• Court orders arrest of six over alleged $1bn CBEX fraud
• Lagos spends ₦1.5bn on WAEC fees, builds 17 new schools
• Dangote Refinery sets petrol prices nationwide, begins supply through key partners
• NiMet suspend strike until May 13 after Minister’s intervention
• World Bank predicts rising poverty in Nigeria by 2027

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

Court orders arrest of six over alleged $1bn CBEX fraud

The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest, detain, and prosecute six individuals linked to the alleged Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) scam.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Tuesday after EFCC lawyer, Fadila Yusuf, moved an ex-parte application. The suspects, Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, Seyi Oloyede, Avwerosuo Otorudo, and Chukwuebuka Ehirim, are accused of defrauding investors of over $1 billion.

The EFCC said its investigation is ongoing and the suspects will remain in custody until charges are filed.

Lagos spends ₦1.5bn on WAEC fees, builds 17 new schools

The Lagos State Government revealed it has paid ₦1.5 billion to cover West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees for 58,188 students between 2024 and 2025.

Commissioner for Basic, Primary and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, disclosed this during the 2025 ministerial briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Ikeja. He also announced the establishment of 17 new schools within the year, two primary, 10 junior secondary, and five senior secondary schools.

Additionally, 17,575 students were successfully transferred from both public and private schools into the state’s Junior Secondary School II (JSS II) and Senior Secondary School I (SSS I).

Dangote Refinery sets petrol prices nationwide, begins supply through key partners

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has officially released petrol prices for its partner filling stations across Nigeria. The refinery will supply major downstream companies including Ardova Plc, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, Technooil, Optima Energy, Hyde, and Heyden.

According to a price list shared on April 23 via X (formerly Twitter), Lagos residents will purchase petrol at ₦890 per litre. Prices vary by region and they are: Lagos (₦890/litre), South-West (₦900/litre), North-West & North-Central (₦910/litre), South-East, South-South & North-East (₦920/litre).

NiMet suspend strike until May 13 after Minister’s intervention

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) unions have suspended their nationwide strike until May 13, 2025, following the intervention of Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, whose efforts to resolve their grievances were acknowledged by the unions.

The unions acknowledged the minister’s sincere efforts to resolve their grievances, including salary concerns and pending minimum wage adjustments.

Keyamo reassured them of the government’s commitment and outlined steps being taken, while Permanent Secretary Dr Ibrahim Kana expressed optimism that all issues would be addressed before the deadline.

World Bank predicts rising poverty in Nigeria by 2027

The World Bank has warned that more Nigerians may fall into poverty during President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In its April 2025 Africa’s Pulse report, the bank projected a 3.6 percentage point rise in poverty by 2027, when Tinubu’s first term ends.

It said countries rich in natural resources but facing instability, like Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are the only group in the region with increasing poverty.

The bank added that poverty rates in such countries averaged 46% in 2024, 13 points higher than in more stable, resource-rich nations.