The Federal Government plans to spend about N206.50bn on poverty alleviation-related projects in the 2026 budget, an amount that represents far below one per cent of the total N58.47tn spending proposal submitted to the National Assembly.
A review of project-level data from the 2026 Appropriation Bill shows that all items directly tagged to poverty alleviation across ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as the Service Wide Vote, add up to N206.5bn.
When measured against the proposed total budget of N58.47tn, this translates to about 0.35 per cent of overall federal spending for the year. When compared with the capital budget of N23.21tn, the poverty-related envelope represents roughly 0.89 per cent.
The bulk of this allocation comes from the Service Wide Vote, where two major recurrent provisions under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy dominate the figures.
The first is the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy under FGN commitment, including NSIP upscaling with a provision of N100bn, while the second is the NPRGS recurrent allocation of another N100bn.
Together, they account for N200bn, which is over 96 per cent of the entire poverty alleviation envelope for 2026. This means that without the Service-Wide Vote entries, all MDAs combined account for only N6.50bn in poverty-related projects.
The Border Communities Development Agency headquarters records N63m across two projects targeted at the Zamfara North Senatorial District. These include N28m for poverty alleviation and empowerment for women in Zamfara North and N35m for poverty alleviation and empowerment in the same district. These are geographically focused interventions that make up a small fraction of the overall allocation.
The Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs has N9.1m for monitoring and evaluation of poverty alleviation programmes, reflecting an administrative rather than direct intervention focus.
Under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security headquarters, N140m is allocated across two projects. The larger of the two is N105m for the provision and supply of agricultural grains for poverty alleviation in Ekiti, Oke Ero, Offa, and Ifelodun local government areas in Kwara South Senatorial District.
The second is N35m for the construction and rehabilitation of solar-powered and motorised boreholes, and for the provision of skills-acquisition starter packs to youths and citizens across the six geopolitical zones. Together, they signal a mix of food distribution and basic infrastructure linked to poverty reduction.
The National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation in Ilorin records N245m, broken down as N105m for the purchase and distribution of empowerment items to selected women and youths in Lagos, focused on the creative industry, and N140m for capacity building and skill acquisition across 26 wards in Akinyele and Lagelu Federal Constituency in Oyo State.
One of the largest non-Service Wide Vote allocations comes from the Federal Co-operative College, Ibadan, which has N2.87bn for the provision of tricycles and motorcycles for poverty alleviation of selected communities across the six geopolitical zones. This single project accounts for about 44 per cent of the N6.50bn MDA-based poverty envelope.
The Federal Co-operative College Oji River has N364m, comprising N350m for the supply of grains to selected communities in Edo State to address hunger and poverty, and N14m for the empowerment of women and widows in the Orumba North and South Federal Constituencies. This again combines food support with small-scale empowerment.
The Federal College of Horticulture Dadin Kowa in Gombe has been allocated N140m to supply empowerment items to youth and women to alleviate poverty across all wards of the Zaki local government area.
Nigeria Stored Products Research in Ilorin has N507.5m spread across three projects. These include N210m each for the provision of grains in Owan West and Owan East local government areas of Edo State and N87.5m for the supply of grains to selected communities in the North Central region. Grain distribution, therefore, forms a major component of the poverty interventions under this agency.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment headquarters has N7.7m for implementing strategies to create 100 million jobs and lift people out of poverty, which is one of the smallest line items in the data.
SMEDAN headquarters has N105m for capacity building and training for selected women and youths on creative industry prospects and agricultural value chains in the Kaga, Magumeri, and Gubio Federal Constituencies in Borno State.
The Federal Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation has N16.47m split between N3.17m for promoting bamboo value chains for sustainable livelihoods and N13.3m for the Nigerian Chemical Industry Action Project aimed at lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty between 2020 and 2030.
The Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency has N17.5m to cover a study tour of the six geopolitical zones to strategise on intellectual property rights for traditional medicine, and N7m for research and development of plant-based nutritional and medicinal foods for wellbeing, food security, and job creation.
The National Space Research and Development Agency has N56m for space applications to achieve sustainable development goals, including poverty reduction, agriculture, education, and health.
One of the largest MDA-based allocations is N700m under the Board for Technology Business Incubator Centre, Abuja, for empowerment and poverty alleviation through technology and innovative materials across all local government areas in Zamfara West Senatorial District.
The Federal Ministry of Works has N70m for the supply of tricycles for youth and women empowerment in the Abadam, Guzamala, and Kukawa Federal Constituencies in Borno State.
The Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning headquarters has N143.5m for the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy, made up of N73.5m and N70m for the FGN commitment, including NSIP upscaling.
The Centre for Management Development has been allocated N840m to supply empowerment items to SMEs to alleviate poverty in selected locations. This is the second-largest MDA-based poverty intervention after the tricycle programme under the Cooperative College, Ibadan.
