Former England football captain Gary Lineker will leave the BBC at the end of the season, it was confirmed on Monday, days after he shared a social media post that contained anti-Semitic imagery.
“Gary Lineker will leave his presenting role following the conclusion of Match of the Day for the 2024/25 season,” the BBC said in a statement.
“He will not be part of the BBC’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season’s FA Cup coverage.”
Last week Lineker apologised “unreservedly” for sharing an Instagram story about Zionism, which he deleted, and which had featured a picture of a rat, saying: “I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views.”
In a fresh statement on Monday Lineker said: “Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember — both on the pitch and in the studio.
“I care deeply about the game, and about the work I’ve done with the BBC over many years. As I’ve said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic — it goes against everything I stand for.
“However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”
Tim Davie, BBC director-general, said: “Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season.”
Davie described Lineker as a “defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades”.
Lineker, 64, had already planned to end his 26-year stay as host of popular Premier League highlights programme Match of the Day at the end of the season.
However, he had been due to lead the BBC’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup and FA Cup next season.
Instead, Sunday’s Match of the Day following the final round of Premier League fixtures will be his final show.
Lineker was the BBC’s highest-paid presenter, earning £1.35 million ($1.8 million) a year from the publicly funded broadcaster.
His outspoken views on social media have caused headaches for BBC bosses due to the corporation’s rules on impartiality.
In March 2023, Lineker was briefly taken off air after comparing the language used to launch a British government asylum policy to the rhetoric of Nazi-era Germany.
Lineker was reinstated just over a week later — after a revolt by several of his colleagues in sympathy with him — but the BBC launched an independent review of its social medial guidelines as a result of the incident.
Ekiti State Government has appealed to stakeholders to support the bid to ensure children are safe and healthy by ensuring they have unfettered access to healthcare, particularly immunisation.
The Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Ministry of Information, Olusesan Alabi, gave the charge in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during a one-day quarterly meeting of the Social and Behavioural Change Committee organised by Ekiti State Ministry of Information in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund to champion the cause of children in Ekiti State and Nigeria.
Alabi said, “Children’s right to good health is very important because it helps in shaping the future, empowers and promotes healthy generations. However, entrenched socio-cultural barriers and misinformation continue to hinder the full realisation of this right. ”
He urged the SBC Committee members to “be agents of disseminating messages on the values and benefits of taking children for immunisation in order to protect children from childhood diseases which may lead to untimely death.”
A UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change specialist, Aderonke Akinola-Adewole, who canvassed more sensitisation to dismiss the myths and beliefs mitigating against the uptake of vaccine, said, “Vaccine is a safe, reliable and effective means to ensure our children remain healthy and free from numerous preventable diseases which can be fatal”.
Akinola-Adewole, represented by the Ekiti State Health Educator, Olajumoke Oguntoye, listed the benefits of ensuring the children take vaccine during the scheduled immunisation programmes or as the case may be, included “protection against dangerous diseases like measles, polio, and influenza; and reduces the severity of illness if the disease is contracted.
The SBC specialist added that being immunised “contributes to the overall health of communities by reducing the spread of contagious diseases and also helps in achieving global health goals, such as the eradication of diseases like smallpox”.
Oguntoye appealed particularly to the religious leaders, private school owners, and parents to embrace vaccination and spread the message to ensure that children were presented for immunisation.
She called on all and “sundry to support and participate in vaccination programmes to ensure a healthier future for all. Immunisation is a critical tool in preventing diseases, saving lives and promoting public health.”
She listed some of the 25 diseases for which vaccines are available according to World Health Organisation as tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, influenza, poliomyelitis, hepatitis E, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, human papilloma virus (HPV), Rubella, cholera, anthrax, yellow fever, rabies, typhoid fever, pneumoccocal disease, haemophilus influenza type, meningococcal disease, mumps, varicella and herpes zoster, and rotavirus gastroenteritis.
