, transparent selection criteria, which they vouch for. That’s how we started using academic staff during elections.

“Up till 2015, in fact after the 2011 elections, the NBA (Nigerian Bar Association), and the NSE (The Nigerian Society of Engineers), all came and said they wanted to participate in the elections but we said: ‘Look, when you are doing something and it works, why change it?’

“So, we stuck with the professors, and I can tell you frankly, the level of integrity they brought to the election (is unmatched).

“A vice chancellor who has served 35 years in the university system, who has a few years to retire, a substantial overwhelming majority of them are not going to damage their integrity that they built over the years on the matters of election,” he said

The youth arm of the Idoma apex socio-cultural group, Ochetoha K’Idoma, has distanced itself from a rally held in support of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia in Makurdi on Thursday.

Daily Post reports that while victims of Fulani herdsmen attacks are languishing in hospitals and families of the deceased are mourning, a group of Benue State youths and women on Thursday staged a rally in Makurdi to support the present administration.

The youths, under the aegis of pro-Tinubu/Alia support groups, stormed major streets of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, drumming support for second terms for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia.

They brandished placards with inscriptions such as: ‘Tiv, Idoma, Igede support Tinubu’, ‘Idoma, Tiv, Igede Youths are proud of you Alia’, and ‘No Alia, No Benue’, among others.

Reacting to the rally, the President of the Ochetoha K’Idoma youth wing, Comrade Mike Magaji, said no Idoma person was part of the rally.

He described the demonstrators as “hired hungry people” who were paid to launder the image of President Tinubu and Governor Alia.

Speaking with Daily Post on Thursday evening, Magaji said the Idoma people are mourning their loved ones murdered by herdsmen and can never be part of any rally in support of those who failed to protect them.

He said, “We can never be part of such a shameful outing. Those were hired hungry people who were paid to launder the image of Mr President and Alia.

“It is a shame. So, we, Idoma youths, disassociate ourselves from any support group. We were not part of it and can never be part of any rally in support of those who have failed to protect us.

“It would be stupid to think that we would support someone who is not protecting our lives and property