- Senator Natasha reclaims her senate seat, accuses Akpabio of dictatorship
- Borrowing still on the table, says FIRS boss, despite record revenues
- Remi Tinubu denies birthday fundraiser is linked to 2027 politics
- SSANU and NASU give the government two more weeks before a possible strike
- WHO dismisses Trump’s autism claims, warns against misinformation on medicines and vaccines
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
Senator Natasha reclaims her senate seat, accuses Akpabio of dictatorship
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has returned to the National Assembly after months of suspension, arriving with strong words for Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom she branded a “dictator.”
Her office in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing, previously sealed, was reopened by the Deputy Director of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji, paving the way for her resumption. Unbowed by the ordeal, Natasha declared she had “no apology to tender,” stressing that her suspension was unjust.
Reflecting on the past six months, she described the period as one marked by blackmail and intimidation. Still, she credited her survival to divine strength, the support of her constituents, and her husband. She vowed to keep challenging injustice within the legislature, insisting that Akpabio had treated her like “a servant or domestic staff in his house.” She added that it was shameful for the Senate to be run “by such a dictator,” warning that Nigerians must resist attempts to silence dissenting voices in democracy’s highest chamber.
Borrowing still on the table, says FIRS boss, despite record revenues
Nigeria will continue to rely on lending as part of its broader economic strategy, according to Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Speaking at the State House, Adedeji dismissed concerns that taking loans was a weakness, stressing that all borrowings were part of the budget approved by the National Assembly.
Adedeji also announced that federal revenue collection had reached ₦3.64 trillion in September 2025, a sharp rise of 411 per cent compared with ₦711 billion in May 2023. He argued that, despite such impressive growth, borrowing remained necessary to support national development plans.
His remarks follow President Bola Tinubu’s July request for a $21.5 billion external loan package, which included a $2 billion foreign currency bond and a ₦757.98 billion bond to clear pension arrears. This announcement came just weeks before Tinubu declared in early September that Nigeria had already met its 2025 revenue target ahead of schedule, suggesting the country would reduce its dependence on debt. Critics, however, continue to accuse the government of excessive borrowing despite rising inflows.
Remi Tinubu denies birthday fundraiser is linked to 2027 politics
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has dismissed suggestions that her 65th birthday fundraiser is connected to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign. She clarified on Tuesday that the donations are strictly for the construction of a new National Library in Abuja.
Speaking with journalists at the Aso Rock Villa, Mrs Tinubu revealed that the appeal has already attracted over ₦20.4 billion in contributions since it was launched last Thursday. She stressed that the initiative was about national development, not politics.
The First Lady highlighted her track record of similar projects, recalling how she raised ₦50 million to complete the National Sickle Cell Foundation Centre on her 45th birthday and ₦200 million for the New Era Foundation on her 50th birthday. Her remarks came after former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi criticised the idea of relying on birthday gifts to fund critical institutions. Mrs Tinubu, however, maintained that collective effort was essential to nation-building.
SSANU and NASU give the government two more weeks before a possible strike
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have extended their strike ultimatum to the Federal Government by another two weeks. The unions say the decision follows continued delays in resolving key welfare issues.
Earlier in June, the Joint Action Committee of both unions had written to the government over matters such as the unfair sharing of earned allowances and the non-payment of outstanding benefits. Though a meeting was held with the Minister of Education in July, the unions argue that the issues remain unsettled.
In their latest letter to union chapters, the leaders explained that the extension was granted following a follow-up meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, on September 19. They warned that members are prepared to begin lawful industrial actions if the government fails to act within the new timeframe.
WHO dismisses Trump’s autism claims, warns against misinformation on medicines and vaccines
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has pushed back against comments by former US President Donald Trump suggesting that taking paracetamol during pregnancy could cause autism. WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic explained that while a few studies have raised questions, many others have found no link, resulting in inconsistent evidence overall. He stressed that medicines should only be taken under medical advice, especially during early pregnancy.
Jasarevic also rejected long-standing claims that routine vaccines cause autism, saying WHO’s immunisation guidelines are based on decades of scientific proof. He noted that vaccines have saved over 150 million lives in the past 50 years.
Kate O’Brien, Director of WHO’s Department of Immunisation, warned that misinformation poses a growing threat to global health. She highlighted that vaccines save more than five lives every minute, protect families from poverty, and support economic growth. O’Brien credited vaccination campaigns with preventing millions of cases of disability, including paralysis from polio, and called for continued trust in science over false claims.