Water-related agencies have smaller entries. The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has N5.6m for the coordination of river basin strategy and human capital development for poverty alleviation, while the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority has N35m for human capital development for youths through Songhai activities. The Nigeria Integrated Water Management Commission has N70m for empowerment across Adavi Local Government Area in Kogi State.
The Centre for Black and Africa Arts and Civilisation has N59.5m for two symposiums on empowering Africa and integrating policy frameworks for sustainable poverty alleviation and economic development.
The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs headquarters has N14m for an end-period-poverty campaign, while the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has N20.3m for the establishment and activities of the National Council on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
Looking at the five MDAs with the largest poverty-related allocations outside the Service Wide Vote, the Federal Co-operative College Ibadan leads with N2.87bn, followed by the Centre for Management Development with N840m, the Board for Technology Business Incubator Centre Abuja with N700m, Nigeria Stored Products Research Ilorin with N507.5m, and the Federal Co-operative College Oji River with N364m. Together, these five account for about N5.28bn out of the N6.50bn MDA total, which is more than 81 per cent of all poverty tagged spending outside the central NPRGS provisions.
The data shows that most projects focus on three main areas. These are the distribution of grains and food items, the supply of transport and empowerment tools such as tricycles and motorcycles, and capacity building or skills acquisition for women, youths, and SMEs. A smaller portion goes into studies, symposiums, technology incubation, and administrative coordination of poverty strategies.
However, The PUNCH observed that the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation saw its total allocation jump from N7.10bn in 2025 to N23.56bn in 2026, an increase of N16.46bn or about 232%.
The rise is driven almost entirely by capital spending, which surged from N4.60bn to N21.18bn, while personnel costs fell from N1.52bn to N1.40bn, and overheads were flat at N978.39m.
This means the ministry’s 2026 budget is now 90% capital-heavy, compared with about 65% in 2025, showing a sharp shift towards project-based spending rather than administration. Despite this, several of the capital projects were not directly linked to poverty alleviation.
The PUNCH observed the ministry budgeted N112m for office furniture and fittings, N113.4m for office machines and equipment, and another N70m for digital press and strategic communication facilities.
It further provided N56m for participation in the 2025 United Nations General Assembly, N63m for ministerial retreats, and N108.5m for compliance with international public-sector accounting and financial reporting standards.
Administrative and systems-related items, such as N70m for accounting and budgeting automation, N53.2m for asset inventory and reconciliation software, and N49m for reforms coordination, were also included under capital spending.
Also, N175m was earmarked for solar streetlights in Funtua and Dandume Federal Constituency and N280m each for classroom construction in two local government areas in Cross River State, projects that are not directly classified as poverty alleviation interventions.
In a report titled “The State of Social Safety Nets in Nigeria”, the World Bank revealed that only 44 per cent of total benefits from government-funded safety-net schemes actually reach poor Nigerians.
The World Bank described Nigeria’s social safety-net spending as inefficient, saying a smaller portion of benefits goes to the poor despite their dominance among beneficiaries.
According to the bank, Nigeria spends barely 0.14 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product on social protection, far below the global average of 1.5 per cent and the Sub-Saharan African average of 1.1 per cent. That tiny allocation, the report warns, has had “almost no impact” on poverty.
In its Nigeria Economic Outlook 2026, PwC noted that Nigeria’s poverty rate is projected to rise sharply to 62 per cent by 2026, with about 141 million people expected to be living below the poverty line.
The report notes that, despite recent policy actions aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability, weak real income growth and persistently high living costs are likely to push more households into poverty over the next two years.
PwC estimates that most Nigerians will struggle to record income gains strong enough to offset rising prices in the near term, particularly as inflation continues to erode purchasing power.
“Poverty is projected to rise to 62 per cent (141 million people) by 2026, reflecting weak real income growth and lingering inflation effects,” PwC noted.
The World Bank’s Nigeria Development Update shares a similar view. The lender noted that the absolute number of people living in poverty has increased sharply, from about 81 million in 2019 to roughly 139 million in 2025, meaning nearly 62 per cent of the population now lives below the poverty line. Earlier estimates showed about 115 million Nigerians in poverty in 2023, rising to around 129 million in 2024, indicating that about 14 million people fell into poverty in just one year.
Both PwC and the World Bank caution that without targeted interventions such as job creation, productivity improvements, and effective social protection programmes, reducing poverty levels in Nigeria will remain a major challenge. Rising poverty, they warn, could also weaken domestic consumption, limit productivity growth, and place additional pressure on public finances.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) says it has transitioned into a holding company (HoldCo) to enhance its ability to operate effectively within Nigeria’s evolving power market and decentralised regulatory environment.
The DisCo, in a statement on Sunday, said the move follows the enactment of the Electricity Act of 2023, empowering state governments to establish independent electricity markets and regulatory commissions.
