• Tinubu renames National Theatre after Wole Soyinka
• Rema paid $3 million to perform at an Indian billionaire’s wedding
• Tragedy strikes Plateau State as 22 pupils die and 132 severely injured in collapsed building
• CBN sells over $122 million to stabilise naira
• Police officers, Gov’t workers, Road Safety officers and Doctors rank as top corrupt Nigerian officials

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

Tinubu renames National Theatre after Wole Soyinka

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu shook the country by announcing the renaming of the National Theatre located at Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos State, after the famous novelist and playwright Wole Soyinka.

The President described Wole Soyinka as a man with integrity whose light and influence have shone a path for many Nigerians.

Commemorating the 90th birthday of the Nobel Laurel winner, Tinubu announced that the National Theatre would henceforth be known as the “Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts”.

Rema paid $3 million to perform at an Indian billionaire’s wedding

Nigerian artist Rema seemed to have made a quick $3 million by performing at the wedding of Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani.

Although the wedding is a three-day event, the singer was paid to perform his song, ‘Calm Down’, at the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, the daughter of the owner of a pharmaceutical company and also another Indian billionaire.

Rema performed his hit song at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), making it to the list of other artists (Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and more) who have been paid to perform at the couple’s wedding celebration.

Tragedy strikes Plateau State as 22 pupils die and 132 severely injured in collapsed building

Nigeria witnessed a dark when reports of a school building containing hundreds of students collapsed, killing 22 pupils and severely wounding 132 persons.

The sad news was shared by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, who revealed that 22 people were pronounced dead and 132 were hospitalised in critical condition upon the rescue operation carried out at the Saint Academy.

The report stated that there was a total of 154 victims in the school building collapse: 22 died, and 132 were receiving care for the injuries sustained.

CBN sells over $122 million to stabilise naira

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has sold $122 million to 46 authorised dealers in its bid to stabilise the naira after the recent depreciation, which threatens to be the lowest the naira has ever gone.

The last report of the foreign exchange market revealed that the naira traded for over ₦1,500 in the official and the black market, triggering fear and panic among Nigerians.

The apex bank has sold $122 million to 46 authorised dealers across Nigeria and $67.5 million to 27 dealers on July 10 at an exchange rate of ₦1,480/$, while $55.17 million was sold to 19 dealers on July 11 at the rate of ₦1,540/$.

Police officers, Gov’t workers, Road Safety officers and Doctors rank as top corrupt Nigerian officials

A report on corrupt officials in Nigeria by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that police officers, doctors, nurses, midwives, government workers, and road safety workers were ranked as the most corrupt public officials in the country in 2023.

Titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” the report states that ₦721 billion was paid in cash to these corrupt public officials in 2023, resulting in about 0.35% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).