Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a major crackdown on UK immigration to reduce migration numbers through tougher rules on work and study visas.

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street on Monday, Starmer said the country needed a “clean break from the past” to fix a “broken” immigration system.

He pledged that net migration, which stood at 728,000 in the year to June 2024, according to the UK Home Office, would fall “significantly” under his government.

“Migration will fall, that’s a promise. Every area of the immigration system, including work, family and study, will be tightened up so we have more control. Enforcement will be tougher than ever,” he stated.

The Prime Minister said that under the new plans, overseas care workers would no longer be eligible for UK visas.

“For years, we’ve had a system that encourages businesses to bring in lower-paid workers rather than invest in our young people. That is the Britain this broken system has created. It ends now,” Starmer said.

Other key measures include raising the English language requirement for visa applicants and extending the minimum period of residency required to apply for permanent settlement from five to ten years.

Starmer said the changes would “back British workers” and reward “those who genuinely contribute to Britain’s growth and society. Settlement in this country must be a privilege that is earned, not a right automatically granted.”

The announcement comes ahead of the publication of the government’s long-awaited immigration White Paper later today, which is expected to lay out the full details of the policy shift.

Some proposals may require new legislation and are unlikely to take effect until the next parliamentary session in 2026.

The government aims to cut the number of lower-skilled workers entering the UK by 50,000 next year, with immediate changes expected in the care sector. However, critics have raised concerns about the impact on staffing in key industries.

Amy Clark, commercial director of a care home chain in Cornwall, told BBC Radio 4 that ending overseas recruitment would create “significant problems”.

“We are very reliant on foreign workers,” she said. “Recruiting locally is very, very difficult,” she said.

This should be one of the areas of agreement by both the Labour and UK Conservative Party who are currently advocating for a deportation bill to curb immigration.

Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, had on Friday called on Starmer to adopt a bill proposed by her party that would stop about two million immigrants from getting automatic British citizenship by next year.

“From next year, two million immigrants could automatically claim British citizenship. That’s nearly twice the population of Birmingham,” Badenoch stated.

“We’ve introduced a deportation bill because we are committed to bringing immigration down.”

The bill, unveiled on May 6, outlines strict measures to reduce immigration.

Among its key provisions are the deportation of all foreign criminals, mandatory age checks, tighter visa regulations, limiting the use of the Human Rights Act in immigration cases, making asylum support repayable, and denying permanent residency to those dependent on government benefits.

Badenoch had previously proposed a stricter immigration policy that would extend the waiting period for British citizenship to 15 years.

Meanwhile, the Home Office is expected to publish the full immigration White Paper by the Labour governmentlater on Monday.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike has accused some governors of instigating the lingering political crisis in Rivers State.

At a media briefing on Monday, Wike attributed the face-off between him and the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to the influence of some governors.

The minister, who confirmed that Fubara has commenced a peace move by visiting him with two governors from the All Progressives Congress, APC, mocked Fubara, saying those who pushed him are still enjoying their seats while he is out in the cold.

“Governors came pushing him, where are they now? I think the governors are enjoying their own.

“Fubara is a young man, I warned him saying, look, go this way, go this way and you will not have problems.”

Wike also stated that the lifting of the state of emergency earlier imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu may not end the crisis.

He said, “Assuming that we don’t settle this problem and the state of emergency is called off, has it ended the problems? No, because the Assembly will still be as firm as they have been.

“So the crisis will still be there, they will not pass your budget.”

The UK government has raised the residency requirement for permanent citizenship from 5 to 10 years, sparking policy debate.

The British government has announced a significant overhaul of its immigration and citizenship policies, proposing that migrants must reside in the UK for at least ten years before becoming eligible for citizenship. Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that residency in the UK is a “privilege, not a right.

The new policy, which doubles the current five-year residency requirement, includes exceptions for individuals who have made a “substantial contribution” to the British economy or society. Professionals such as nurses, engineers, AI specialists, and other high-skilled workers may qualify for an expedited path to permanent residency.

A key element of the plan is the extension of English language requirements to all adult dependents for the first time. The reforms were included in UK “White Paper on Immigration,” aimed at curbing overall net migration.

According to Sky News, the reforms are designed to signal a decisive break from past approaches. Starmer is expected to stress the need for immigrants to integrate and contribute meaningfully, saying the new framework will lead to “lower net migration, higher skills, and stronger support for British workers.”

The changes come amid growing public pressure on the government to address both legal and illegal migration, particularly in light of the rise in popularity of the Reform UK Party.

Under the current system, migrants can apply for permanent residency after five years, and for citizenship 12 months later. In 2024, 162,000 people were granted permanent residency, while 270,000 were naturalized as citizens—an increase of nearly one-third from the previous year.

