• FG announces March 31st and April 1st as public holidays to celebrate Eid El Fitr
• Rivers State’s sole administrator suspends all political office holders
• Senate passes law enforcing Nigerians register for a National ID
• House of Representatives scale Bill seeking to remove immunity for vice president, governors and deputies
• Crypto firm sues Paystack over usage of brand name “Zap”

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.

FG announces March 31st and April 1st as public holidays to celebrate Eid El Fitr

The Federal Government has announced Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, as public holidays to mark the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the announcement on behalf of the government, congratulating the Muslim community on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

In a statement issued by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the Minister encouraged Nigerians to use the holiday period to pray for the country’s peace, stability, and prosperity.

Rivers State’s sole administrator suspends all political office holders

Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of Rivers State, has suspended all political officeholders with immediate effect.

The announcement was made on Wednesday through a statement signed by the administrator’s chief of staff.

The suspension affects the secretary to the state government, chief of staff, commissioners, chairpersons, and members of all boards, councils of agencies, commissions, institutions, and parastatals, as well as special advisers, special assistants, and senior special assistants.

Senate passes law enforcing Nigerians register for a National ID

The Senate has approved a bill requiring all Nigerians to register for a national identity, as part of efforts to improve the country’s identity management system.

The bill seeks to repeal and replace the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act and aims to create a more effective and inclusive identity framework aligned with international standards.

The law was passed after the Senate Committee on National Identity Card and Population, led by Senator Victor Umeh of Anambra Central, presented and adopted a report.

According to Umeh, the proposed law seeks to establish a unified, cost-effective identity system that improves data accuracy, promotes inclusion, and addresses gaps in Nigeria’s identity database.

House of Representatives scale Bill seeking to remove immunity for vice president, governors and deputies

A bill proposing the removal of immunity for the vice president, governors, and their deputies has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.

The constitutional amendment bill, sponsored by Hon. Solomon Bob, was approved during Wednesday’s plenary session.

Bob explained that Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution grants immunity to the president, vice president, governors, and their deputies, shielding them from criminal and civil prosecution while in office.

Crypto firm sues Paystack over usage of brand name “Zap”

A potential legal conflict is emerging between Paystack, a Nigerian fintech firm, and Zap Africa, a cryptocurrency exchange, over the rights to the name “Zap.”  

Recently, Paystack introduced a new mobile app called “Zap,” aimed at streamlining bank transfers. Shola Akinlade, Paystack’s CEO, explained that the app isn’t a banking service but a tool designed to make transactions faster and more dependable.  

However, Zap Africa—a platform launched in 2023 to enable crypto and fiat transactions across Africa—quickly responded, challenging Paystack’s use of the name. “There is only one ZAP in Nigeria and Africa,” the exchange stated on X (formerly Twitter).  

The following day, Tobi Asu Johnson, Zap Africa’s CEO, posted on X that the company’s legal team would contact Paystack for allegedly using their “trademarked” name.