- Nigerians question FG’s 30-day petrol discount as an “election stunt”
- Rescued NYSC members return to Ibadan after week in Imo forest
- NLC gives FG two weeks to cut petrol prices and review minimum wage
- MTN users face network disruptions in five locations across Nigeria
- Moove exits Nigeria and hands ₦35bn worth of cars to customers
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
Nigerians question FG’s 30-day petrol discount as an “election stunt”
Opposition figures have rejected the federal government’s planned one-month petrol discount. Atiku Abubakar, the Obidient Movement, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, and Seyi Makinde’s campaign team all said it was too small and politically motivated.
Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele announced that NNPC Limited would cut its retail profit margin and sell petrol at cost for 30 days, with public transport operators given priority. The Presidency insisted this was not a return to subsidy, and energy experts were split, with some warning that hidden costs could make it one.
Atiku described it as a “panic-driven publicity stunt” and asked what would happen on Day 31. He also questioned the NNPC-only rule, the missing per-litre price, and any guarantee that transporters would reduce fares for Nigerians.
Rescued NYSC members return to Ibadan after week in Imo forest
Twenty NYSC members rescued after seven days with kidnappers were handed back to their families in Ibadan as the DSS officials in Oyo State released them at about 8:30pm on Thursday, after questioning them. Parents had waited around three hours. One of the group, Akande Morenikeji, said the ordeal was tiring in body and mind.
Gunmen seized them on 1 October along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway, after stopping two buses carrying passengers. The buses, which bore Abia State government branding, were heading to Akwa Ibom and Abia.
The kidnappers first demanded ₦1 billion from parents, then lowered it to ₦5 million per person, or ₦100 million in all.
NLC gives FG two weeks to cut petrol prices and review minimum wage
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued the federal government a two-week ultimatum to reduce petrol prices and begin renegotiating the national minimum wage amid rising economic hardship.
According to NAN, NLC president Joe Ajaero announced the demands in a communiqué following a joint meeting of the union’s national executive council and central working committee in Abuja on Thursday.
The union wants petrol prices reduced to the level they were when the current minimum wage became law in 2024. The ultimatum begins on October 9, 2026. The NLC warned that failure to meet its demands would prompt further action.
MTN users face network disruptions in five locations across Nigeria
MTN Nigeria subscribers in parts of Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are experiencing service disruptions following downtime affecting its FibreX internet service.
In a notice to customers on Thursday, the telecoms company confirmed the network challenges and apologised for the inconvenience. MTN said some services might be temporarily unavailable in the affected areas.
The company added that its engineers were working to restore services as quickly as possible. However, MTN did not disclose the cause of the disruption or provide a timeline for when normal services would resume.
Moove exits Nigeria and hands ₦35bn worth of cars to customers
Moove, the Lagos-founded mobility company, is ending its Nigerian operations after six years and plans to transfer eligible vehicles, valued at about ₦35 billion, to existing customers at no cost.
In a statement on Thursday, the company said customers would gain full ownership of the vehicles from October 1, 2026. Moove also announced plans to give free cars to all its staff as a gesture of appreciation.
Founded in 2020 by Ladi Delano and Jide Odunsi, Moove provides vehicle financing for mobility entrepreneurs. Its exit comes just over a month after Uber, an investor in the company, stopped operating in Nigeria.