The proposed model, referred to as “contribution-based citizenship,” aims to reward individuals who pay higher taxes or serve in priority sectors. The Home Office is also considering fast-track options for community leaders and other public contributors.

While the specifics are still under review and will be subject to public consultation later this year, the overarching goal is to tie citizenship eligibility more closely to economic and social contributions, rather than just time spent in the country.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared that ex-militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has questions to answer over an alleged naira abuse.

In a post shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, the anti-corruption agency emphasized that the law applies to everyone, stating: “Nobody is above the law. Tompolo will have questions to answer!”

The post included an image reportedly showing the naira being misused.

Controversy arose after a video surfaced online on Sunday, posted by user Harrison A, who tweets as #harreceipts.

The clip, which quickly went viral, was captioned: “EFCC, see Tompolo and the Naira o.”

The footage, said to be from Tompolo’s 54th birthday celebration in April, shows him dancing while another man sprays ₦1,000 notes in his direction—a practice the EFCC has previously condemned as naira mutilation.

The EFCC has previously acted against other high-profile figures for similar offenses.

Lagos socialite Emeka Okonkwo, popularly known as E-Money, was arrested for allegedly spraying both naira and U.S. dollars.

More recently, Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo and comedian Ayo Makun (AY) were also invited for questioning over currency-related allegations.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party has no path to victory in the 2027 elections unless it confronts internal divisions and selfish agendas.

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a prominent PDP figure, issued the warning during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Monday.

He expressed deep concern over what he described as the party’s self-inflicted wounds and leadership failure.

“Leadership is key, if you don’t show the right leadership you will suffer for it and this is what I have been saying,” Wike stated, lamenting what he perceives as a vacuum of strategic direction in the party.

He criticized the backlash faced by the current governor of Delta State and his predecessor over their political choices, particularly the decision to support President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

“When people talk about the governor of Delta State and his predecessor moving out of PDP to APC, what wrong did he do? That he said he was going to support Tinubu, that was the crime.”

Wike further questioned the silence over similar political alignments within the PDP itself.

“But the Chairman of the BoT who is the conscience of the party adopted Otti for second tenure. Why are people not commenting about that?
The Chairman of PDP BoT adopted Alex Otti, governor under Labour Party, for second tenure.”

He accused the PDP leadership of tolerating impunity and failing to function like a serious opposition party ready to challenge the ruling APC.

“No opposition party allows impunity, it’s only the ruling party. Opposition is going to organize itself to take over the affairs of government.
How many times have they made efforts? How many people have you wooed? Rather they are after Wike; they abandoned what they are supposed to do – the only crime is that Wike is a minister under APC government.”

Highlighting his own contributions, Wike reminded the party of his political strength during the 2023 general elections.

“I’m the only former governor who did not support the presidential candidate but made sure PDP won 100 percent in the governorship, State Assembly and National Assembly.
Let any sitting governor or former governor come out to say that happened in their states.”

He issued a stern warning to PDP leaders about the consequences of exclusionary politics and internal manipulation.

“If PDP doesn’t take care, watch out for what will happen because selfish interest can kill an organization. You haven’t won an election but you are excluding people.”

Wike ended with a foreboding note, suggesting that the same miscalculations that cost the PDP dearly in 2023 are being repeated.

“You want to play the same game you played in 2023, it will backfire. I have told people that this smartness will not help you. Wike is telling you now to stop this smartness.”

Popular Nollywood actor and producer, Femi Adebayo, has presented his recent victories at the 11th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards to his father and veteran actor, Adebayo Salami.

Adebayo’s latest movie series, Seven Doors, emerged one of the biggest winners at the prestigious event held on Saturday, clinching three awards — Best Lead Actor (Femi Adebayo), Best Lead Actress (Chioma Chukwuka), and Best Score/Music (Tolu Obanro).

On Monday, Femi shared a heartwarming video on Facebook showing the moment he squatted before his father, who held the AMVCA trophies and offered prayers for him.

The touching moment resonated with fans, many of whom applauded the actor’s display of humility and gratitude.

“There are moments awards can’t measure—like this one. Humbled beyond words as my father, Alhaji Adebayo Salami and my dear mothers poured prayers over me today,” Femi’s caption read.

“Seven Doors may have triumphed at #AMVCA2025, but the true foundation of everything I am… is right here.
Their sacrifices, their prayers, their love—without them, there is no me. This win is ours,” he added.

