- NCC reveals why most 5G Nigerian phones lack access to the network
- JAMB warns students: declare status or lose admissions
- Army Major killed in ISWAP ambush in Borno
- Naira hits new high as currency appreciates to ₦1,400/$
- Police bust ₦7.7bn telecom scam and arrest six
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
NCC reveals why most 5G Nigerian phones lack access to the network
Despite owning 5G-ready phones, nearly half of Nigerians cannot use the service due to poor network coverage. The NCC says coverage gaps mean many users live or work outside active 5G zones.
Presenting new industry data, NCC official Edoyemi Ogoh noted clear differences between cities and rural areas. Urban users enjoy lower latency and better speeds, with MTN performing strongest, while rural areas lag behind, especially on some networks.
Although operators added over 2,800 new sites in one year, most were in cities. As a result, urban download and upload speeds improved, while rural performance dipped, widening Nigeria’s digital divide.
JAMB warns students: declare status or lose admissions
A new directive from JAMB states that students already studying in tertiary institutions can still apply for the 2026 UTME or Direct Entry. However, they must clearly declare their current matriculation status to avoid sanctions.
The board explained that recent claims suggesting otherwise are false and misleading. Its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said some commentators twisted the rules, causing needless panic among parents and candidates.
According to JAMB, registering while already admitted elsewhere is allowed, but hiding that information breaches its regulations. Candidates who fail to make full disclosure risk losing both their existing admission and any new offer gained through UTME or Direct Entry.
Army Major killed in ISWAP ambush in Borno
A senior Nigerian Army officer has been confirmed dead after ISWAP fighters attacked a military patrol in Damasak, Borno state. The major, who headed the Damasak base, was leading about 30 troops on a foot patrol when the unit was hit by explosives and gunfire early on Friday.
The attack caused the soldiers to scatter, with only eight making it back to base. Initial reports suggested the officer might have been captured, as calls to his phone were answered by an unknown person.
However, security sources later confirmed that the major was killed during the ambush. The incident adds to recent deadly attacks on troops in the state.
Naira hits new high as currency appreciates to ₦1,400/$
Nigeria’s currency strengthened further on Wednesday, closing at ₦1,400.47 to the dollar at the official foreign exchange market. This reflects a slight gain from ₦1,401.22 recorded earlier in the week and marks the naira’s best showing since mid-2024.
The improvement follows a steady rally from ₦1,418.95 and represents the strongest performance since the Central Bank introduced its electronic FX matching system. The parallel market also saw gains, with the naira trading at ₦1,470 per dollar.
President Bola Tinubu linked the stability to rising foreign reserves, which climbed to $46bn, their highest level in eight years.
Police bust ₦7.7bn telecom scam and arrest six
Security agencies have uncovered a large cybercrime scheme involving the illegal diversion of airtime and data worth about ₦7.7bn from a telecom firm. The case was handled by the National Cybercrime Centre after the company raised concerns over unusual billing activities.
Police said compromised staff login details were used to gain unauthorised access to key systems. Investigations showed that the network was manipulated over time, resulting in massive financial losses.
Arrests were made during coordinated operations in Kano, Katsina, and the Federal Capital Territory. Six suspects are now in custody as investigations continue.