The State Immunisation Officer, Omolabake Ogundola, who said the importance of immunising children against preventable diseases could not be overstressed, disabused people’s minds against rumours, misinformation and religious beliefs inhibiting uptake of the vaccine.
Ogundola, represented by the Assistant State Immunisation Programme Officer, Felicia Olorode, urged parents and stakeholders to ensure eligible girls were presented for the HPV vaccination targeted at immunising more children in Ado, Ikere, Oye, Gbonyin and Ise/Orun local government areas.
She said, “The ongoing HPV immunisation programme for children aged 9-14 is to protect girls from cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the diseases killing women. So we want to stop it. ”
A former State Health Educator and the Executive Director, Foundation for Justice and Social Development, Lola Ologuntoye, encouraged residents “to release their children for immunisation because it is very important to protect them against the diseases. They should remove myths and misconceptions. Immunisation is very important in the lives of our children so that this will fight against diseases affecting little children. ”
Ologuntoye, who said that her NGO had been doing a lot to support the state, especially at the grassroots, said, “I go to my target communities, meet with the stakeholders, because for the success of any programme, there must be community involvement, community participation, ownership and sustainability.”
Stakeholders at the meeting included representatives of the National Orientation Agency, the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Muslim community, community-based organisations, civil society organisations, market women, health and immunisation personnel and the media.
The Nigerian Navy says it apprehended no fewer than 215 suspected oil thieves and 26 vessels in 2024.
It also said that 468 illegal refinery sites were deactivated within the period under the auspices of Operation Delta Sanity.
The Chief of Policy and Plans (Navy), Rear Adm. Ibrahim Dewu, made this known on Monday in Abuja during a news conference on the activities lined up to commemorate the 69th Anniversary Celebrations of the Navy.
Dewu said that an estimated quantity of 6.5 million litres of stolen crude oil and seven million litres of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil were seized and appropriately handled.
He added that 361 wooden boats, 1,107 dugout pits and 279 storage tanks were also deactivated.
According to him, since January this year, more than 103 Illegal Refinery Sites have been destroyed and 34 suspects linked to crude oil theft have been arrested.
“Also, 39 wooden boats and one ship involved in this menace were also seized.
“Additionally, approximately 773,000 litres of crude oil and 150,000 litres of refined products have been recovered this year.
“All these efforts have impacted positively on Nigeria’s crude oil production, in line with the President and Commander-in-Chief’s directive to eradicate crude oil theft in order to ramp up Nigeria’s oil production and exports,” he said.
Dewu said the anniversary celebration, otherwise often referred to as ‘Navy Week, was scheduled to hold from May 23 to June 1.
He said the Nigerian navy had grown from its humble beginnings with a handful of coastal boats into a force to be reckoned with, not only in the West African Sub-region, but also in the Gulf of Guinea and indeed the entire sub-Saharan Africa.
According to him, the Navy week also serves as an opportunity to present a scorecard of the navy’s performance in the service of our dear nation.
“The Nigerian Navy has continued to maintain round-the-clock situational awareness of Nigeria’s maritime domain extending to the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone through our Maritime Domain Awareness Facilities.
“These facilities comprise the Falcon Eye and Regional Maritime Awareness Capacity Systems.
“Both systems enable early detection and swift response to incidents within Nigeria’s maritime environment.
“This has ensured that Nigeria maintained its zero-piracy status in the International Maritime Bureau piracy rating.
“In furtherance to this, the Nigerian Navy has taken the initiative to ensure that the entire Gulf of Guinea is free of piracy and other maritime crimes,” he added.
On Monday, the Nigerian Bar Association said it would establish an anti-corruption committee in each of its 130 branches to address corruption-related issues.
The Chairman, NBA National Anti-Corruption Committee, Prof. Babafemi Badejo, made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
Badejo said that the NBA National Executive Committee, at its meeting in Ilorin recently, passed the motion for all NBA branches to set up an anti-corruption committee mandatorily.