The company, in response to the regulatory shift, said it has restructured its corporate operations to improve agility, strengthen governance, and enhance service delivery across its franchise areas.
The AEDC also disclosed that it incorporated two new subsidiary companies — Niger Electricity Distribution Company and the Kogi Electricity Distribution Company — as part of the transformation,
“These entities will operate under the Niger State Electricity Regulatory Commission (NSERC) and the Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC), respectively, while remaining integral members of the AEDC Group,” the statement reads.
“Key executive appointments have been made, including Engr. Sam Odekina as Chief Business Officer and Acting Managing Director of Niger Electricity Distribution Company, and Mr. Desmond Eboh as Chief Business Officer and Acting Managing Director of Kogi Electricity Distribution Company.
“Plans are underway to commence operations in Nasarawa State, with the transition process expected to begin soon.”
The DisCo reaffirmed its dedication to supporting sustainable, state-regulated electricity markets and setting benchmarks for efficiency, reliability, and customer experience.
The company said it serves the federal capital territory (FCT) and parts of Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa states, expressing its dedication to powering economic growth and improving quality of life.
AEDC noted that the recently executed conditions of service apply “uniformly to all employees across the parent company and its subsidiaries, underscoring the group’s commitment to workforce stability, fairness, and alignment during the transition”.
Commenting on the development, Chijioke Okwuokenye, AEDC’s managing director and chief executive officer (CEO), said the HoldCo structure positions the company to respond to state-specific regulatory requirements while maintaining a unified corporate identity, shared values, and a strong commitment to operational excellence and customer service.
“All subsidiaries will operate as one integrated AEDC family, with uniform Conditions of Service for employees, ensuring workforce stability and fairness,” he said.
“The Holdco structure aligns perfectly with our goal to enhance operational efficiency and adapt to Nigeria’s evolving energy landscape while exploring new opportunities, drive growth and contribute to Nigeria’s energy sector development.”
Okwuokenye added that the AEDC is committed to “maintaining our high standards of service, innovation and customer focus, even as we evolve into a new structure”.
2026 is the 50th year anniversary of the first Panenka penalty scored by Antonin Panenka for Czechoslovakia to win the European nations Cup against West Germany.
Una don start. When Algeria played rubbish and blamed referee, you yabbed them. But now you're doing the same thing. Shey na referee Daniel say make una only have 2 shots on target in 120 minutes of football?
prinsam30: U think say if dem give us ref wey no bias like that Daniel , u think say we no waya Morocco wetin pass dem, that's why they are agitating now
Senegal has played better in the opening 25 minutes than Nigeria played throughout 120 minutes. It should be clear now that we never deserved to be at the World Cup
Bible sales hit record high as Gen Z drive 134% growth in six years
Bible sales in Britain have hit their highest level on record after more than doubling compared to pre-pandemic levels, driven by a surge in interest from Gen Z.
Total UK sales of the religious text reached £6.3million last year - up 134 per cent in value since £2.7million in 2019, according to analysis of Nielsen BookScan data.
Sales have also risen by 106 per cent in volume over the same period. Between 2024 and 2025, sales went up by 25 per cent in value and 28 per cent in volume.
The increase in recent years is also dramatically higher when comparing the period before Covid between 2008 and 2019, when annual sales grew by only £277,000.
Last year's bestselling Bible translation was the English Standard Version published by Crossway, according to the figures compiled by Christian publisher SPCK Group.
'Religion' also remains one of the fastest-growing areas of 'trade non-fiction' with overall sales up 11 per cent in 2025, after growth of 6 per cent the year before.
SPCK Group chief executive Sam Richardson said the increase was 'further evidence of a significant cultural shift regarding matters of faith and religion in this country'.
He also claimed that the inquisitive nature of Gen Z, those aged between 18 and 28, in a time of global unrest was helping drive the 'significant and sustained' rise.
Mr Richardson told the Daily Mail: 'Young people - Gen Z, in particular - are statistically far less likely to identify as atheists than their parents. Many are far more open to spirituality and the exploration of religion than previous generations.
‘This may well be because Gen Z, who experienced the global Covid-19 pandemic as children and teenagers, are now reaching adulthood in an increasingly turbulent world, where everything from politics to the economy, culture and technology are constantly shifting.
‘We are seeing more and more people - Gen Z included - investigating the Bible for themselves and seeking to draw their own conclusions rather than relying on the status quo.'
Some young Brits have taken to TikTok to talk about buying the book for the first time, with @thatcantbesteven posting a video of her holding one up to her phone camera, with the caption: 'Guess who just purchased their first Bible.'
Another @Naomiella_x said she had been an atheist for most of her life, but was now considering going to church and had ordered her first Bible.
