• Union threatens showdown with Dangote refinery over mass sackings
• States pile on ₦458bn debt as Dollar repayments strain finances
• FAAN rolls out cashless payments at Lagos and Abuja Airports
• Nigerians abroad renew push for voting rights in 2027 elections
• Tinubu urges global powers to dismantle nuclear weapons

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

Union threatens showdown with Dangote refinery over mass sackings

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned it may picket the Dangote refinery following the alleged dismissal of 800 workers who joined the union.

Union leaders claim the company replaced the sacked Nigerians with more than 2,000 Indian nationals, insisting the action was targeted at silencing organised labour. The refinery, however, denied the allegation, stating that only a small number of staff members were removed due to repeated acts of sabotage.

In a statement on Friday, the refinery described the move as part of an ongoing reorganisation to protect the facility. This came after a leaked letter, addressed to all staff and widely shared on social media, indicated a sweeping dismissal linked to sabotage. PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, countered that the real reason was the workers’ decision to join the association.

States pile on ₦458bn debt as Dollar repayments strain finances

At least 20 Nigerian states borrowed around ₦458bn in the first half of 2025, even as rising external debt repayments tightened the squeeze on public finances.

Figures show that states spent approximately ₦235.58 billion servicing external debt within the same period, representing a sharp 68.4 percent increase from ₦139.92 billion recorded in the first half of 2024. Analysts say the surge reflects the mounting toll of dollar-denominated obligations worsened by the weakening naira.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that a total of ₦10.13 trillion was distributed among the three tiers of government in the first half of 2025. States received ₦3.425 trillion, representing a 42.96% increase compared to ₦2.396 trillion in H1 2024. Monthly allocations for 2024 ranged from ₦366.9 billion in February to ₦461.97 billion in June.

FAAN rolls out cashless payments at Lagos and Abuja Airports

As of September 29, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will implement a cashless and contactless payment system at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The new policy, launched in partnership with Paystack and tagged “Operation Go Cashless”, means all payments at access gates, car parks, VIP and protocol lounges will now be made only through digital channels. FAAN states that the move will expedite transactions, enhance revenue assurance, and align Nigerian airports with global digital standards.

To ease the transition, trained brand ambassadors will be available to guide passengers, who can also get a “FAAN Go Cashless Card” at airport gates and activate it immediately online. The authority added that the initiative will be extended to other airports across the country in phases.

Nigerians abroad renew push for voting rights in 2027 elections

Calls are growing among Nigerians in the diaspora for their inclusion in the 2027 general elections. Currently, the country lacks a system for diaspora voting, leaving citizens abroad unable to register or cast their ballots unless they are physically present in Nigeria.

Many have long argued that this exclusion is unfair, particularly given the billions of dollars in remittances they contribute to the economy each year. Former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje had previously suggested that the ruling party was in talks with the National Assembly to introduce diaspora voting in future polls.

Chibuzo Ubochi, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, restated the demand in a post on X, stressing that Nigerians abroad must be part of the 2027 elections. “The message is clear: Nigerians in Diaspora must vote in 2027. @officialABAT, embrace this legacy. All stakeholders are now aligned. The time for action is now,” he wrote.

Tinubu urges global powers to dismantle nuclear weapons

President Bola Tinubu has renewed Nigeria’s call for the total elimination of nuclear weapons across the world, stressing that they remain a significant threat to global peace and security.

Speaking through Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar at the UN headquarters in New York during a high-level meeting on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Tinubu said Nigeria would continue to play its part in advancing disarmament. He warned that any use or accidental detonation of nuclear weapons could cause catastrophic harm to human life, the environment, and vital economic resources.

The president urged Nuclear-Weapon States to honour existing agreements, dismantle their stockpiles, and demonstrate the political will needed to achieve a world free of nuclear arms. He also reiterated Nigeria’s support for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is built on three key pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.