• Senate passes two of Tinubu’s four Tax Reform Bills, retains 7.5% VAT
• Jonathan warns against one-party system in Nigeria
• VeryDarkMan released from EFCC custody
• UK responds to reports on possible visa restrictions for Nigerians, others
• Polytechnic students demand transparency in student loan disbursement

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

Senate passes two of Tinubu’s four Tax Reform Bills, retains 7.5% VAT

The Senate has passed two of the four tax reform bills submitted by President Bola Tinubu, maintaining the current 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) rate.

This followed the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Finance, presented during Wednesday’s plenary by its chairman, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (APC, Niger East).

The four bills under consideration include the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, and Nigeria Tax Bill, all for 2025.

Jonathan warns against one-party system in Nigeria

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has cautioned against Nigeria drifting into a one-party state, calling such a development dangerous for democracy.

Speaking in Abuja at a memorial lecture for late elder statesman Edwin Clark, Jonathan said any move to enforce a one-party structure for personal political gain would harm the country.

He added that if Nigeria must ever adopt a one-party system, it should be a deliberate and expert-led decision, not a result of political manipulation.

VeryDarkMan released from EFCC custody

Popular social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has been released on bail from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed the release on Wednesday evening via a post on social media, thanking Nigerians, celebrities, and political figures who supported the call for his freedom.

VDM was detained last Friday after visiting a GTBank branch in Abuja with his mother over alleged unauthorised withdrawals from her account, sparking public outrage and online campaigns for his release.

UK responds to reports on possible visa restrictions for Nigerians, others

The United Kingdom has responded to reports suggesting it may impose stricter visa restrictions on nationals from countries with high rates of overstaying, including Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

According to the UK Home Office, these countries were flagged due to concerns that some of their citizens overstay visas and later seek asylum.

While confirming that migration rules are under regular review, a spokesperson for the British High Commission in Nigeria stated that the UK is committed to preventing abuse of its immigration system and will continue to update policies accordingly.

Polytechnic students demand transparency in student loan disbursement

The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has issued a five-day ultimatum to the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), calling for a detailed account of how student loans have been disbursed.

This demand follows rising concerns about alleged irregularities in the scheme, which has drawn public scrutiny.

The National Orientation Agency earlier accused some institutions and banks of making fraudulent deductions from student loans, while the ICPC reported that only ₦71bn of the ₦100bn disbursed by NELFUND has been accounted for.