• Minister reveals investigation on breach of Nigerians’ NIMC data
• ASUU President alleges Governors are creating universities to receive TETFund grants
• Minister of Aviation alleges private jets are used for money laundering and drugs
• FCCPC urges the FG to reopen borders for legal food imports
• TUC expects new minimum wage implementation by July

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

Minister reveals investigation on breach of Nigerians’ NIMC data

The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced that he had begun an investigation to discover how there was an alleged breach of Nigerians’ data stored at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The minister posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), informing Nigerians that he and the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, were on the task as they planned to determine how Nigerian data was breached.

A digital advocacy firm known as ‘Paradigm Initiative announced on June 24 that Nigerians’ National Identification Numbers (NINs) and personal information could probably be found and purchased on the internet for as low as ₦100.

ASUU President alleges Governors are creating universities to receive TETFund grants

The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed his displeasure at Nigerian governors establishing state universities they cannot fund.

In an interview with Channels TV, the President stated that governors were busy creating state universities to get a piece of the pie from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

“TETFund was created as an intervention fund, not the major funding. The universities belong to the federal government, and the government is supposed to fund them, while states are supposed to fund their own.”

“It is an intervention fund, but some people want access to that money from the political circle, from the bureaucratic circle, at all costs. We are struggling with that,” he said.

Minister of Aviation alleges private jets are used for money laundering and drugs

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced the introduction of a new task force whose job will solely be to investigate the illegal affairs of chartered private jets in Nigeria, as he had reason to believe that they were being used for money laundering, drugs and other illicit crimes.

The Minister claimed that the new task force would only be targeted at private jet operators who offer commercial services without accurate licences, which further results in a considerable loss in revenue for the federal government.

“There were security and safety concerns raised by these illegal operations, including their role in money laundering and drug trafficking.”

FCCPC urges the FG to reopen borders for legal food imports

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has requested that the federal government reopen the borders to enable the resumption of legal importation of food items between Nigeria and its neighbouring countries and fight hunger across the country.

Acting Executive Chairman of the Commission, Adamu Abdullahi, commended the FCCPC’s tireless efforts in advocacy and public awareness concerning the unfair trade practices in Nigerian markets.

He mentioned that reopening the borders would help boost the economy, reduce hunger across the land, and possibly stabilise the market prices.

TUC expects new minimum wage implementation by July

The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, aired his opinion about implementing the new minimum wage, suggesting that it would be preferable if the government would announce a new minimum wage and implement it in July.

He said he believed there was still a need to negotiate with the Tripartite Committee to reach an agreeable result and proposal before it is submitted as a bill for approval.

“What we are working on from both labour centres is that before the end of July, we should have a new minimum wage that must have passed through the processes and that must have been assented to by the President so that the plight of the workers will improve much more.”