The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board on Wednesday finally admitted to errors which affected the performance of students during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The Registrar of the Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede admitted to this during an ongoing press briefing in Abuja.

“What should have been a moment of joy has changed due to one or two errors,” Oloyede said.

The UTME is a critical prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria. It tests candidates in four subjects, including the compulsory Use of English, with the other three drawn from their proposed field of study.

Of the 1.9 million candidates who sat the UTME, over 1.5 million reportedly scored below 200 out of the maximum 400 marks, raising concerns across the education sector.

According to the examination agency, a total of 1,955,069 results were processed, out of which only 4,756 candidates (0.24 per cent) scored 320 and above, considered top-tier performance, while 7,658 candidates (0.39 per cent) scored between 300 and 319, bringing the total for those who scored 300 and above to 12,414 candidates (0.63 per cent).

Also, 73,441 candidates (3.76 per cent) scored between 250 and 299 while 334,560 candidates (17.11 per cent) scored between 200 and 249.

A total of 983,187 candidates (50.29 per cent) scored between 160 and 199, which is widely regarded as the minimum threshold for admissions in many institutions.

In the same vein, 488,197 candidates (24.97 per cent) scored between 140 and 159, 57,419 candidates (2.94 per cent) scored between 120 and 139, 3,820 candidates (0.20 per cent) scored between 100 and 119, and 2,031 candidates (0.10 per cent) scored below 100.

Over 75 per cent of all candidates (1.5 million) scored below 200, average score seeing as the examination is graded over 400.

Some affected candidates threatened to initiate a lawsuit against JAMB.

Details later…

The Senate on Wednesday passed a proposed ₦1.783 trillion statutory appropriation bill for the Federal Capital Territory for the 2025 financial year for second reading.

President Bola Tinubu formally presented the budget proposal in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, urging the Senators to fast-track its passage to facilitate critical development projects within the FCT.

In the letter, which Akpabio read, Tinubu emphasised that the budget presentation complies with Section 299 of the Nigerian Constitution, empowering the President to lay the FCT’s budget before the National Assembly.

The President highlighted that the proposed budget would boost key sectors, including health, social welfare, agriculture, and employment, stressing that its passage is crucial for delivering an effective and service-oriented administration to FCT residents.

Tinubu outlined that 85% of the total allocation would be directed towards completing ongoing infrastructure and development projects, while the remaining 15% would fund new initiatives.

“The passage of the budget would facilitate investment in health and social welfare, increase agricultural production, and improve job creation.

“I urge the National Assembly to give this budget the urgent attention it deserves, in the interest of accelerating development within the FCT,” he added. 

Immediately after the letter was read at plenary, the FCT budget went through its first reading and was subsequently presented for second reading.

The budget breakdown includes N150.35 billion for personnel costs, N343.78 billion for overhead, and N1.29 trillion allocated for capital projects.

To facilitate the process, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), called for the suspension of Senate Standing Order 78(1), allowing the bill to scale second reading on the same day it was introduced.

The accelerated procedure, however, faced opposition from Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), who raised concerns about the lack of prior distribution of the bill’s copies to Senators before the debate, citing Order 77 (3 and 4) of the Senate rules.

Despite the objections, the Senate proceeded to debate the general principles of the FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill for the 2025 fiscal year.

Leading the debate, Bamidele explained that the bill seeks to authorise the issuance of ₦1.783 trillion from the FCT Administration’s Statutory Revenue Fund to finance personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures from January 1 to December 31, 2025.

Bamidele emphasised that the primary objective of the budget is to ensure an effective, service-oriented administration with a strong focus on completing ongoing projects that are critical to infrastructure and essential services in Abuja.

He further noted that while the budget prioritises the continuation of existing projects, it also introduces new initiatives deemed crucial for the growth and sustainability of the FCT.

However, the bill was referred to the Senate Committees on FCT, Area Councils, and Auxiliary Matters for further legislative action, with a report expected back at plenary within one week.

A major scandal has rocked the Lagos State civil service after it was revealed that 30% of civil servants sent abroad for training have failed to return to Nigeria.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Afolabi Ayantayo, revealed this during a press briefing on Wednesday, to mark the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.

Speaking openly, Ayantayo said the government’s goal of building a better workforce through international training has been affected by the growing “Japa syndrome”—a slang term used to describe the increasing number of Nigerians leaving the country for better opportunities abroad.