She said: 'I'm really excited, I've ordered my first Bible, I've got a little Bible study book to help me understand it. I've been speaking to a few girls online privately about how do I get into this, this and this and they're really helping me.
‘It's bringing me happiness, it really is, and it's bringing me peace which is something I'm really valuing at the moment.’
Another 28-year-old TikToker called @Debiia__ said she had recently been baptised and bought her first Bible, doing an 'unboxing' video in which she said: 'Look how pretty this is. I'm so excited.'
The data mirrors figures in the US last year which showed Bible sales went up sharply in the weeks after the assassination of Christian media personality Charlie Kirk.
In September, the month he was killed, some 2.4million Bibles were sold across the US - a 36 per cent jump from the same month in 2024, according to book tracker Circana BookScan.
Bible sales were also already up in America by 11 per cent for the first nine months of 2025 compared with 2024.
Last month, a UK survey found Christmas churchgoing was on the rise in Britain with nearly half of people planning to attend a service or event - with Gen Z also leading the trend.
Some 45 per cent of UK adults said they expected to visit a church in Christmas 2025 - up from 40 per cent the previous year, according to the study for the charity Tearfund.
Younger people were found to be far more likely to go to church, with reasons given ranging from tradition to spiritual reflection and support to the atmosphere.
This survey followed the much-cited 'Quiet Revival' report in April 2025 from the Bible Society and YouGov about rising church attendance in England and Wales by younger people.
This surveyed 13,146 adults in November 2024 and found that Christians who go to church at least once a month made up 12 per cent of the total population, rising from 8 per cent in 2018.
For people aged 18 to 24, the proportion rose to 16 per cent from just 4 per cent in 2018, making this age group the second most likely to go to church regularly after those aged 65 and over.
The increase was particularly pronounced among younger men, 21 per cent of whom said they were regular churchgoers versus 12 per cent of women aged 18 to 24.
The report was later criticised by Humanists UK who claimed it contradicted other reputable data sources such as the British Social Attitudes Survey and attendance figures from major denominations – but it was defended by the Bible Society.
South Africa's defence ministry has launched a probe into Iran's participation in the BRICS+ naval exercises held near Cape Town this week, after reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa had asked Iran to withdraw to avoid antagonizing the United States.
There has been confusion over the past week over Iran's role in the drills, which also included Russia and China. A Reuters witness saw three Iranian ships in the False Bay area every day with the other vessels, but the defence ministry has not clarified what they were doing.
South African news outlets Daily Maverick and News24 reported that Ramaphosa had ordered Iran to be withdrawn from the exercises due to concerns about the damage its participation could do to South Africa's shaky relationship with Washington.
The inquiry will seek to determine whether Ramaphosa's instructions were misrepresented and/or ignored, the defence ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Defence Minister Angie Motshekga told Reuters it was untrue that the defence force had defied presidential orders, without giving further details. Ramaphosa's office has declined to comment.
The exercises came at a particularly sensitive time as U.S. lawmakers were considering whether to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a preferential trade programme for some African countries. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill on Monday, though there is still a possibility that South Africa could be excluded.
The U.S. Embassy in South Africa posted on social media on Thursday that it had noted with "concern and alarm" the reports about Iran's participation in the exercises.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been threatening to intervene in Iran if a deadly crackdown on mass protests, which appear to be abating, continues.
BRICS+ is an expansion of a geopolitical bloc originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - and seen by members as a counterweight to U.S. and Western economic dominance - that now includes several other countries including Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
The exercises were described by South Africa as an operation to "ensure the safety of shipping and maritime economic activities".
Very impressive achievement by these two young men.
Even more impressive is the fact that under this deal, a non executive board member of Peter Thiel''s company Palantir has joined the board of this Nigerian company created by these two young Igbo men.
For those who don't know, Peter Thiel is basically the guy who created Elon Musk and a lot of other tech billionaires. He's basically like a godfather in Silicon Valley. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time he has ever shown enough confidence in the commercial potential of an African tech startup company to invest in it.
A US tech billionaire Joe Lonsdale has invested $11.8m in a Nigerian drone firm to tackle Africa’s insecurity.
The funding round, announced on Monday, January 12, 2026, was led by Lonsdale’s venture firm 8VC, with Alex Moore, a defence-focused partner at 8VC and Palantir non-executive director, joining Terra’s board last year.
Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku, 22, and Maxwell Maduka, 24, the Abuja-based startup designs and manufactures long and mid-range drones, autonomous sentry towers, and uncrewed ground vehicles.
Terra provides security solutions for infrastructure assets across Africa valued at approximately $11 billion, including hydropower facilities in Nigeria and gold and lithium mining operations in Ghana.
“Africa is industrialising faster than any other region, with new mines, refineries and power plants emerging every month,” said Nwachuku.
“But none of that progress will matter if we don’t solve the continent’s greatest Achilles’ heel, which is insecurity and terrorism.”
