IMF's October 2025 World Economic Outlook projects global GDP growth at 3.2% for 2025, down slightly from 3.3% in 2024, with advanced economies averaging 1.6% amid lower-than-expected U.S. tariffs easing trade tensions.
India stands out with a robust 6.6% forecast, outpacing China's 4.8% and emerging Asia's 5.2% average, driven by strong domestic demand and fiscal year adjustments starting April 2025.
Europe's projections reveal stark contrasts, with Germany's 0.2% growth signaling industrial slowdowns, while Spain's 2.9% benefits from tourism recovery; Nigeria's 3.9% uptick signals reform progress in sub-Saharan Africa.
The post satirizes online tribal backlash against Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigeria's president, for hosting a breakfast meeting with Igbo businessmen like Obi Cubana and E-Money to discuss youth-led national development under the "Change Nigeria" initiative.
Accompanying screenshots capture Yoruba critics accusing Seyi of betraying ethnic interests due to his Igbo wife, underscoring how personal relationships fuel divisive narratives in Nigerian social media. Posted on October 24, 2025, by Ivorian filmmaker @GeneralSnow_
muykem: I don't know what to say about these people again. How can people be looking for trouble and at same time be complaining that people hate them. Who will people hate if not trouble makers.
that's good.....you can now keep quiet and stop crying more than the bereaved, Ghana people aren't complaining.
Truck Driver Kills 19-Year-Old Nigerian Student After Running Red Light in Canada
A 19-year-old Nigerian student, identified as Marvelous Ugochukwu, has tragically d+ed in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, after a truck driver ran a red light and crashed into multiple structures, including a bus shelter where she was waiting.
The fatal incident occurred at the intersection of Dewdney Avenue and Elphinstone Street last Sunday. Witnesses told Peoples Gazette that the truck driver was attempting to beat a red light when he lost control, slamming into a car, a bus stop shelter, a fence, and a light pole.
“She was just sitting at the bus stop when the truck hit her. It was a horrific scene,” a witness recounted.
According to reports, emergency responders pronounced Ms. Ugochukwu deed at the scene, while the car’s driver was rushed to the hospital with serious inj¥ries. Regina Police officers quickly shut down the busy intersection and took the truck driver into custody for questioning.
A local waste management firm, Just Bins, which first broke the story on Facebook, confirmed the sequence of events, adding that police were investigating the crash.
The tragic death has sent shockwaves through the Regina community, particularly among Nigerian students in the area. A GoFundMe campaign has since been launched to assist the Ugochukwu family with funeral and legal expenses, while a candlelight procession in her honor is scheduled for today.
Skilled Truckers Canada also mourned the young student on its Facebook page, with many commenters expressing condolences and calling for justice.
To: Prof. Bala Mohammed Audu National President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) National Secretariat, Abuja
Dear Prof. Audu,
I write to you as a concerned and committed member of our great Association, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). Recent reports in the national media have attributed to the NMA the declaration that Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, currently standing trial in Abuja, has been found fit to stand trial and that his illness is not life-threatening.
While it is understandable that the courts may, from time to time, request professional medical input in cases where an accused person’s fitness to stand trial is in question, I must respectfully request clarification from the National Secretariat on what constitutional or statutory basis the NMA as a corporate body performs such a function.
To the best of my knowledge, and according to the NMA Constitution and By-Laws available to members, our Association’s functions are primarily professional, ethical, and advocacy-based. Nowhere, as far as I can ascertain, is there any provision empowering the Association itself as opposed to independent medical experts or panels appointed by the court to declare a defendant fit or unfit to stand trial.
Traditionally, and in line with standard medico-legal practice, the process has always been as follows: 1.When a person’s fitness to stand trial is in question, the court appoints qualified medical experts, often forensic psychiatrists or a multidisciplinary medical board, to assess the individual’s physical and mental condition. 2.The panel reports to the court, which then makes the legal determination of fitness to stand trial. 3.The NMA, as a professional body, does not issue such declarations in its institutional capacity unless the Association is merely acting as an administrative conduit to nominate experts — in which case, it should be clearly stated that the declaration emanates from individual medical practitioners and not the NMA itself.
Given this distinction, I, along with many colleagues, seek your kind clarification on the following points: •Under what article or section of the NMA Constitution or By-Laws does the Association have the authority to constitute or endorse a medical panel for determining a person’s fitness to stand trial? •Was the panel that examined Mr. Nnamdi Kanu constituted as a court-appointed body through the NMA, or was it presented publicly as an NMA-declared verdict? •If the latter, how does this align with the professional and ethical boundaries of our Association as defined by its constitution?
Sir, as you would agree, clarity on this matter is necessary not only to uphold the integrity and independence of our profession but also to ensure that the public correctly understands the role of the NMA in sensitive medico-legal proceedings.