“An anti-corruption committee shall be established in all NBA branches to address corruption-related issues within their jurisdictions.
“They shall work closely with local stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and community organisations, to reduce corruption at their respective levels.
“They shall collaborate with the NBA National Anti-Corruption Committee towards a robust NBA coordinated abhorrence of corruption.
“The national-level body shall coordinate anti-corruption efforts across all branches,” he said.
The chairman added that the NBA, under the leadership of Mr Afam Osigwe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had already put in place the NBA national anti-corruption committee earlier this year.
Badejo also said the branch-level committees would design their respective activities to boost anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.
“With the freedom of each branch and national coordination mechanism in articulating what can be done to curb corruption, the NBA will be delivering a clear message that corruption is not a normal way of life.
“The NBA is boldly engaging in its expected role as the bastion of accountability and the rule of law.
“Proactive NBA on anti-corruption is not just a professional necessity, but a national imperative.
“NBA is promoting the rule of law through the promotion of anti-corruption, and the promotion of the rule of law is the guiding principle of the NBA,” he said.
Shaudo Alku, a close associate of the notorious terrorist kingpin, Bello Turji, has been confirmed killed in a targeted airstrike.
The operation, carried out by the Air Component of Operation Fasan Yama, struck a terrorist hideout near Tunfa Primary School in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Sunday.
The Nigerian Armed Forces confirmed that Alku, a key link in cross-border terrorist logistics, was killed alongside several fighters and suspected high-ranking commanders.
According to intelligence reports, Alku had crossed into Nigeria from Niger Republic to attend a clandestine strategy meeting convened by Turji’s network.
A source from the military who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Surveillance and actionable intelligence enabled the Nigerian military to pinpoint the gathering, prompting a swift and decisive air assault that neutralised multiple targets.
“This operation marks a significant step in dismantling the command structure of terrorist groups operating across the North West.
“Alku was not just a foot soldier. He was deeply involved in arms procurement and coordination of cross-border insurgent activity.”
The Nigerian Army, via its official communication channels, described the success as a demonstration of its resolve to rid the country of terrorism and restore peace to the embattled communities of Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina States.
The statement added that mop-up operations were ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend fleeing terrorists.
Bello Turji, long considered one of the most dangerous and elusive bandit leaders in the region, has maintained a brutal reign marked by mass abductions, killings, and attacks on civilian settlements.
His network stretches across state and international borders, complicating military operations.
The elimination of Alku, according to a security expert in Sokoto, is expected to disrupt the logistical and operational capabilities of Turji’s faction, though analysts caution that the battle is far from over.
“This is a big win, no doubt.
“But dismantling terrorist networks requires sustained pressure and coordination with neighbouring countries, especially Niger and Chad,” said a conflict and security analyst, Dr. Yusuf Anka.
Residents in Isa LG have expressed relief over the development.
“We heard the explosions and later saw helicopters. It gave us hope that the government has not forgotten us,” said a resident who requested anonymity for security reasons.
This strike is the latest in a series of intensified aerial offensives launched under Operation Fagge Yama, a renewed military campaign aimed at rooting out terrorists and bandits in Nigeria’s troubled North West.
As of press time, the Nigerian military has promised to release further details, including casualty figures and intelligence gains from the operation.
The Alternative Bank is set to redefine the rewards space in Nigerian banking, as it launched a new campaign that allows users to earn real Gold simply by transacting through its innovative digital banking platform, Altbank. The campaign, tagged Altbank Gold Rewards, will run until the end of 2025 and aims to promote awareness and adoption of the bank’s mobile application, while rewarding users with tokenized Gold (small units of real Gold, stored digitally in the app) for performing routine financial transactions.
For every interbank transfer, that is, transfers to other financial institutions made through the Altbank app, users automatically receive one gold token, equivalent to 25 micrograms of Gold. These tokens accumulate in the user’s in-app wallet and can be liquidated into Naira at the prevailing market rate for Gold on the day of liquidation. It is an unusual proposition in a market dominated by airtime giveaways, cashback offers, and discounts.