The investment comes amid rising threats from extremist groups such as Islamic State and al-Qaeda, which are increasingly active across West Africa.
The Economic Community of West African States has declared a regional state of emergency in response to escalating insecurity.
Terra said the funds will be used to expand manufacturing capacity and accelerate its cross-border security and counter-terrorism operations.
The round also attracted global investors, including Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, Leblon Capital, Silent Ventures LLC, Nova Global, and angel investors such as Meyer Malka, managing partner at Ribbit Capital, known for backing fintech firms like Revolut and Credit Karma.
Terra Industries emphasises homegrown innovation, with the majority of its engineering team based in Africa, designing, building, and producing all systems on the continent.
The move positions the company at the intersection of African technological ingenuity and the urgent security demands facing the region.
The article is from the October 2nd 1972 edition of the now defunct West Africa News Magazine
NIGERIA University "Quota" Protest
Delegates representing Lagos, Ibadan and Ife universities and Adeyemi College of Education walked out of the 16th annual convention of the National Union of Nigerian Students in protest against a motion calling for the introduction of a quota system in all federal institutions.
However, delegates from 13 other institutions, including Ahmadu Bello, Nsukka and Benin voted in favour.
Attempts to get the delegates to return failed and the chairman, Mr Adedeboro, suddenly announced his resignation as national president as well as his life membership of NUNS. Mr Mustafa Bulami of Zaria was elected chairman for the remainder of the season.
I’m a 28 year old Man from Paris (born there) with both my parents being Igbo and Yoruba. I’ve never visited Nigeria until now, my mom successfully pulled me in the country and so far I’m just living a nightmare.
I’ve been to Lagos, Abuja and Owerri (her birth place) and I neither feel safe or welcomed. Guys usually try to scam me when they realise I’m a complete stranger and every single interaction I had with a woman around my age revolves around my salary (Around 5000€ per month, or a bit below 9M nairas) and everything I could do to support/ help her family. I even had a girl begging me to marry her, I didn’t knew her name ?
Everything about the things I saw seems fake, people are doing crazy things to survive, I saw guys beating another one for his watch, and 2 folks siphoning fuel from a car while the occupants went outside to do some shopping, but the experiences I had with women’s out there in 6 days shocked me to the core. I saw what true greed was and how their whole behaviours changed immediately when they heard my accent and from where I came from. In owerri a girl tried to Sexually Assault me with her older sister, like what the hell ?
I don’t think I’m returning ever again, but do you have any ideas on how I can at the very least enjoy a bit of my remaining journey ? I still have 5 days there. I’m returning to Lagos next morning and will stay until Monday.
A rare copy of Action Comics #1 once owned by Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage has sold for $15 million at auction, setting a new all-time record for the most expensive comic book ever purchased.
First published in 1938, the issue introduced Superman to the world and later became part of Cage’s personal collection before being stolen from his home in 2000. More than a decade later, the comic was recovered and eventually returned to the market after Cage sold it.
Action Comics #1 is considered one of the most important publications in pop-culture history, marking the birth of both Superman and the modern superhero era. Fewer than 100 copies are believed to still exist, and only a handful remain in excellent condition.
The copy that reached $15 million was graded CGC 9.0, making it one of the best-preserved examples ever found — a key reason behind its record-breaking price. The buyer has remained anonymous.
Cage, a lifelong comic enthusiast who took his stage name from Marvel’s Luke Cage, originally purchased the issue in the 1990s. After its recovery in 2011, he sold it at auction for $2.2 million. Its latest sale now more than triples that figure.
“This sale reflects not only the book’s rarity, but its unmatched cultural importance,” said CGC president Matt Nelson. “Superman is the first true superhero, and Action Comics #1 remains the most iconic comic ever published.”
Where exactly did she go wrong? It's not as if she described the nature of the sins in explicit details. Yes, the Bible can be euphemistic and sometimes it speaks to us in parables, but the Bible can also be unapologetically blunt in its use of language.
OMEGA009: Of course, he’s right. Even the Bible is simplified some texts in order to be PG. Words like “lay with” and “went to be with the Lord”. I wouldn’t want my 6 year old asking me about m@sturbation and Homo. Call me old school but I refuse to be this “woke”.
So if her lyrics had mentioned stealing and murder as sins, that would mean she's encouraging stealing and murder? Intelligence is a luxury these days. Thank God Christians don't worship your god
inyass2580: Must she mentioned them Ppl wey wan mk u masturbate na dem introduce am to eberybody because if dy didn't mention it hw will ppl knw drs homosexual and masturbation by male and femal gender Stupid ppl
Justice Olalekan Oresanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday ordered Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of the social network platform Facebook, to pay human rights Lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) $25,000 for the invasion of his privacy by the company.
