• CBN reveals that ATM withdrawals under ₦20,000 will attract ₦100 fee
• National Assembly approves of ₦54.99 trillion 2025 budget
• CDS and other military officers denied Canadian visa
• Lagos increases BRT fares by 18% starting from February 17
• OAP Nedu steps down from Honest Bunch Podcast amidst accusations from VDM

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

CBN reveals that ATM withdrawals under ₦20,000 will attract ₦100 fee

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revealed that individuals withdrawing less than ₦20,000 from another bank’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) will be charged a fee of ₦100 for each transaction.

This information was included in a FAQ document released on the bank’s website on Thursday, providing clarity on a new directive from the CBN.

This directive is part of the updated ATM transaction fees, which are scheduled to come into effect on March 1, 2025, as outlined in a CBN circular dated February 10, 2025.

National Assembly approves of ₦54.99 trillion 2025 budget

The National Assembly has approved a proposed ₦54.99 trillion budget for 2025 expenditures on Thursday, February 13.

This figure is ₦749.99 billion above the ₦54.2 trillion estimates submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to both chambers. The budget will now be forwarded to the President for his approval.

Initially, President Tinubu had presented a budget of ₦49.7 trillion to a joint session of the National Assembly but later sought an increase to ₦54.2 trillion.

CDS and other military officers denied Canadian visa

The Chief of Defense Staff along with other high-ranking military officers were all denied visas into Canada which caused an uproar within the Nigerian military.

Reports from further investigation have shown that there was a diplomatic error in the processing of the CDS and other military officers’ visas.

According to the information gathered, the Nigerian military officers were all missing a Note Verbale (diplomatic note) which should have been acquired from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“There was no Note Verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contrary to existing protocol for any trip by high-ranking government officials,” a source claimed.

Lagos increases BRT fares by 18% starting from February 17

The Lagos State Government has approved an 18% fare hike, set to take effect on February 17th, in line with its Bus Reform Initiative (BRI).

On Thursday, February 13, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) shared this announcement on social media, noting that the fare increase is a response to rising operational costs.

LAMATA stated that this fare adjustment is essential for sustaining bus services for commuters across the state.

OAP Nedu steps down from Honest Bunch Podcast amidst accusations from VDM

Nigerian radio host Chinedu Emmanuel, commonly called Nedu Wazobia, has resigned from The Honest Bunch Podcast amidst a growing controversy involving self-acclaimed activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).

The situation began when reality star Deeone claimed during an appearance on the podcast that VeryDarkMan had an attraction to men.

Rather than addressing the accusation head-on, VeryDarkMan shifted his focus to Nedu, revealing private conversations and making allegations about Nedu’s relationships with various women.

As the controversy intensified, Nedu decided to step down from the podcast through an Instagram post on Friday.