According to the bank, the initiative is part of its wider strategy to attract financially and digitally savvy users who are looking for more value and long-term benefits from their banking relationships.
The Alternative Bank is Nigeria’s leading non-interest commercial bank and part of the Sterling Financial Holdings Company, operating with a national license and a strong focus on specialised and inclusive financial services. Unlike traditional banks, it offers interest-free financing and financial solutions rooted in Islamic finance principles.
“This is not your typical loyalty program,” Mohammed Yunusa, Director, Digital Business and Innovations, said. “We are literally putting real value in the hands of our users, one transfer at a time. The goal is to create a direct, tangible benefit for simple actions people are already doing, sending money.”
Beyond the Gold rewards, the Altbank app also allows users to send and receive funds, pay bills, purchase airtime and data, and request both virtual and physical debit cards. One of its most notable features is the provision of interest-free financing of up to ₦500,000, along with free Takaful insurance for new customers. The insurance covers gadgets, vehicles, and medical costs, activated simply by carrying out basic transactions on the platform.
The campaign is structured to be as seamless as possible. Once the app, which is available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store is downloaded, —— customers can begin earning Gold tokens immediately with each successful interbank transfer.
While digital banking in Nigeria continues to expand, this initiative by The Alternative Bank introduces a new dynamic to the space: turning routine transactions into an investment. With Gold historically seen as a hedge against inflation and economic volatility, some customers may view their Altbank tokens not just as rewards, but as a miniature savings portfolio. More details about the campaign are available at
www.altbank.ng/gold.
About The Alternative Bank
The Alternative Bank commenced its journey in January 2014 as a non-interest banking window in Sterling, with a vision to create a dynamic banking experience that respects individuality and speaks the language of its customers/partners. In July 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria issued a Banking License to The Alternative Bank, enabling it to operate as a fully-fledged, standalone bank. Guided by its Advisory Committee of Experts (ACE), The Alternative Bank ensures all its operations align with the ethics of Non-Interest Banking. For more information, please visit www.altbank.ng.
One of the construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed building at Idi Araba in the Mushin area of Lagos State has been recovered dead.
The one-storey building, which was under construction, came down around 3:30pm on Sunday.
The coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos Territorial Office, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the development in a statement.
“So far, one person has been confirmed dead, while three others have been rescued alive.
“Search and rescue operations are ongoing continue,” he wrote.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Shakiru Amodu, also confirmed the death of the recovered victim.
“Unfortunately, one adult male has been recovered dead,” he told our correspondent.
Director of the fire service agency, Margaret Adeseye, had, in a statement, explained that the building was under construction before the incident occurred.
Adeseye added that three male adults were rescued from the rubble and were receiving treatment.
The statement read, “A building under construction at the one-storey level suddenly collapsed at 96 Ishaga Road, opposite Idi Araba Central Mosque, Mushin, Lagos. The distress call was received at approximately 3:30 pm.
“Responding agencies included the Isolo Fire Station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Lagos State Ambulance Service, and the Nigeria Police.
“Three adult males have been rescued alive with varying degrees of injury. They were attended to at the scene before being transferred to the hospital for further treatment by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.”
The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria has said that its members can only buy Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, as the refineries owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited cannot optimally produce premium motor spirit but naphtha.
DAPPMAN’s Executive Secretary, Olufemi Adewole, confirmed this in a chat with our correspondent on Sunday. According to him, DAPPMAN members are ready to lift petroleum products from the Dangote refinery as the only viable petrol-producing facility in the country.
Consequently, he stressed that the marketers will only resort to importation if they cannot get the product locally. He highlighted that the Dangote refinery was not ready to sell premium motor spirit to its members who wanted to buy in bulk.