Justice Oresanya held that a global tech firm like Meta, which hosts pages for commercial purposes, has a duty of care toward individuals impacted by content on its platform.
Falana had dragged the United States of America-based organisation before the court over the publication of a false video about his health status, which he claimed damaged his image and the name he built over the years.
In the originating motion, which is based on Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 24(1)(A) and (E) & Section 34(1)(D) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, as well as the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules of 2009, Falana’s lawyer, Olumide Babalola, accused the organisation of publishing motion images and voice on their website, falsely claiming that Falana had suffered from a disease known as ‘Prostatitis’.
He argued that this was an invasion of his privacy under Section 37 of Nigeria’s Constitution.
Falana also stated that the video on www.facebook.com was false, misleading, and unfair, breaching Sections 24(1)(A) and (E) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
He asked the court to order the respondents to delete the video titled ‘AfriCare Health Centre’ from Facebook.
Considering the damage caused, Falana sought $5 million in general damages and any other reliefs the court might grant.
In his judgement, Justice Oresanya dismissed META’s arguments that it is only a “hosting’ or “intermediary’ platform, mainly because it monetises content and harm from misinformation is reasonably predictable.
He clarified that being a public figure does not remove Falana’s right to privacy, and the dissemination of false medical information intrudes into his private life.
The court also found that Meta controls how content is processed, monetises pages, and manages distribution algorithms, acting as a joint data controller with page owners.
Meta was held vicariously liable for the offensive video and breached Section 24 of the NDPA by processing inaccurate, harmful personal data without a lawful basis.
The court stressed that platforms handling sensitive personal data must take extra care to ensure accuracy and protect privacy.
Justice Oresanya maintained that as a global tech giant, Meta should have effective review, quick takedowns, and safeguards against misinformation, adding that its failure to do so was a regulatory breach.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Falana had averred that he was well-known for his legal battles, often challenging government policies and actions that infringe upon citizens’ rights, with his practice encompassing a wide range of areas, including constitutional law, civil rights, public interest litigation, and international human rights law.
He noted that the respondents operate a global social media platform known as www.facebook.com. On January 16, 2025, he discovered a video featuring him that had been posted on the respondents’ platform under the page “AfriCare Health Centre,” which he submitted as an exhibit in the suit.
In the video that carries his name and image, he is purported to have said: “My name is Femi Falana, and I have been battling prostatitis for over 16 years. At the age of 50, I was diagnosed with this condition. Every day, I faced pain, discomfort, and constant fatigue. I had trouble urinating, lower back pain, and other symptoms that made it difficult to live a full life. Despite consulting the best urologists in the country, no one could offer me effective treatment. I was prescribed numerous medications, physical therapy, and even surgery, but these methods only temporarily alleviated the symptoms.”
He lamented the wrongful publication, stating that it had dramatically prejudiced him, as his health is part of his private life, and he has never suffered from any such condition.
A 38-year-old Nigeria national has been reportedly arrested by the Toronto Police Service, Canada in connection with a series of alleged assaults on vulnerable adults at a group home in the city.
The police said the suspect, identified as Oghenemaro Dave Ejerua, a Toronto resident, was employed as a caregiver at a group home located around Sibley Avenue and Dentonia Park Avenue in East York.
According to investigators from 55 Division, the assaults allegedly occurred between November 1 and November 30, 2025, during which time the accused is said to have repeatedly assaulted residents under his care.
The case came to light after police responded to a report of an assault in the area at about 9am on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
Following investigations, authorities initially declared Ejerua wanted and released his image to the public on December 31, 2025.
In an update issued on Monday, January 12, 2026, the Toronto Police confirmed that Ejerua had now been arrested and charged with seven counts of assault.
He was scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice, located at 10 Armoury Street, Toronto, on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 10am in Room 106.
The police are urging anyone with additional information related to the case to contact 55 Division at 416-808-5500, or provide tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
The Toronto Police Service reiterated its commitment to protecting vulnerable members of the community and encouraged the public to report suspected abuse promptly.
Russia has been accused of strapping a landmine to an African mercenary’s chest and ordering him to run through no man’s land as a human bomb to target Ukrainian fortifications.
Widely shared video purporting to show preparation for the attack shows the black mercenary being marched through a trench at gunpoint and being ordered to storm Ukrainian positions.
A Russian uses racist insults, telling the recruit he is being used as a “can opener” to blow himself up to “open” an enemy bunker.
The video emerged as Ukraine’s ambassador to South Africa told The Telegraph that Russia was using Africans as “meat for the meat grinder” by tricking them into joining the war in Ukraine.
Thousands of Africans are thought to have been lured to the front lines, either under false pretences or with promises of hefty salaries, in a Moscow operation to replace heavy casualties in its own ranks.
Another video, published on Sunday, allegedly shows a group of new African mercenaries in a snow-covered forest singing songs in their own language. The Russian soldier filming says: “Look how many disposables there are.”