I therefore humbly urge the National Secretariat to issue an official clarification, citing the specific constitutional or statutory framework that underpinned the Association’s involvement in this particular case.
Thank you for your kind attention and continued leadership of our Association. I trust that your office will provide the needed transparency to reassure members and the public alike.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged the Nigerian government to regulate social media, citing its growing misuse and the d@ngers it poses to peace, unity, and mutual respect in the country.
Speaking through the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, at the Northern Ulamah Summit on insecurity and socioeconomic challenges held in Kaduna, the Sultan lamented how social media has become a tool for d+srespect and division.
“Anyone can wake up, pick up their phone, and ins¥lt anyone — a respected leader, neighbour, or even a family member without facing any consequences,” he said.
He noted that in other countries, social media is strictly regulated and offenders who post divisive or inc+ting content are traced and p¥nished, urging Nigeria to adopt similar measures.
The summit, organised by the Congregation of Northern Ulamas, brought together Islamic clerics, political leaders, and stakeholders from across northern Nigeria to discuss insecurity, religious harmony, and the role of scholars in national development.
Cross River Moves to Ban Housing Agents Over Inflated Rent Charges
The Cross River State House of Assembly has begun deliberations on a proposal to ban housing agents across Calabar and other parts of the state. The move follows widespread complaints that agents are arbitrarily inflating rent prices, thereby worsening the cost of living for residents.
A Customs officer, identified as Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASC) Lawal Tukur, was found dead in his hotel room at Murjani Hotel, Katsina, on October 15. Hotel staff discovered his lifeless body around 8:30 a.m. and alerted authorities.
Sources revealed that empty sachets of suspected substances were found in the room’s waste bin. Three women Khadija Ali (34), Aisha Lawal (30), and Hafsat Yusuf (22) were reportedly at the hotel during the incident, with two of them said to have spent the night with the deceased.
The body was taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina, where Tukur was confirmed dead and deposited for autopsy. The Nigeria Customs Service has been notified, while investigations are ongoing to ascertain the cause of death. zagazola.org reports
Before 2023, the Federal Ministry of Interior was mostly known for declaring public holidays. In fact, the immediate past Minister, who is now the Secretary of one social club, was even nicknamed Minister of Public Holidays.
Then, August 2023 happened. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, who moved from the National Assembly to the Federal Executive Council, took charge, and suddenly, the ministry started behaving like a tech hub. From the electronic visa to the upgraded electronic passport system, the Interior Ministry woke up from its long nap and began working like a well-oiled machine.
Just this afternoon, a friend called me, almost shouting, “Guy, I don collect my passport o! E no reach three weeks!” I laughed and asked, “Who help you run am?” expecting one long story about knowing somebody that knows somebody. But he said, “Nobody helped me. I apply and get am normal.” I went silent for a few seconds. The same Nigerian passport that took me months to obtain in April 2023? How is Tunji Ojo doing this?
In fairness, this man has sewn the overstretched pockets of corrupt immigration officers who saw passport processing as their own personal oil bloc and were profiting from the desperation of applicants. The old days of “come back next week” or “you know what to do” have faded. For once, we are seeing what good governance looks like when someone actually does the job.
Tunji Ojo, through his stewardship as minister, has displayed that Nigeria’s problems are not spiritual but managerial. With competence and sincerity, even the most frustrating institutions like INEC and Judiciary can work. Maybe he should host training sessions for some of his colleagues in government because clearly, he knows something they don’t.
And somehow, despite all these performances, the Minister has stayed far from controversy. No scandal, no noise, no unnecessary drama, just quiet efficiency.
No wonder those of us in the opposition are finding it hard to even criticize his ministry. Honorable Tunji Ojo has left us with nothing to attack.
'Tonye Barcanista Before 2023, the Federal Ministry of Interior was mostly known for declaring public holidays. In fact, the immediate past Minister, who is now the Secretary of one social club, was even nicknamed Minister of Public Holidays.
Then, August 2023 happened. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, who moved from the National Assembly to the Federal Executive Council, took charge, and suddenly, the ministry started behaving like a tech hub. From the electronic visa to the upgraded electronic passport system, the Interior Ministry woke up from its long nap and began working like a well-oiled machine.
Just this afternoon, a friend called me, almost shouting, “Guy, I don collect my passport o! E no reach three weeks!” I laughed and asked, “Who help you run am?” expecting one long story about knowing somebody that knows somebody. But he said, “Nobody helped me. I apply and get am normal.” I went silent for a few seconds. The same Nigerian passport that took me months to obtain in April 2023? How is Tunji Ojo doing this?