Adewole clarified that his members will not go to the Port Harcourt or Warri refineries for petrol because the facilities are producing naphtha, not optimally producing the much-needed petrol.
“The NNPC refineries, both the revamped Port Harcourt and Warri, are not yet optimally producing PMS; they are producing naphtha.
Our members will not go to them for now.
“But where we can get the product is Dangote refinery and we are willing to work with Dangote refinery, we are willing to buy from Dangote refinery, but if we don’t get the product from Dangote refinery, the PIA allows us to import which is what we’ll go for,” Adewole said.
He maintained that the in-country production of PMS should be ramped up to give marketers more sources of getting the product.
He clarified that it was not the primary will of the depot owners to import, saying they would rather buy locally and sell to Nigerians, but the opportunities are limited.
“In-country production should be ramped up because we need to have more sources of getting the product. It is not the primary will of the depot owners to import; we would rather buy locally and sell to Nigerians, but the opportunities are limited,” he stated.
However, he argued that the Dangote refinery prefers a selective approach that chooses a few marketers and deals with them, stressing that it prefers the gantry supply.
As depot owners, Adewole said the association loves to buy in bulk, up to 25 metric tonnes. He stressed that if the portal is open and members are allowed to load their vessels, it will be easier for them to patronise the Dangote refinery.
“Dangote refinery, in this context, prefers a selective approach that chooses a few marketers and deals through them, and it prefers the gantry supply. But we are depot owners. We pick in bulk. We are picking 15 – 25 metric tonnes. So, if the portal is open and we are allowed to load our vessels, then it’s a lot easier for us,” he posited.
Adewole noted that his members have depots all over Nigeria, and they are ready to pick PMS and diesel from the Dangote refinery, expressing doubts about whether or not the refinery is ready to sell to them.
According to him, talks are still ongoing with Dangote, but members want the best price without being shortchanged.
“We have depots all over the country, spread all over the coastal areas. So, all these depots are ready and willing to pick from Dangote. But is Dangote ready and willing? We’ve had several meetings with Dangote Refinery at the highest level of their management. We’re still talking with them. So, it’s not yet closed, but we want a situation in which we can pick from the refinery at the best possible price without being shortchanged,” he explained.
He spoke further that the aim of DAPPMAN is to ensure it gives customers in all parts of the country quality products at the best price, no matter where the product legitimately comes from.
“Wherever we can source the product, we will get it for them. The PIA allows us to import, and when people ask, ’Why are you importing? Why are you not patronising the local refinery?’ The reality is that we want to patronise the local refinery, but is the local refinery willing to give us the product? If we import cargos at a cheaper rate, we will sell to Nigerians at a cheaper rate,” he stated.
Adewole added that it is DAPPMAN’s pride that the Dangote refinery is up and running, saying the association wants to work with the refinery without losing money.
“It’s our pride that the Dangote refinery is up and running. We want to work with Dangote, but we are also not going to keep losing money because the bottom line is that we are in business,” he submitted.
In November 2024, the NNPC said the 60,000 bpd capacity Port Harcourt refinery resumed operations after years of inactivity.
The NNPC said the newly rehabilitated complex of the old Port Harcourt refinery, which had been revamped and upgraded with modern equipment, was operating at a refining capacity of 70 per cent of its installed capacity.
The company added that diesel and Pour Fuel Oil would be the highest output from the refinery, with a daily capacity of 1.5 million litres and 2.1 million litres, respectively.
This is followed by a daily output of Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha) blended into 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 900,000 litres of kerosene, and low-pour fuel oil of 2.1 million litres.
It was stated then that about 200 trucks of petrol would be released into the Nigerian market daily.
The NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, made these claims while replying to claims from some quarters that the Port Harcourt refinery was not producing fuel, but blending through Indorama Petrochemicals.
“We are, however, aware of unfounded claims by certain individuals suggesting that the refinery is not producing products. For clarity, the Old Port Harcourt Refinery is currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 per cent.