Despite the celebration, not all reactions have been entirely positive. A fan, tweeting under the handle #OriretanHonour, suggested that Adebayo should consider featuring his father less in his productions. The tweet read in part: “Good job but limit featuring your dad always not to ruin your work.”

The movie, which had garnered 11 nominations, has been praised for its storytelling and performances however a fan, tweeting under the handle #OriretanHonour on X.com, suggested that Adebayo should consider featuring his father less in his productions.

The fan wrote on Sunday, “Femi Adebayo, the way your Seven Doors is bagging awards without promo needs to be studied. Jagun Jagun was greatly promoted but Seven Doors just suddenly popped up, took everyone unaware yet is the biggest. Good job but limit featuring your dad always not to ruin your work. Congrats but be wise.”

In his response Femi defended his decision, stating, “I appreciate the love and the concern. But let me gently say, success doesn’t have to wear noise all the time. Seven Doors has won and will keep winning because it is built on solid storytelling, not just hype.

“As for featuring my dad, Dr. Adebayo Salami (PhD) a living legend. If having a master of the craft in my work ‘ruins’ it for you, maybe the problem isn’t the casting, it’s your understanding of legacy and excellence. Oh yeah, let me add, na God dey promote, and when grace speaks, even silence trends. Thanks for the congrats.”

Seven Doors is a Nigerian historical drama series directed by Femi Adebayo, Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo. It follows King Adedunjoye, a reluctant monarch whose reign is haunted by a generational curse.

To break it, he must marry six more wives—opening “seven doors”—despite his deep love for his wife, Amaka.

Popular Nollywood actor, Adeniyi Johnson, has recounted how he narrowly escaped an attempted robbery in Lagos State upon his return to Nigeria.

The actor narrated how the incident happened on his Instagram account on Monday.

Sharing a video and an image to show the damages done to his car, the 47-year-old actor noted that the situation could have been worse if he were not “smart and at alert”.

The film star also revealed that the attack happened in a flash, with three armed thugs surrounding his car and attempting to vandalise it. 

“Story time again. Lagos needs better security than those stop and search that ask oga how weekend anything for us. Got back to the country I mean my country and na robbery dem take welcome me, imagine o.

“Thank God for smartness and alertness! If not, the attached video would have been worse! It all happened within 15 seconds. I heard a big bang on my windshield, and the next thing I saw were 3 thugs all over my car.

“Trust me they were more but that was all my eyes out of fear could count! 1 on the driver’s side and 2 on the other side. From both sides I heard ‘yo mirror e’ (remove the mirror) and the other side ‘fo glass e’ (break the windshield). All these happened because of two ‘mumu’ trailers with smoke occupying the whole road and not driving on their lanes! While looking for a way to manoeuvre and overtake, I fell victim o. This happened after Alapere,” he wrote.

The actor also disclosed that this was the second time he had experienced such an incident this year.

“Once you descend from the third mainland bridge and approach the secretariat before Magodo. Guys please stay woke and be safe. The only damage done is the last slide. God is God. Ekule o.

“I forgot to mention this is the second time I’m experiencing this. The first time was April around 7:15 pm. Today’s own was around 11 pm. God keep keeping us,” he added.

The UK Government has unveiled sweeping reforms through its new Immigration White Paper, aiming to reduce immigration numbers by about 100,000 annually.

While the changes will affect global migrants, they are expected to significantly impact Nigerians and Africans across key sectors such as education, healthcare, and skilled employment.

Here are 10 of the most impactful changes in the new UK immigration policy;

1. Tougher Requirements for Skilled Workers

Africans, including Nigerians applying for skilled worker visas, will now face stricter criteria. Applicants must have university-level qualifications and meet higher salary thresholds, which could shut out many qualified but lower-paid professionals, especially in healthcare and technical fields.

2. Closure of Social Care Visa Route

The Social Care Worker visa, a popular pathway for many Africans entering the UK, will no longer accept new applicants from abroad. Only those already in the UK can extend or switch visas until 2028. This is a major blow to Nigerians who have relied on this route for migration and employment.

3. Higher Immigration Skills Charge

UK employers sponsoring skilled African workers will now pay 32% more in the Immigration Skills Charge. This increased financial burden could discourage UK companies from hiring foreign talent, reducing opportunities for Africans seeking skilled employment in the UK.

4. End of Salary Discounts for Shortage Occupations

The UK is scrapping the salary discount for jobs on the shortage occupation list. Previously, many Nigerians benefited from this waiver, especially in health and IT. Now, all jobs must meet the full salary threshold, which may price out many hopeful applicants from Africa.

5. Shortened Post-Study Visa Period

International graduates, many from Nigeria and other African nations, will now be allowed to stay only 18 months after graduation (down from two years). This shortens their job-hunting window and increases pressure to find qualifying jobs quickly or leave the country.

