• FG justifies new passport fees of ₦100,000 and ₦200,000
• ASUU slams Education Minister over claims of no signed agreements
• NNPCL: Nigeria lost up to $500m monthly at Port Harcourt refinery
• Tinubu claims foreign trips are for the restoration of Nigeria’s pride and to secure investments
• FG projects digital economy to contribute 21% to GDP by 2030

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

FG justifies new passport fees of ₦100,000 and ₦200,000

The Federal Government has defended the recent increase in Nigerian passport fees, stating that the move was necessary to maintain service quality, reduce corruption, and ensure timely processing of travel documents.

In a statement issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service spokesperson, ACI AS Akinlabi, it was announced that from September 1, 2025, passport applications within Nigeria will attract ₦100,000 for the 32-page, five-year validity passport and ₦200,000 for the 64-page, 10-year validity passport.

The Immigration Service stressed that the revised charges only apply to applications made within Nigeria. The government added that the new structure is designed to improve efficiency and sustainability in passport issuance.

ASUU slams Education Minister over claims of no signed agreements

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has faulted the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for stating that the Federal Government never signed any agreements with the union.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Alausa said the documents often referred to by ASUU were merely proposals presented during negotiations, not legally binding agreements. He, however, noted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remains committed to addressing the long-standing issues with the lecturers.

Earlier in the year, the government released ₦50bn to settle earned academic allowances, but ASUU has continued to press for improved salaries, better working conditions, greater university autonomy, and reforms of the NUC and JAMB laws.

NNPCL: Nigeria lost up to $500m monthly at Port Harcourt refinery

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has revealed that the country lost between $300 million and $500 million every month while operating the Port Harcourt Refinery.

GCEO of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this on Thursday during a meeting with the leadership of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in Abuja. He explained that about 50,000 barrels of crude were pumped into the refinery monthly, but less than 40 per cent of the input was being processed into usable products.

Ojulari said the discovery was one of his first major reviews upon assuming office, stressing that fixing the refinery became a top priority due to the massive financial losses it was causing the nation.

Tinubu claims foreign trips are for the restoration of Nigeria’s pride and to secure investments

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that his international trips are driven by the mandate Nigerians gave him in 2023 to restore the country’s pride and dignity on the global stage.

He explained that his foreign visits, alongside ongoing reform programmes, are targeted at attracting investments that will drive growth, create jobs, and ensure prosperity for Nigerians.

Tinubu, in a post on his verified X handle after returning from Japan and Brazil, said his recent engagements in Asia and South America focused on unlocking critical investment opportunities for the nation.

FG projects digital economy to contribute 21% to GDP by 2030

The Federal Government has projected that Nigeria’s digital economy could contribute up to 21% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030 if the proposed National Digital and E-Governance Bill is passed into law.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented by Permanent Secretary Rafiu Adeladan, made this known on Thursday at a stakeholder validation workshop in Abuja. He described the bill as a key step in building a resilient and inclusive digital economy for Nigeria.

Tijani noted that the digital sector had already contributed ₦7tn to real GDP in the first quarter of 2025, representing 14.19%. He added that the sector currently accounts for 16–18% of GDP, with strategies in place to raise this to 21% by 2030.