“The refinery is producing the following daily outputs: Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha): Blended into 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol); Kerosene: 900,000 litres; Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or Diesel): 1.5 million litres; Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO): 2.1 million litres; Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Additional volumes
“It is worth noting that the refinery incorporates crack C5, a blending component from our sister company, Indorama Petrochemicals (formerly Eleme Petrochemicals), to produce gasoline that meets required specifications. Blending is a standard practice in refineries globally, as no single unit can produce gasoline that fully complies with any country’s standards without such processes,” Soneye disclosed in November.
He added that the NNPC had made substantial progress on the new Port Harcourt Refinery, which he said would begin operations “soon” without prior announcements.
In April, a report by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority showed that the Port Harcourt refinery has been operating below 40 per cent capacity.
It also said the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company has remained shut since January 25, 2025, due to safety issues in its Crude Distillation Unit Main Heater.
It was reported that the three Managing Directors of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries have been fired by the new board of the NNPC.
Meanwhile, Soneye has yet to reply to messages sent to him by our correspondent on the development.
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, has harped on the imperative of enhanced collaboration between China and Nigeria in unlocking the potential of Nigeria’s Solid Minerals sector through the establishment of electric vehicle factories in Nigeria.
Dunhai disclosed this while paying a courtesy visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, in his office, where he emphasised the importance of closer ties between both nations in advancing Nigeria’s industrial growth.
A statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday, disclosed plans by China to establish electric vehicle factories in Nigeria.
The ambassador said Nigeria is a great country blessed with tremendous natural resources, noting that China has always placed Nigeria in a very pivotal position in its foreign policy.
Recalling the recent high-level engagement between Presidents Bola Tinubu and Xi Jinping during Tinubu’s state visit to China, Ambassador Dunhai noted that both leaders agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, creating new opportunities for cooperation.
In his address, the solid minerals development minister reiterated that Nigeria is open for business to serious investors, stressing that investments in the nation’s mining industry are now focused on local value addition.
He urged the ambassador to encourage Chinese investors to commit to full-cycle investments, from extraction to processing, within Nigeria.
He pointed out Nigeria’s large market and the potential to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through electric vehicle production.
“For years, our minerals have been exported raw to fuel foreign industrialisation. That must change.”
We now prioritise local processing to drive Nigeria’s development. For instance, with the abundance of lithium, we want to see local manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries,” he said.
Responding, Ambassador Dunhai expressed support for Nigeria’s local value-addition policy, pointing out that one of President Xi Jinping’s key priorities is promoting African industrialisation.
“Plans are underway to establish electric vehicle factories and other manufacturing ventures in Nigeria.
“Chinese companies are already deeply involved in Nigeria’s mining sector, from exploration to processing.
“We aim to deepen this collaboration, especially in line with President Tinubu’s eight priority areas, notably economic diversification through solid minerals,” he added.
The Ambassador noted that the embassy and the Chinese government have always admonished Chinese companies operating in Nigeria to abide by rules and regulations, implement Corporate Social Responsibility and adhere to environmental and safety standards, stressing that the Chinese authorities have zero tolerance for illegal mining, signifying their readiness to work with the Nigerian government to bring suspected culprits to justice.
In his response, Alake stated that Nigeria appreciates its long-standing relations with China, acknowledging that most Chinese firms operate within legal and regulatory frameworks.
However, he expressed concern over the actions of a few operators tarnishing China’s image, referencing a recent viral video involving a Chinese national allegedly bribing local security agents.
“We have taken action against illegal operators, including some Chinese nationals. While isolated, such incidents undermine the good work of many compliant Chinese firms. We need your cooperation in ensuring that such culprits are brought to justice,” the minister asserted.
The minister also highlighted the impact of the Mining Marshals established to combat illegal mining, affirming that the outfit has sent the right signal in the sector, raised awareness about the menace, and has consequently improved compliance with regulations by both local and foreign operators.