“When asked how many staff returned home from such training,” Ayantayo said grimly, “while 70% returned, 30% failed to come back.”

He explained that the state is serious about training its workers, saying, “A total of 23,420 staff members benefitted from various training interventions between May 2022 and December 2024.

“Within the same period, over 185 training programmes were organised which cut across multiple cadres, skill levels and thematic areas relevant to public sector efficiency, leadership development and regulatory compliance.”

Despite this large investment, the fact that nearly a third of the trainees stayed back abroad has raised serious concerns about how the programme is monitored and how the state plans to retain its workers.

Ayantayo also said about 8,000 civil servants across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies have been granted study leave in the last three years to improve their qualifications and skills.

He highlighted some of the ministry’s achievements, including Governor Sanwo-Olu’s approval of a N35,000 wage increase for workers to reduce the effect of economic hardship.

In the health sector, Ayantayo said the state has paid the Medical Residency Training Fund, Rural Allowance for Primary Healthcare Workers, and also given bonuses and wage awards to staff of the Lagos State College of Medicine.

However, when asked about severance packages for political appointees whose terms have ended, the Commissioner “was, however, silent on the amount of severance allowance the state government paid to political office holders whose tenure have expired.”

The Lagos State Government has said it is working to introduce monthly and quarterly rent payment options as part of efforts to reduce the financial pressure on residents, especially low-income earners.

The state Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, disclosed this on Tuesday during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing to mark Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second year in office.

Akinderu-Fatai said the planned policy is a continuation of the state’s drive to make housing more accessible and affordable.

He recalled the government’s earlier rent-to-own scheme, which allows beneficiaries to make a five per cent initial payment and spread the balance over 10 years. 

“That initiative was well-received, and its success encouraged us to explore new ways to reduce the pressure of yearly rent payment,” he said.

He noted that many residents find annual rent payments difficult and that the new system is expected to provide relief.

“We believe that monthly or quarterly payment options will give people more breathing space and reduce the stress associated with sourcing lump sums,” he added.

He added that the government is currently consulting with landlords, developers, and other stakeholders to resolve potential challenges related to enforcement and payment systems before rolling out the initiative.

“Of course, there are issues to resolve — things like landlord cooperation, payment tracking, and enforcement. But discussions are ongoing, and we are listening to all sides,” he said.

He revealed that a pilot phase is being planned in selected areas of the state.

“This is not just policy on paper. We are making real progress. We know what this means for many families, and we are determined to make it happen,” he stated.

The Senate has strongly denied allegations that a serving Senator was the man in a viral video showing a romantic scene inside what appears to be an office, dismissing the claims that the setting is within the National Assembly complex in Abuja. 

The video, which resurfaced and began trending on social media on Tuesday, quickly sparked outrage and widespread speculations. Many online users claimed that the footage showed a Nigerian Senator engaged in inappropriate conduct within a Senate office.

However, in a swift rebuttal, the Senate, through its spokesperson and chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, described the claims as baseless.

According to a report by an online newspaper, Adaramodu insisted that the man seen in the viral video was not a current member of the Senate.

“That’s not the picture of any Senator who is presently serving in the Nigerian Senate,” Adaramodu said. “That video has been online for the past four to five years. I saw it even before I became a Senator. Even when I was in the House of Representatives, the video had already been circulating.”

He also refuted suggestions that the video was filmed in the National Assembly complex, arguing that the office design in the clip does not resemble any part of the Senate.

“There is no office architectural configuration like that in the Senate. None. I can open up to 10 offices for you to compare. That place is not in the Senate,” he added.

Sahara Reporters also corroborated Adaramodu’s claim, confirming that the video is not recent and has been recycled multiple times on the internet over the years. Still, the Senate’s explanation has not quelled public skepticism, as social media users continue to express doubt and call for greater accountability from elected officials.

As of press time, neither the identity of the man nor the woman in the video has been officially established.

The Senate, however, maintained that it has no connection to the controversial footage and has urged the public to avoid drawing conclusions based on viral misinformation.

Richard Montgomery, the British high commissioner to Nigeria, says Africa’s most populous nation has morphed into a more investible destination.

He attributed the progress to President Bola Tinubu’s “big and bold” economic reforms. 

Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Montgomery said the UK sees growing opportunities in Nigeria for a combination of reasons. 

