• Cooking gas prices increase to ₦17,000 per 12.5kg
• Mpox: Nigeria receives 10,000 vaccine doses from US
• Lagos Red Line Rail resumes partial operations
• NLC President to be interrogated over alleged terrorism financing claims
• South African billionaire dethroned Aliko Dangote as the richest person in Africa

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

Cooking gas prices increase to ₦17,000 per 12.5kg

The price of cooking gas in Nigeria has skyrocketed as it is currently being sold for ₦17,000 per 12.5kg, making it a ₦4,500 increase from its earlier price of ₦12,500.

Cooking gas dealers have complained about the shortage of liquefied natural gas, which has led to a hike in prices for all Nigerians.

The increase in cooking gas also coincides with the rise in petrol prices as fuel scarcity has also led to the price hike, which has seen many Nigerians purchasing petrol at the rate of ₦900-₦1,000 per litre.

Mpox: Nigeria receives 10,000 vaccine doses from US

The United States of America has donated 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to combat the spread of the Monkeypox outbreak within Nigeria.

As of when last recorded on August 23, there are 40 reported cases of Mpox and 830 suspected cases with zero death casualties so far.

Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced it requires about $87.4 million to fight the Mpox virus worldwide.

“This funding will enable collaboration with countries, partners, and stakeholders to halt the current outbreak of Mpox,” WHO said in a statement.

Lagos Red Line Rail resumes partial operations

The Lagos State Red Line Rail has resumed partial operations today, August 28, 2024, and will carry passengers for a total of four trips daily between Agbado and Oyingbo.

According to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the Red Line was among the six rail lines and one monorail recommended for Lagos State during its Strategic Transport Master Plan.

The spokesman for LAMATA, Kolawole Ojelabi stated that the Red Line will run for weeks and only non-fee paying customers will ride in it until it resumes full commercial operations.

NLC President to be interrogated over alleged terrorism financing claims

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is set to be interrogated by the Nigerian Police Force over the alleged claims of financing terrorism, criminal conspiracy, cybercrime, subversion, and treasonable felony.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, was formally invited to visit the NPF at the IRT Complex in Abuja, where he will answer the string of questions aimed at discovering his participation in any of the crimes laid forth before him.

In response to the invitation, the NLC has also threatened that if their President were detained, they would embark on a nationwide strike.

South African billionaire dethroned Aliko Dangote as the richest person in Africa

A South African billionaire by the name of Johann Rupert has taken over the title of the world’s richest person in Africa from Aliko Dangote by passing the Nigerian billionaire with $14.3 billion to $13.4 billion.

According to reports, Johann’s wealth has increased by $1.87 billion year-to-date while Dangote has recorded a loss of $1.69 billion.

With Aliko Dangote being the second richest African, Nikky Oppenheimer, another South African, has come up third with $11.3 billion, and an Egyptian named Nasser Sawiris is fourth with $9.37 billion.

The decline of Dangote’s wealth can be connected to the removal of fuel subsidy, which also saw a decline in Naira’s value, plunging Nigeria and Dangote’s wealth into a dark hole riddled with losses.