The Federal Government has said that 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory, have reduced their debt profiles, having repaid about N1.85trn in domestic debt between June 2023 and December 2024.
This was contained in The Explainer magazine, a weekly publication of the National Orientation Agency, dated May 16th, 2025.
“Today, at least 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have reduced their domestic debt portfolios at an unprecedented rate. Thus, within a period of 18 months, spanning June, 2023 to December, 2024, these states have repaid a whooping total sum of N1.85 trillion to their creditors,” the publication read.
The NOA further disclosed that the 36 state governments and the FCT had accumulated a domestic debt stock of N1.66trn as of December 2014. By the end of 2015, their domestic debt profiles had risen to N2.5trn.
However, by June 30, 2023, the total domestic debt of the 36 states and the FCT had reached over N5trn,
“Thus, states such as Osun moved from a debt profile of N37.82 billion in 2014 to a whooping N145.71 billion in June, 2023 when President Tinubu assumed office. Delta, one of the highest receivers of FAAC allocations also moved from N211.95 billion debt in 2014 to N465.41 billion by 30 June, 2023.
“In the same vein, Jigawa sank from N1.57 billion debt in 2014 to N43.13 billion in June, 2023, while Imo went from N28.95 billion in 2014 to N220.84 billion in June, 2023. Anambra’s domestic debt surged from N2.88 billion in 2014 to N76.4 billion in June, 2023 and Sokoto moved from N7.65 billion only in 2014 to N91.68 billion in June 2023,” the publication further read.
The NOA explained that the Tinubu administration’s twin policies of ending petrol subsidy and floating the naira were “tremendous blessings to the states”, leading to a free up of revenues, with states witnessing a leap in federal allocations.
They added that while the states and Local Governments shared a total of N6.16 trillion in FAAC allocations in 2023, which was a 28.6 per cent increase from the N4.792 trillion they received in 2022, the allocations increased in 2024 to N9.58 trillion, N3.42 trillion higher than what they received in 2023, leading to the high debt repayment among the subnationals
The Agency also disclosed that of the 33 states, Delta, Lagos, Imo, Cross River and Ogun states top the list, with Delta repaying N265.83 billion, Lagos N96.23 billion, Imo N94.70 billion, Cross River N85.91 billion, and Ogun State N81.35 billion.
“However, there are only three states which failed to reduce their debt profiles. They are Niger, Enugu and Rivers States. Instead of following the footsteps of their colleagues, these states borrowed more. Thus, between June, 2023 and December, 2024, Niger State increased its debt burden by N18.79 billion. In the same vein, Enugu State borrowed additional N26.09 billion while Rivers State increased its debt by N138.89 billion within 18 months,” the NOA stated.
The Agency further stated that the Federal Government had expended more than $7 trillion (N11.2trn) in servicing its external debt within the first 18 months of the Tinubu administration, with the International Monetary Fund as the highest beneficiary of the FG’s debt repayment drive.
“As at June 30, 2023, a month after the president assumed office, Nigeria’s indebtedness to IMF stood at $3.264 billion. Six months after, specifically in December, 2023, Nigeria’s IMF debt had shrunk to $2.469 billion. One more year later (December, 2024), Nigeria has further reduced its indebtedness to IMF to only $800.23million. This $800.23 million balance at the end of 2024, has now been totally cleared in the second quarter of 2025 as confirmed by IMF. So, essentially in less than two years of Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria has paid off its entire $3.264 billion indebtedness to IMF.”
Among other debts repaid by the FG are the N22 trillion securitized Ways and Means arrears, the first N100 billion Sukuk bond offering issued in 2018, and N5.87 trillion in domestic debt paid off in 2024.
The Publication also noted that domestic debts had gulped the sum of N8.81 trillion in 18 months, while Nigeria’s total public debt stock “has dropped drastically from $113.42 billion as at June, 2023 to $94.22 billion as at December 31, 2024.”
