• UCH resident doctors begin indefinite strike
• Osun Chaos: politicians dead as the LG secretariats turn violent
• NELFUND set to end all loans for school dropouts
• CBN reveals foreign reserves recorded a whopping $40 billion
• NLC issues 24-hour warning to IBEDC, demands for restoration of sacked employees

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

UCH resident doctors begin indefinite strike

Members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan have begun an indefinite strike. 

Dr. Uthman Adedeji, the association’s General Secretary, noted that the strike resulted from power outages affecting some residential areas of the hospital. 

Earlier, the association at UCH had communicated that they would initiate an indefinite strike if electricity were not restored by 4 PM on Monday, February 17. 

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) restored power to UCH last Wednesday, following more than 100 days of power outages.

Osun Chaos: politicians dead as the LG secretariats turn violent

Osun State recorded a heavy chaos as the fight for control of the local government secretariats between the PDP and APC became violent and deadly across 15 of the 30 councils.

A court of appeal had allegedly given a ruling which was interpreted differently by both warring parties. The APC had believed the court’s ruling to mean that all sacked members of its party by the PDP should be reinstated.

However, the court reaffirmed that its judgement was not declarative therefore, none of the sacked members were reinstated.

NELFUND set to end all loans for school dropouts

Mr. Mustapha Iyal, the Executive Director of Operations for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), has announced that students who have dropped out but are still receiving stipends will be removed from the list of beneficiaries.

He stated that certain NELFUND beneficiaries who received stipends during the 2023/2024 academic session will not qualify for the 2024/2025 application cycle.

“Our current focus is updating our system, including refreshing the students’ database. This update is crucial because we cannot accurately determine who has left school without it. Therefore, we are collaborating closely with educational institutions.”

CBN reveals foreign reserves recorded a whopping $40 billion

Central Bank Governor Olayemi Cardoso noted that Nige reserves have surpassed $40 billion for the first time in three years, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s economic recovery efforts.

The reforms implemented include adopting an electronic matching system aimed at increasing transparency in the foreign exchange market and establishing a foreign exchange code of ethics.

A statement from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) indicated that the reserves have reached their highest level in nearly three years.

NLC issues 24-hour warning to IBEDC, demands for restoration of sacked employees

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has joined the protests by electricity workers in Ibadan. It has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) management to reinstate the recently terminated employees.

Comrade Kayode Martins, the state Chairman, delivered this directive yesterday while meeting with the affected workers at the NLC State Secretariat at the Labour House, American Quarters, Ibadan.

He expressed concern over the exploitation of outsourced workers by agents, particularly regarding the unlawful deductions from their salaries, emphasising that such actions violate labour laws.