• FG increases prices of Nigerian international passports to ₦100k and ₦50k
• Ministry of Education affirms that FG is working fervently to avoid the upcoming ASUU strike
• FAAN MD claims Nigerian airports’ performances are subpar
• Oil producers lament that the sale of crude in Naira will weaken FX volatility
• E-hailing taxi drivers refuse the price slash, threaten to strike

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

FG increases prices of Nigerian international passports to ₦100k and ₦50k

The federal government has announced an increase in the process of Nigerian international passports, which will take effect starting September 1, 2024.

According to the information released on X by the spokesman for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kenneth Udo, the hike in the Nigerian passports was to accommodate the quality and integrity of the Nigerian Standard Passport.

The new prices of the passports, starting from September 1, 2024, will now be ₦50,000 for 32 pages (5 years) and ₦100,000 for 64 pages (10 years), with its previous prices at ₦35,000 and ₦70,000, respectively.

Ministry of Education affirms that FG is working fervently to avoid the upcoming ASUU strike

The Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, has affirmed that the Nigerian federal government is working fervently to avoid another ASUU strike.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) announced that it would be going on strike, giving the federal government a 21-day notice to fulfil its requests, which have been ignored since the last meeting between them (ASUU and FG).

The President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed his displeasure towards the federal government, stating that they were yet to complete their end of the bargain as none of the agreements reached with the FG had been approved, hence the threat to strike and disrupt the educational system until their needs are responded to.

FAAN MD claims Nigerian airports’ performances are subpar

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, has asserted that all airports across Nigeria are performing below expectations despite the large funds allocated to the sector.

She stated that the FAAN is committed to investing necessary funds into aerodromes like Minna airport, which includes 122 workers who have no single flight operation by airlines in the airport.

She canvassed for the modern models of airport management, which are now being embraced in foreign countries, and for the full use of airport facilities to generate revenue for the government.

Oil producers lament that the sale of crude in Naira will weaken FX volatility

The Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG) has lamented about the law requiring that crude oil be sold to refineries in naira, as they claimed that selling in naira would worsen the foreign exchange receipts and Naira’s volatility.

According to a statement by the chairman of IPPG, Abdulrazak Isa to the CEO of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, the vital source of the Nigerian government’s royalty and tax earnings like Petroleum Petrol Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT) and Company Income Tax (CIT) which are all denominated in US dollars would collectively be affected which would bring about a decline in the government finances.

“We are (also) aware of suggestions and proposals to sell crude in Naira; this is inconsistent with the law and will further put a materially significant strain on the efforts of the Government to manage the Naira as it will reduce Nigeria’s FX receipts from its highest FX revenue earner,” he stated.

E-hailing taxi drivers refuse the price slash, threaten to strike

E-hailing drivers under the banner of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria have refused to accept the recent fare reduction proposed by the app companies and the Presidential Committee on the National Gas Initiative.

The union, representing over 300,000 drivers across Nigeria, claimed it was not involved in the fare reduction conversation. Therefore, it did not recognise the proposal.

“It has come to our knowledge that the representatives from certain app companies (Uber/Bolt) and the Presidential Committee on the National Gas Initiative met in Abuja regarding a fare reduction arrangement, which raises significant concerns among AUATON members. We want to categorically state that AUATON and its members were not involved in this discussion and do not endorse the decisions from the said meeting in Abuja,” the state chairman, Jaiyesimi Azeez rebuffed.