• Nigeria records 21 fresh cases of Monkeypox, one death
• NECO extends 2022 SSCE registration period
• Air fares surge 52%
• ‘Fuel Subsidy may hit ₦6trn in 2022’
• Former Imo Gov, Okorocha, docked, remanded in custody

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

Nigeria records 21 fresh cases of Monkeypox, one death

21 cases of Monkeypox disease have been recorded this year.

Of the number, 15 incidents were captured as of April 30, 2022, while the other six happened between that time and May 29.

Director General of NCDC, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, stated: “As of May 29, 2022, a total of 21 confirmed cases with one death had been reported from nine states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – Adamawa (5); Lagos (4); Bayelsa (2); Delta (2); Cross River (2); FCT (2); Kano (2); Imo (1) and Rivers (1).

“The death was reported in a 40-year-old patient, who had underlying co-morbidity and was on immunosuppressive medications.”

NECO extends 2022 SSCE registration period

National Examinations Council (NECO) has extended registration for the 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for school-based candidates to midnight on Monday, June 20.

The Head, of the Information and Public Relations Division, Azeez Sani, warned that there would not be another extension.

He said: “The 2022 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) will commence on June 27 and end on Friday, August 12, 2022.”

Air fares surge 52%

The average airfare paid by passengers on specified routes for a single journey has increased by 52 per cent in the past 12 months, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data have shown.

In a new report titled, “Transport Fare Watch (April 2022),” the NBS said airfares recorded a 19 per cent increase when gauged on a month-on-month basis.

The significant hike in airfares, according to findings, is connected to the recent challenges faced by local airlines, ranging from energy price hikes to lack of access to foreign exchange.

‘Fuel Subsidy may hit ₦6trn in 2022’

With Nigeria’s fuel subsidy payout averaging ₦500 billion monthly, total expenditure on subsidy could hit a record ₦6 trillion mark by year-end, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned yesterday.

The global lender also revealed that a macro-fiscal stress test it conducted on the country showed that interest payments on debts in the country could amount to Nigeria using 100 per cent of its revenue to service debts by 2026 if not closely monitored.

IMF’s Resident Representative for Nigeria, Mr. Ari Aisen revealed that Nigeria received a total of $6.8 billion facilities from the IMF following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The IMF chief expressed worry that many African countries, including Nigeria risk sliding into critical debt servicing problem unless urgent actions were explored to significantly raise revenue.

Former Imo Gov, Okorocha, docked, remanded in custody

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Monday, docked a former governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. Okorocha was arraigned on a 17-count money laundering charge, alongside six others.

The other defendants in the charge dated January 24, are a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, as well as five companies- Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited and Legend World Concepts Limited.

The charge against them borders conspiracy and stealing.

EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired and diverted funds belonging to Imo State to the tune of about ₦2.9 billion.