6. Stricter Rules for UK Study Visa Sponsors

UK universities and colleges will face tougher compliance requirements. Sponsors must now maintain at least a 95% enrolment and 90% completion rate, or risk restrictions. This could limit the number of institutions eligible to admit international students from Africa.

7. New Levies on International Students

The government is considering an income levy on universities from international student fees, which may drive up tuition costs or reduce scholarships. Given Nigeria’s ranking among the top 5 countries sending students to the UK, this would have wide-reaching effects. 

8. Higher English Language Requirements

The minimum English proficiency for skilled worker visas will rise from B1 to B2. Adult dependants must also meet new language levels. These changes could disqualify many Africans, especially older applicants or those from non-English dominant regions, from both work and settlement pathways.

9. Longer Wait for Permanent Residency (Settlement)

The qualifying period for most migrants to settle in the UK will increase from 5 to 10 years. For many Nigerians, particularly families and young professionals hoping for long-term stay, this extends uncertainty and delays access to citizenship.

10. Crackdown on Illegal Working and Asylum

The UK will boost enforcement against illegal work, particularly in gig economy sectors where many undocumented migrants find jobs. Stricter checks will also challenge asylum claims not based on serious threats. Africans fleeing economic instability or general insecurity may find it harder to gain protection in the UK.

The Federal Government has put together 12 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to argue its case filed by 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors against the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

Former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN) heads the legal team of the Federal Government.

The other Senior Advocates include Prof. Kanyinsola Ajayi, Jelili Owonikoko, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, Tijani Gazali, Babatunde Obama, Olawale Fapohunda, Olumide Olujinmi, Akinyemi Olujinmi and Ademola Abimbola.

Other lawyers in the team are: Akinsola Olujinmi, Oluwole Ilori, Abdulwahab Abayomi, Mojeed Balogun, Jideuche Ezi and Ramat Tijani.

Recall that President Tinubu had declared a State of Emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months over prolonged political crisis in the State.

The President appointed Viral Admiral Ibok-ette Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs for the duration of the suspension period.

The National Assembly subsequently ratified the President’s declaration through a voice vote.

The PDP governors sued the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Assembly as 1st and 2nd defendants, respectively, before the Supreme Court.

The plaintiffs are Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa State governors.

The governors through their various State’s Attorneys-General in a suit marked SC/CV/329/2025, asked the Supreme Court to determine what authority the President has to suspend a democratically elected state institution and replace it with an unelected one.

They asked the apex court to determine six constitutional questions, including whether the President of Nigeria can lawfully suspend or interfere with the offices of a governor and deputy governor and replace them with an unelected appointee under the guise of a state of emergency proclamation.

They further requested the court to determine whether the Attorney-General’s threat, acting on behalf of the President, to suspend the offices of governors and deputy governors by virtue of such proclamations contravenes the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and principles of constitutional federalism.

The plaintiffs also questioned whether the National Assembly could approve a state of emergency proclamation, including suspension of state executives and legislatures, by a simple voice vote rather than the constitutionally required two-thirds majority of all members of each house.

In their reliefs, the plaintiffs sought declarations that: The President cannot lawfully suspend or interfere with the offices of governors and deputy governors or replace them with unelected nominees under a state of emergency.

They argued that the President cannot lawfully suspend a State House of Assembly under such circumstances.

Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has been appointed as chairman of a special committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to chart a way forward for the party ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The decision was taken at a meeting of incumbent and former PDP Governors in Abuja on Sunday night.

Disclosing the development on his Facebook page shortly after the meeting, Saraki, a former two-time governor of Kwara State, said as part of the decisions taken to chart a way forward, the meeting set up a seven-man committee charged with preparing for a rancour-free National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for May 27 and the forthcoming national convention.

Saraki wrote: “I just left a meeting of the PDP Governors Forum, attended by its serving and former governors, at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge. We had a fruitful deliberation on the party’s present challenges and its future. The meeting was well attended.

“As part of the decisions taken to chart a way forward, the meeting set up a seven-man committee charged with preparing for a rancour-free NEC meeting scheduled for May 27th and the forthcoming national convention. The committee is headed by my humble self, and I will have the pleasure of working with my brothers – HE Dauda Lawal, HE Caleb Muftiwang, and HE Peter Mba, governors of Zamfara, Plateau and Enugu States respectively. Other members are Sen. Seriake Dickson, Sen. Ibrahim Dankwambo, and forner governor of Abia State, HE, Chief Okezie Ikpeazu. We hope to do our best in delivering on the assignment given to us.”