In fairness, this man has sewn the overstretched pockets of corrupt immigration officers who saw passport processing as their own personal oil bloc and were profiting from the desperation of applicants. The old days of “come back next week” or “you know what to do” have faded. For once, we are seeing what good governance looks like when someone actually does the job.
Tunji Ojo, through his stewardship as minister, has displayed that Nigeria’s problems are not spiritual but managerial. With competence and sincerity, even the most frustrating institutions like INEC and Judiciary can work. Maybe he should host training sessions for some of his colleagues in government because clearly, he knows something they don’t.
And somehow, despite all these h7performances, the Minister has stayed far from controversy. No scandal, no noise, no unnecessary drama, just quiet efficiency.
No wonder those of us in the opposition are finding it hard to even criticize his ministry. Honorable Tunji Ojo has left us with nothing to attack.
IMF to countries: Reduce your debt, it suffocates economies
Kristalina Georgieva, managing director (MD) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has urged countries to reduce debt levels, warning that excessive debt suffocates economies.
“The consequences are that we have to be much much more focused on bringing debt levels down, because very high level of debt suffocates economies,” she said.
“Although ironically, debt levels in advanced economies are still going up, debt levels in emerging markets are still going up”
The post highlights IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva's statement at the 2025 World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington DC, urging nations to prioritize debt reduction as high levels "suffocate economies," with global debt rising in advanced and emerging markets while low-income countries face access barriers.
Emerging markets like Nigeria are particularly vulnerable, as evidenced by the country's public debt reaching N152.39 trillion ($99.65 billion) by June 2025, up from prior levels, straining fiscal space and amplifying risks of economic stagnation amid ongoing borrowing.
Replies from Nigerian users reflect domestic frustration with government borrowing under President Tinubu, contrasting it with past fiscal prudence and underscoring how such policies may exacerbate IMF-warned vulnerabilities in resource-constrained economies.
As it stands today, there are several Nigerians parading fake academic credentials and are occupying various seats in Government and in the private sector pretending to be big men while in the garb of criminals.
That is one of the reasons why we are not getting it right because the FORGERS are always making additional moves to cover their tracks. in so doing and in that desperation they commit more crimes and continue to injure the entire governance and management system..
As long as we continue to have criminal forgers presiding over us, for that long our society will continue to sink,stagnate and stink.
One of the ways we can checkmate the menace of Forgery by especially desperate politicians is to start mentioning the names of Forgers that we know.
We can discreetly send their names or suspicious details of their academic records to credible investigative media outfits, journalists or whistle blowers. Doing that will help us to flush out the crooks, criminal forgers and desperate "smart Alecs" out of the governance system.
Iam just about to send copies of "FORGED" Academic records of three serving house of representative members two senators and a Governor from the North west who "Super imposed" their names on other people's genuine academic records, submitted same to Inec, on that basis contested the 2019 and 2023 elections and said to have "WON" the elections.
Please just spare some time to do a credentials Audit of your representative, Governors, ministers, heads of MDA'S and all other pretenders. The outcome will shock you and the society will be cleaner and more decent. You owe that National duty to Nigeria.
Sarcastic Sunday: Tinubu’s Amnesty — But Who Will Pardon The President? - Part 1
October 12, 2025
By Mohammed Bello Doka
Welcome to Sarcastic Sunday with Mohammed Bello Doka, where we study Nigeria’s political gymnastics sarcastically — because doing otherwise will choke us to death.
Another Sunday, another miracle from Aso Rock. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has opened the gates of mercy wide enough to let even the devil stroll through with a presidential handshake. In one sweeping act of compassion, he has granted amnesty to a long list of convicts — from drug traffickers to murderers — because, apparently, Nigeria has become a land where crime not only pays but also gets state-sponsored forgiveness.
Yes, it’s official: repentance is no longer the path to redemption — all you need now is a presidential signature. Some say it’s an act of grace, others call it national comedy. I call it what it truly is — "The Federal Republic of Forgiveness, Unlimited."
Among those pardoned were convicted drug offenders, financial criminals, and even a woman accused of killing her husband. Only in Nigeria can a widow-maker receive state mercy while widows are still waiting for food palliatives. Maybe it’s all part of our gender equality agenda — equal opportunities for everyone, including killers.
And let’s not pretend the irony isn’t loud enough to wake the ancestors. For a president once accused of forfeiting $460,000 to the U.S. authorities in a drug-linked investigation, pardoning drug dealers feels less like compassion and more like a class reunion of the cartel alumni association. The man was never convicted, yes, but the whispers have never faded — especially now that his government is doing everything possible to block the FBI from releasing the files.
Nigeria, oh Nigeria. We are now a country where forgiveness is selective and justice wears designer sunglasses. When a poor man steals a loaf of bread, he becomes an example; when a rich man steals the bakery, he becomes a motivational speaker.