“I’ve been very public previously about commending the big and bold economic reforms being taken by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

“We all know about the abolition of the fuel subsidy, we all know about the unification of the exchange rate system, and my headline this morning is that these economic reforms are paying off, and these economic reforms are now making Nigeria more investible.

“I realise that some of these reforms for ordinary people are painful. 

“Inflation is still high, it’s in the 20 percent territory, the mid-20s. And it’s going to take time to bring that rate down.

“But we can see very good prospects for that rate coming down in the coming months and years.” 

HIGH COMMISSION AGREES WITH WORLD BANK’S NDU

He said the commission agrees with the World Bank’s May 2025 Nigeria Development Update (NDU), whose main thrust is that the naira is now more stable, adding that a predictable economic environment buoys investments.

“Foreign exchange reserves are up, significantly up, so that makes Nigeria less risky. There’s been a very big increase in government revenue collection, not by raising tax banks, but by tax administration and management,” Montgomery added.

“It’s almost a 90 percent increase in the amount of resources we’ve collected, partly through administrative management and making sure that revenues from various MDAs reach the treasury, and that increase in revenue means reductions in fiscal deficit.

“It means that the combination of increased revenue and the abolition of the fuel subsidy have doubled federal allocations to the states, enabling more investments in infrastructure as well as public services.

“Most importantly, we’re seeing a growth rate in Nigeria too, so between 2015 and 2019, the growth rate in Nigeria was an average of 2 percent.

“It’s now, in the last 12 months, at least about 3.5 percent. But most positively, in the last quarter for which we have data, it’s up to 4.6 percent. So there’s a real uptick in growth.”

The British envoy added that businesses are looking to expand and optimism is growing, as evidenced by a significant rise in the purchasing manager’s index (PMI).

The World Bank says Nigeria could boost its customs revenue by 66 percent if the federal government eliminates arbitrary tariff deviations and import bans.

In its Nigeria Development Update (May 2025 edition), the World Bank warned that current trade policies distort prices, petrol smuggling, and weaken customs enforcement, ultimately costing the country billions in lost revenue. 

The report also linked the tariff policy to lost government revenue, noting that high tariffs and import bans contribute to evasion and reduce customs collections.

World Bank noted that the deviations push consumer prices up, encourage smuggling, and weaken customs enforcement.

“Lifting them could increase current customs revenues by 66 percent, contributing to the ongoing fiscal adjustment,” the report said.

“The government should consider seizing the opportunity created by the market-reflective, competitive exchange rate to reorient trade policy for growth and jobs.

“Nigeria maintains higher-than-average tariffs on many products, bans the imports of others, and imposes many non-tariff barriers. The average tariff rate in the country is twice as high as the sub-Saharan average.”

The Bretton Woods institution said that with the naira now more competitive, domestic producers are better positioned to compete with imports and take advantage of export markets.

“To produce more and export more competitively, Nigerian firms also need to import, including intermediate goods and services,” the report added.

The bank advised the federal government to align tariffs with the ECOWAS CET and start with food items, given their direct impact on household welfare.

CET is a system where all member countries of ECOWAS apply the same customs duties, import quotas, and preferences to goods entering the region from third countries

‘TRADE RESTRICTIONS HURTING POOR NGERIANS’

World Bank warned that current trade restrictions are disproportionately hurting poorer Nigerians.

“Reducing tariffs and import bans would confer direct benefits to consumers, giving them access to more products at lower prices, lowering inflationary pressure, boosting their purchasing power, and offering relief in the context of high cost-of-living pressures,” the report said.

“Import bans increase prices by an estimated 5.8 percent on average in Nigeria, particularly for products more intensely consumed by poorer households, such as food and medical products. Lifting import bans could lower poverty rates by an estimated 2.6 percentage points.”

The World Bank recommendation comes more than a month after the United States Trade Representative (USTR) faulted Nigeria’s import ban on 25 items, saying the restrictions limit market access for American exporters.

In Q1 2025, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it collected N1.75 trillion as revenue.

Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller-general (CG) of customs, said the amount surpassed the service’s Q1 benchmark of N1.65 trillion.

Adeniyi added that the figure also represents a 29.96 percent increase compared to the N1.35 trillion generated in the same period of 2024.

A high court in the federal capital territory (FCT) has dismissed a privacy violation suit filed by Ali Bello, a nephew to Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi, against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Sylvanus Oriji, the presiding judge, on Tuesday, ruled that Ali Bello, chief of staff to the Kogi state governor, failed to prove that Akpoti-Uduaghan, Kogi central senator, violated his fundamental rights to privacy.