Laughing at the upbeat troops, he adds that “they will be singing differently” once they are deployed to the front.
Olexander Scherba, the Ukrainian ambassador to South Africa, told The Telegraph that a recent scandal, in which members of a South African political party with close ties to Moscow had been forced into combat, showed the Kremlin did not care about its allies.
In an interview at the Ukrainian embassy in Pretoria, Mr Scherba said: “There might be all kinds of charm offensives on the African continent, but once an African person comes to this war, they just become meat for the meat grinder.”
Mr Scherba added that the scandal showed Russia “looks at Africa through imperial eyes”.
Several African countries have recently warned against scams promising work and study opportunities in Russia that instead sent applicants to fight and die. Olexander Scherba, the Ukrainian ambassador to South Africa Olexander Scherba, the Ukrainian ambassador to South Africa, has described how Russia is tricking Africans into joining the war on Ukraine
South Africa has been captivated by the case of 17 men allegedly lured to Russia for bodyguard training by Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of its disgraced former president, Jacob Zuma.
The men told reporters they thought they would then return to work in the protection unit of Mr Zuma’s Mkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party.
Instead, they were made to sign army contracts, sent to the front line and still remain there, despite the former president, who has close relations with Russia, pleading for Moscow to help them.
Ms Zuma-Sambudla insists that she thought the men were only undergoing non-combat paramilitary training.
The 43-year-old, who is an MP with her father’s party and has frequently spoken in support of Vladimir Putin, said she had been deceived and never intended to recruit anyone for combat or mercenary activity.
A letter purporting to be from Mr Zuma to Andrey Belousov, Russia’s defence minister, alleged the men had been “misled” and had signed contracts under “patently misleading circumstances”.
There is no suggestion that Mr Zuma was aware of, or involved in, any attempt to mislead the men.
Mr Scherba said: “The whole saga about Zuma’s family members, if the saga is true and it looks like that, is just evidence of how Russia in the end does not value Africans.
“Even those who are dedicated to Russia, even those who love Russia, in the end they still can wind up just as meat in the meat grinder.”
While poor Russians make up the majority of Putin’s forces, Ukraine has estimated as many as 1,400 Africans are serving on the front lines. Hundreds of others are thought to have died.
Some African recruits are thought to have known what they were getting into, while others were tricked with offers of jobs and scholarships. Fighting for a foreign army is illegal under South African law.
This year, Nairobi began investigating the trafficking of Kenyans to fight, after Ukrainian troops captured Evans Kibet, a long-distance runner who said he had been misled into going to Russia for an exhibition race.
The Kenyan government has now found at least 82 citizens caught up in the Ukraine war.
In a video released this week by the Ukrainian military, a Ugandan prisoner of war called Richard Akantoran said he had taken out a bank loan to travel to Russia after being promised a job in a supermarket.
Another typical story is the case of Richard Kanu, who served in Sierra Leone’s military for more than 10 years, before looking for work in St Petersburg.
He said he applied for a job by signing some Russian-language paperwork, but did not realise he had signed a contract to join the Russian army until he arrived at a base in Rostov-on-Don, just outside Ukraine. He is now a prisoner of war.
Jean Onana, from Cameroon, told Ukrainian interrogators he travelled to Russia for a job in a shampoo factory.
He had barely arrived in Moscow when he was detained along with 10 others from Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Ghana, and made to serve on the front line.
Mr Scherba also warned anyone swayed by offers of a hefty pay packet that they were unlikely to see any money.
He said there were “so many ways for Russians to trick you out of your money” and said life expectancy on the front line for new recruits was often only about 72 hours.
He said: “Just imagine how short the life expectancy for Africans is, because they care about foreigners much less than they care about their own citizens.
“Even if you survive this and even if there is any money at the end of it, it won’t be righteous money, you will be fighting on the side of the aggressor, on the side of a colonial power.”
Ukraine has been trying to grow its diplomatic clout in Africa but is running up against decades of skilful Russian influence-building.
At the start of Putin’s invasion, many nations on the continent refused to condemn the aggression, or vote against Russia in the United Nations.
Mr Scherba said that was because few in Africa had expected Ukraine to survive.
He said: “The whole world, not only Africa, thought that Ukraine didn’t stand a chance. The plan that the Russians had was to take Kyiv in three days and all of Ukraine within 15 days.”
Many on the continent thought the world was on the verge of a new Cold War and wanted to open doors to both sides, so did not want to condemn Russia.
Mr Scherba said Russian popularity on the continent was “not as much Russia’s strength as the West’s weakness”.
“The global wave of anti-Americanism and anti-Western mood is very much present on this continent,” he said.
“It’s part of reality and Russia is using this sentiment that blames the West and somehow tends to see Russia as innocent no matter what happens.”
