The National Press Newspaper cover for Friday April 24, 2026
https://the-national-press-newspaper.co.uk/the-national-press-newspaper-cover-for-friday-april-24-2026/
Tinubu seeks approval for $516m for Sokoto superhighway
https://the-national-press-newspaper.co.uk/tinubu-seeks-approval-for-516m-for-sokoto-superhighway/
President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Senate’s approval to secure a $516.33 million ($516,333,007) syndicated loan to finance key sections of the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway.
Purpose: Funds will cover 120 kilometers of construction for Sections 1, 1A, and 1B.
Source: A syndicated facility led by Deutsche Bank.
Terms: Nine-year repayment with a three-year grace period at CME SOFR plus 5.3%.
Guarantee: Backed by the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).
Counterpart Funding: The government will provide ₦265.5 billion for land acquisition and compensation.
The planned 1,000-kilometre, six-lane infrastructure project is designed to connect Sokoto to Badagry, spanning several states. The route aims to boost trade and agricultural logistics by linking numerous communities and infrastructure sites.
Happy 86th birthday to His Royal Majesty, Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari
https://the-national-press-newspaper.co.uk/happy-86th-birthday-to-his-royal-majesty-emir-of-ilorin-alhaji-ibrahim-sulu-gambari/
On behalf of everyone at the National Press Newspaper, we are delighted to celebrate this special day with our Royal Majesty, Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari as you mark your 86th Birthday. We praise your dedication to peace, unity and development of Kwara State and Nigeria in general. We say Congratulations Sir.
Happy birthday to you.
Shettima
VP Shettima Demands Expansion Of PPP Pipeline To Meet Nigeria’s Economic Ambitions
As NCP intensifies efforts to bridge nation’s 5.6 million metering gap, end estimated billing
https://the-national-press-newspaper.co.uk/vp-shettima-demands-expansion-of-ppp-pipeline-to-meet-nigerias-economic-ambitions/
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to unlocking the full value of national assets and attracting global capital.
This is just as the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has called for an aggressive expansion of public-private partnerships to drive Nigeria’s economic ambitions.
Speaking yesterday Thursday at the first 2026 meeting of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Vice President said the administration is focused on attracting investment and ensuring that such capital is strategically aligned with national development priorities.
“The task before us is not only to ensure that Nigeria emerges as a safe destination for private investment, but to align that investment with the governing purpose of this administration and the larger destiny of our nation,” he said.
VP Shettima stressed that Nigeria’s long-standing ambition of becoming a trillion-dollar economy would remain out of reach without a deliberate balance between public enterprise and private sector dynamism, noting that economic prosperity must be intentionally designed and sustained through strong institutions.
According to him, “Prosperity does not happen by accident. It is designed, negotiated, protected, and sustained by institutions that understand that national assets must be deployed in the service of the people.”
Reviewing progress made over the past year, the Vice President highlighted key milestones across sectors such as mining, agriculture, and energy, pointing in particular to the sale of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko DISCO) as a major signal of renewed investor confidence.
VP Shettima attributed the growing investor interest to the policy direction and reform agenda of the administration, emphasising that credibility, consistency, and clarity remain the strongest drivers of capital inflows.
“Investors do not respond to rhetoric alone. They respond to coherence, to clarity, and to the evidence that a country knows where it is going and has the courage to stay the course,” he said.
The Vice President also commended improvements within the privatisation framework, particularly the enhanced governance processes and timely completion of audit reports, describing institutional discipline as critical to building trust.
He charged the Council to accelerate the development of a robust pipeline of bankable projects and deepen the use of public-private partnerships as a central tool for economic expansion.
“We must accelerate the work of building a pipeline of bankable projects and of executing more public-private partnership transactions to support our economic targets,” he said.
He further emphasised the importance of post-privatisation oversight, urging stricter monitoring to ensure that privatised assets deliver on their contractual obligations and contribute meaningfully to national development.
The Vice President also warned against policy inconsistencies within government institutions, noting that overlapping mandates and unclear roles could undermine investor confidence and slow reform progress.
“Policy confusion is expensive. Overlapping mandates unsettle the market. If we are to speak convincingly to investors, government must speak with one voice,” he added.
Shedding light on the outcome of the meeting, the Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), Mr. Ayodeji Ariyo Gbeleyi, said he updated the Council on the progress made with the distribution sector recovery programme, an initiative financed by the World Bank to the tune of $500 million.
He explained that a major component of the programme is the procurement of about 3.22 million prepaid metres for Nigerians to bridge the metering gap that is currently estimated at about 5.6 million.
“As of today, we have signed a contract for 1,437,000 metres that have already been deployed in the country. As we speak, almost 400,000 of those metres have been installed across the 11 DISCOs within the country.
“These are all efforts geared towards ensuring that we can have stable power supply in the country and also ensuring that the era of estimated billing is a thing of the past, as promised by His Excellency Mr. President.”
Mr. Gbeleyi noted that the effort of the Bureau is to complement President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s effort in terms of repositioning the economy, pivoting it towards a US$1 trillion gross domestic product economy in the near term.
The BPE DG said to achieve this, some of “the ideal assets that have been revamped, that have been optimised are to be leveraged” to upscale GDP to a $1 trillion economy.