THE CASE

In March 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had published an X post announcing that it had filed charges against the former Kogi governor over alleged N84 billion fraud.

Responding to the post, the Kogi senator, via her handle @NatashaAkpoti, wrote: “Dear @officialEFCC why did you delete this post on Facebook after I commented and requested that you kindly help find my favourite storybook “The Defeated White Lion” at No. 1 Dala Hills street, off Agulu Lake street, Maitama, Abuja. That White House was amongst the 14 properties you approached the court for forfeiture in December 2022. Don’t delete this tweet o. Thanks and God bless Nigeria.”

THE JUDGMENT 

In his judgment, Oriji held that three issues were meant to be resolved in the suit, including whether the X post violated Bello’s privacy and his home, and the prayers sought against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The judge ruled that the senator’s X post referenced the house address, which is a public space, and did not mention Bello’s name. 

The judge held that Bello has a right to privacy but dismissed the public apology and N1 billion compensation sought against the senator.

The judge criticised the Kogi senator for posting the picture of the applicant’s house on X, adding that such conduct is “improper”.

“It is improper, reprehensible, and unconscionable for a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to post a picture of the applicant’s house and the house address in her X social media handle without just cause,” he said.

“Such conduct must be and is thereby deprecated by the court.”

Monalisa Stephen, a controversial Nollywood actress and media personality has passed away after a brief illness.

The Chief Executive Officer of Best of Nollywood (BON) Seun Oloketuyi, via his Instagram on Wednesday announced the sad news, disclosing that the controversial actress died yesterday, May 13th after battling low blood sugar and internal bleeding.

He added that the deceased actress’ sister confirmed her passing. Sharing the photo, he wrote: “Brand influencer Monalisa Ayobami Stephen is dead,she died yesterday in Lagos after losing the fight against Low sugar and internal bleeding, Her immediate younger sister confirmed the death of this hardworking and beautiful soul.”

More details later..

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in collaboration with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), has launched the non-resident bank verification number (NRBVN) platform to ease access to financial services for Nigerians in the diaspora.

Unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja, the digital platform allows Nigerians abroad to obtain their BVN remotely, eliminating the long-standing requirement of physical presence in Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch, Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN, described the NRBVN as a major leap in the apex bank’s financial inclusion agenda, particularly for Nigerians living outside the country.

“For too long, many Nigerians abroad have faced difficulties accessing financial services at home due to physical verification requirements,” Cardoso said.

“The NRBVN changes that. Through secure digital verification and robust KYC processes, Nigerians worldwide can now access financial services more easily and affordably.”

Cardoso said the platform would not only boost access but also drive innovation and deepen trust in Nigeria’s financial system.

“We are building a secure, efficient, and inclusive financial ecosystem for Nigerians globally,” he said.

“This platform is not just about financial access—it’s about national inclusion, innovation, and shared prosperity.”

Highlighting the importance of diaspora remittances, the CBN governor said inflows rose from $3.3 billion in 2023 to $4.73 billion in 2024, driven in part by recent foreign exchange reforms.

He expressed optimism that the NRBVN, along with complementary policy measures, could help Nigeria reach its target of $1 billion in monthly remittances.

“With the introduction of NRBVN and complementary policy measures, we are optimistic about achieving our ambitious target of \$1bn in monthly remittance flows,” Cardoso added.

NRBVN COMPLIES WITH GLOBAL AML, KYC STANDARDS

Premier Oiwoh, managing director and chief executive officer of NIBSS, gave a technical overview of the platform, noting that it aligns with global anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) standards.

Oiwoh said the platform is built to ensure security, transparency, and ease of use for Nigerians abroad.

Also speaking, Muhammad Abdullahi, deputy governor, economic policy at the CBN, described the NRBVN as a “transformational tool” that would strengthen economic ties with the diaspora.

“Together, we stand at the threshold of a new era, poised to deepen trust, enhance remittance growth, and forge a stronger connection between Nigeria and its global citizens,” he said.

The NRBVN is part of a broader framework that includes the non-resident ordinary account and the non-resident Nigerian investment account, which provide Nigerians abroad with access to savings, mortgages, pensions, insurance, and investment products in the Nigerian financial ecosystem.