“In Nigeria, sin is not the problem — it’s poverty that makes sin unforgivable.”
They told us it was about decongesting the prisons, but we all know that’s a lie. Our prisons were full of the wrong people anyway — the small thieves, the unlucky youths, the street hustlers who couldn’t afford lawyers. Now, the presidential broom has swept them aside to make room for a new kind of elite: the VIP ex-convicts, freshly laundered and ready for political appointments.
“Our democracy has evolved — from government of the people to government of the pardoned.”
Let’s not forget the economic theatre in which this pardon was staged. Inflation is currently hovering around 24.23%, food inflation sits at 21.79%, and the naira, our beloved national symbol, is now ₦1,600 to a dollar. That means the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage amounts to a majestic $43.75 per month — or roughly $1.45 per day.
Congratulations, dear Nigerian worker. You are now officially poorer than the World Bank’s global poverty line of $2.15 per day. Even your suffering has gone international.
“The naira didn’t just fall — it fainted, revived, and fainted again.”
Over 54% of Nigerians now live below the poverty line. In rural areas, it’s 75.5%, while 41.3% of urban dwellers are also broke with dignity. But don’t worry — the government insists that better days are coming. The only problem is, those days are coming by road, and bad roads don’t let progress arrive on time.
And while citizens tighten belts they no longer wear, insecurity tightens the noose. Banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism have become part of our national anthem. Every day, Nigerians are abducted faster than policy promises. Yet, in the middle of it all, the government found time to pardon criminals. Maybe they’re freeing the bandits so they can come back and register for next year’s empowerment programmes.
Osinbajo Accuses Supreme Court Of Inconsistency, Seeks Overhaul Of Nigeria’s Justice System
Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has faulted the Nigerian Supreme Court for what he described as inconsistency and excessive reliance on technicalities at the expense of substantive justice.
Osinbajo, a Professor of Law, made the observation in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, during the second Prof. Yusuf Ali Annual Lecture organised by the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, on Thursday.
He said Nigeria’s justice system must undergo a fundamental restructuring to align with the needs of the people rather than glorifying ‘procedural formalities
Katsina LG Chairman Attends Wedding Of Bandits’ Children Wks After Peace Pact Despite No Surrender Of Weapons
Despite failing to renounce their criminal activities or surrender their weapons following a peace agreement with the Katsina State Government, the Chairman of Sabuwa Local Government Area, Engr. Sagir Tanimu, attended the wedding ceremony of children belonging to some of the bandits in the state.
The event, held weeks after the peace pact, was reportedly part of ongoing reconciliation efforts between the government and the bandit groups operating in the area.
Tanimu was said to have also joined Fulani residents in the forest for a wedding ceremony in Kadawan Dandume village, a community recently reconciled with the local authorities after years of violent clashes.
Those who accompanied the council chairman to the event included the representative of the Emirate, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello Kogo, the Prince of Kogo Emirate in Katsina, and the District Head of Sabuwa.
However, residents warn that true reconciliation can only be achieved when armed groups formally renounce violence and lay down their weapons.
SaharaReporters previously reported that government officials and traditional leaders in Katsina State recently held another round of "peace talks" with bandits in the Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The meeting, aimed at reducing hostilities and fostering dialogue, brought together local government leaders and representatives of the armed groups operating in the region.
This latest engagement follows a similar peace meeting in Faskari Local Government Area, where bandit kingpins, some carrying weapons and ammunition strapped across their bodies, were in attendance.
Authorities say the peace talks are part of ongoing efforts to address insecurity in Katsina State, which has witnessed repeated attacks and kidnappings linked to bandit groups.
However, concerns remain among residents about the sincerity of the armed groups and the risks involved in negotiating under such tense conditions.
Tinubu’s govt clueless about costs of Lagos-Calabar coastal road per kilometre: Makinde
Governor Seyi Makinde has berated President Bola Tinubu’s administration for failing to provide detailed information on the average costs of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Highway
Governor Seyi Makinde accused the Tinubu administration of opacity on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway's costs during a press conference, highlighting the government's failure to disclose per-kilometer breakdowns for the 700km project.
The criticism follows a recent TV interview where Works Minister David Umahi struggled to detail expenses, despite the highway's earlier reported cost of N4.93 billion per km and a N1.06 trillion total allocation.
Amid polarized views, former President Obasanjo deemed the project wasteful in March 2025, while recent commendations from CSOs emphasize its potential to cut coastal travel times by up to 50%, per infrastructure analyses.
Politics › IMF Growth Projections For 2025 by ThroneNGamez(op): 11:49am On Oct 25, 2025