The DG further noted that the BPE has made sure its audited financial statements are up to date in line with global practises and the requirements of the Public Enterprises Act 1999.
He stated: “We inherited a situation where the audited financial statement of the BPE has been outstanding for three years. In less that nine months, we brought all of those audited financial statements up to date in line with the requirements of the Public Enterprises Act 1999.
“In our tradition of keeping to best practises, we also ensured that the account for 2024 were presented to Council in the first quarter of 2025. In terms of our consistent best practises, we presented today, the audited financial statement of the Bureau for the year ended 31st December 2025. Not so many agencies could have achieved that feat.”
At a media briefing, he disclosed that the NCP approved N157m for 830 former staff of NICON as repatriation allowances outstanding for about 20 years.
He also highlighted the approval of the lease of four coal blocks to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) of the Enugu State Government, subject to securing mining licenses from the Mining Cadastral Office.
troops
Troops repell terrorist attacks, rescue civilians
https://the-national-press-newspaper.co.uk/troops-repel-terrorist-attacks-rescue-civilians/
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), on 22 April 2026, successfully repelled coordinated terrorist attacks at Kanama, Ngoshe, and Banki across the Theatre.
The attacks, which occurred at various times during the day, were decisively defeated through the vigilant response of troops and effective fire control, with no adverse reports recorded. The failed assaults further underscore the sustained combat readiness of OPHK troops and their dominance in denying terrorists freedom of action.
In continuation of offensive operations, OPHK conducted follow-on precision air interdiction missions, including a strike at about 0315 hours on 22 April 2026 at Sowolowolo in the Sambisa Forest axis. The strike, executed after target confirmation, destroyed the remaining terrorist gun trucks in the area, bringing the total number of neutralised platforms to three.
Additionally, another precision strike at Kaniram in the Mallam Fatori axis targeted terrorists observed conducting burial activities following earlier OPHK strikes, resulting in the neutralisation of scores of fleeing and regrouping elements.
Further demonstrating operational effectiveness, troops of Sector 1, under 26 Brigade, conducted search and rescue operations towards the Mandara Mountains, successfully rescuing 15 women and children earlier abducted by terrorists. In a desperate but ineffective response, JAS elements fired projectiles into Gwoza, causing no casualties or damage.
These coordinated successes highlight OPHK’s sustained offensive pressure, effective air–land integration, and commitment to protecting civilians while dismantling terrorist capabilities. Troops will continue to maintain relentless operations to dominate the battlespace and ensure terrorists are decisively defeated across the Joint Operations Area. Military High Command commends troops for their gallantry and resilience while urging them to sustain the operational tempo.
fubara
Fubara campaigns for Tinubu’s re-election, says ‘Nigeria in capable hands‘
https://the-national-press-newspaper.co.uk/fubara-campaigns-for-tinubus-re-election-says-nigeria-in-capable-hands/
Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, has declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
Speaking on Thursday while declaring open the meeting of the Southern Traditional Rulers Council in Port Harcourt, Fubara said Nigeria is in “capable hands” under Tinubu.
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senate
Senate confirms Tinubu’s ministerial nominee
https://the-national-press-newspaper.co.uk/senate-confirms-tinubus-ministerial-nominee/
Nigerian Senate yesterday confirmed several key ministerial nominees following a significant cabinet reshuffle by President Bola Tinubu.
The following individuals were yesterday confirmed to fill vacancies in the Federal Executive Council:
Muttaqha Rabe Darma (PhD): Confirmed on April 23, 2026, as a Minister of the Federal Republic. He is designated for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, replacing Ahmed Musa Dangiwa. During his screening, he pledged to address Nigeria’s housing deficit through institutional reforms and collaboration with the National Assembly.
Taiwo Oyedele: Confirmed as the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. Formerly the chairman of the presidential committee on tax reforms, Oyedele succeeds Wale Edun following the latter’s resignation. His confirmation emphasized his role in spearheading fiscal governance and economic transformation.
Dr. Bernard Doro: Confirmed on April 23, 2026, following a brief screening. He was nominated by the President to represent Plateau State.
In October 2024, the Senate confirmed seven new ministers—including Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda (Humanitarian Affairs), Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (State, Foreign Affairs), and Dr. Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade, and Investment)—to address vacancies and portfolio changes. Other confirmed appointees included Muhammadu Dingyadi (Labour), Idi Maiha (Livestock Development), Yusuf Ata (State, Housing), and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad (State, Education).
Under Section 147(2) of the constitution, the President must submit nominations for Senate confirmation when vacancies arise. These appointments are part of the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” aimed at strengthening government efficiency and economic delivery.
asake
Asake announces release date for fourth album ‘M$NEY’
https://the-national-press-newspaper.co.uk/asake-announces-release-date-for-fourth-album-mney/
Asake, the Grammy-nominated Nigerian singer, has officially revealed that his highly anticipated fourth studio album ‘M$NEY‘ will be released on May 1.
The announcement came via social media, where Asake posted the release date alongside a cryptic video teasing the album’s cover art.
The footage showed the creation of a marble sculpture in the artiste’s likeness by Iraqi-Dutch sculptor Athar Jabar.
letter
President Tinubu to received the Letter of Credence from Ambassadors/ High Commissioners – Designate from twelve countries today in the state house