You mean, Nigerians have no right to expect tax subsidised social services in return for the high taxes they are expected to pay? Nigeria the giant of Africa?
Pierocash: Anybody must be mad to compare a country with social amenities with Nigeria with practically no government presence. Comparing a country with higher Standard of living, , higher minimum wage, higher level of accountability.
I pay 42% tax every month in Germany but if: 1. I loose my job, the govt pays me 60% of my salary and help to find a new one 2. I have access to 3 years leave if I have a baby with a percentage of my salary and my job will wait for me until I resume. 3. Education is free in govt schools from primary to PhD 4. For every child I have, they get paid €250 monthly until they turn 18 5. I can buy a monthly ticket of €56 monthly and can travel all around the country via train (not high speed) and buses. 6. At any emergency, once you call the ambulance, it arrives within 20 minutes 7. Deffribilators and SOS access are available at every train station and high ways. 8. If I get stock in a country, I call the govt and they come to my support.
Let me stop here.
You that will pay about 30% tax in Nigeria that was copied 90% from the UK tax law, what will you get?
My mother, Alhaja, as she was fondly called, was a drama Queen. I will narrate just one story today.
So my mother entered a bus, and the driver drove past her bus stop, even after she called his attention.
When she complained, the conductor suddenly chose violence 😭
He started abusing her loudly: “Awon iya aje! Eko osi kuro! Iya aje!!! Huuuuu!!!” (You witches! Poverty-stricken Lagos! Witch!!!) The bus stopped.
At this point, my mother calmly reached into her bag and brought out a small container of Saturday Night powder. She blew it lightly, snapped her fingers kpaa! and muttered some very strange, very unnecessary words 😌
Then she stepped down from the bus.
As she looked back… 😭😭😭
EVERYBODY in the bus had alighted. Men. Women. Everybody.
They were walking towards her… genuflecting… prostrating… begging. “Ma, please forgive him.” “E ma binu ma.” “E joor, e ma binu.” They were now scolding the driver and conductor instead.
My mum said calmly, “You people will take me to your office.” 💀💀💀
Everybody agreed immediately. The driver reversed the bus and drove her straight to the office.
On getting there, my mother said, “Bring the conductor.”
The passengers shouted in unison: “DOBALÈ!!!”
The conductor prostrated flat. My mum brought out the powder again.
Looked up to the sky dramatically. Blew it.
She muttered another fake incantation, and the whole crowd responded: “ASE!” “AMIN!” She gently placed her hand on the conductor’s head… SLAPPED IT 😭 and said: “Go in peace.” 😭😭😭😭😭
When she finished narrating this story to us at home, we almost died of laughter.🤣🤣🤣
Honestly… African mothers are not normal. They are a genre.🤣🤣🤣
There has been a desperate attempt in certain parts of the country ever since the United States declared genocide of Christians to create a fictional counter narrative of Christian violence.
Otherwise why would a communal land dispute suddenly be branded "Christian militias?"
Has the Ife/Modakeke land issue ever been identified by religious affiliation of the combatants? Of course not because it doesn't suit the narrative.
But they want to divert attention away from the activities of herdsmen and jihadists so this is their strategy for the middle belt
Meet Tomi, The Trending Blind Nigerian Sketch Maker On Tiktok & Youtube
I miss my wife’s face every single day as a blind person🥹. The last time I saw my wife’s face, the faces of my loved ones and friends was seven years ago when I became blind as a result of an armed robber that shot me in the face. Sometimes I feel her face with my hands to create a perfect picture in my head, but it can never be compared to being able to see her with my eyes. but I’m grateful to God that I was able to see her beautiful face for several years before I became blind. It’s our wedding anniversary month and we will be six years married by January 31.
So I say to you all, value your eyes, look your loved ones in the face and tell them how beautiful and handsome they are and how much you love them. Travel if you can and see the beauty and colours of the world with them. for someone like me, all I can see is black and ever since I travelled from Nigeria to Canada, all I can hear is new accents, the new sound of birds and life around me. So if you can take a moment to just say God, I’m grateful for my eyes and find a place in your heart to pray for me to see again.🙏
In 1 Corinthians 7, Scripture encourages singleness as a better state for focusing on the Lord due to "present distress," but not as a strict command, acknowledging marriage as good and necessary for those unable to control their sexual desires, advising marriage over burning with passion.
BAILMONEY: Can someone quote one verse in the bible where catholic Monks were told not to marry 🤔
Fr Omatu go and get a wife, stay away from nuns and people's wife
Politics › Re: FG Allocates Below 1% Of 2026 Budget To Fight Poverty by BlackViper(op): 2:26pm On Jan 19
Ppl wey wan mk u masturbate na dem introduce am to eberybody because if dy didn't mention it hw will ppl knw drs homosexual and masturbation by male and femal gender