NEMA gives N500,000 each to 2026 essay competition winners
The National Emergency Management Agency has awarded ₦500,000 each to the first-place winners in the three categories of its 2026 National Essay Competition. The competition was organised for senior secondary school students, tertiary institution students and members of the NYSC Emergency Management Vanguards, with second- and third-place winners receiving ₦300,000 and ₦200,000 respectively. A media consultant to NEMA on the competition, Hakeem Bello, urged the participants to become ambassadors of disaster prevention and preparedness. NEMA said finalists residing outside Abuja would receive their certificates and prizes through its zonal directorates nearest to their locations. The essay competition forms part of the agency’s public awareness and disaster risk reduction initiatives aimed at strengthening a culture of preparedness and resilience among Nigerians.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 19:26 UTC
Bosun Tijani steps down from ITU Deputy Secretary-General race
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has withdrawn from the race for the position of Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union. The withdrawal means Nigeria will not pursue what would have been a historic first: a Nigerian serving as an elected ITU official in the organisation’s 160-year history. “After careful consideration, I have decided not to pursue the opportunity to contest for the position of Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union. Tinubu had described Tijani, in his nomination letter to ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, as “a distinguished technology leader, policymaker, and global advocate for digital transformation.”Tijani has held leadership roles at the ITU during his three years as minister. “My focus will therefore remain on supporting President Tinubu’s transformative digital economy agenda and ensuring that these critical programmes deliver enduring value for the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Tijani concluded.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 19:13 UTC
Kaduna gov approves ASUU request, urges KASU lecturers to end strike
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has approved the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-Academic Staff Union of Universities salary agreement for academic staff of Kaduna State University, with effect from October 2026. Sambo said the approved package included the revised Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure, Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and other applicable salary adjustments and allowances contained in the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement. “Improved staff welfare must translate into improved teaching, research, innovation, student outcomes and global competitiveness,” Sambo said. “KASU has consequently cleared these inherited withheld salary obligations, demonstrating the government’s resolve to address longstanding staff welfare issues,” he said. He added that the government’s institutional reforms had also transformed the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority into a more technology-driven and data-based institution.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 19:11 UTC
UNIBEN lecturers refuse to call off strike over half salary dispute
The lecturers had embarked on the strike on Wednesday over alleged payment of half salaries for August. The Chairperson briefed Congress on the latest development regarding the underpaid salary up to August 2026, stating that the University Administration has now paid a part. However, the university management had denied that its academic staff were paid half salaries for August. The institution’s Public Relations Officer, Benedicta Ehannire, said in a statement on Wednesday that the claim was untrue. The management said “it is not true that academic staff of the institution were paid half salary in August, 2026, declaring that the Federal Government has paid the salaries of all categories of staff up to August, 2026.”
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 19:08 UTC
Mamuda Group Chairman and Board Delegation Visit Dangote Refinery, Meet Aliko Dangote
Hassan Hammoud, Chairman and CEO of Mamuda Group, led a delegation of board members on an official visit to the Dangote Refinery in Lagos today. The visit included a meeting with Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, and his daughter, Fatima Dangote, Executive Director of Dangote Group. The visit gave Mamuda Group leadership firsthand insight into the scale of the operation and its role in Nigeria’s industrial and energy sectors. Speaking after the visit, Hammoud described the Dangote Refinery as a defining achievement for African industry and a benchmark for large-scale investment on the continent. Mamuda Group operates across multiple sectors, including beverages, personal care, sacks, and consumer goods, with a growing presence in West and Central Africa.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 19:08 UTC
NSCDC arrests motorcycle syndicate kingpin in Nasarawa
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nasarawa State Command, has arrested a man identified as the alleged kingpin of a motorcycle syndicate operating in Lafia, the state capital. The suspect, Salihu Ahmadu, popularly known as “Officer” or “Boss,” was arrested on September 8, 2026, at the Gandu area around the Federal University of Lafia, the NSCDC said. According to the statement, Ahmadu had earlier been identified as the alleged kingpin of the syndicate during the parade of suspects arrested in connection with the case on August 14, 2026, but was then at large. He assured residents of Nasarawa State that the command would continue to employ intelligence gathering, community partnership and proactive operations to identify and dismantle criminal networks operating in the state. “Salihu Ahmadu will be taken before a court of competent jurisdiction to join his already arrested gang members for prosecution in accordance with the law.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 19:05 UTC
Five die, 40 injured as bus carrying Dutch tourists crashes in Switzerland
Five people were killed and 40 others injured when a coach carrying Dutch tourists in eastern Switzerland crashed this week, police said on Friday. The coach “veered off the road in a construction zone and overturned”, Graubunden police said in a statement, adding that “of the 45 adults on board, five died”. Police confirmed to AFP Friday that the coach driver, a Dutch national, had survived the accident and was among those injured. The Dutch Federation of Travel Agencies (ANVR) told AFP that the coach belonged to the tour company Oad, and that all of the passengers were from the Netherlands. According to the ANVR, the coach left the Netherlands on Monday and was on a day trip to Switzerland from Austria when the crash happened.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 18:50 UTC
Dangote Refinery IPO better than selling PVC for N10,000, Rewane says
Economist Bismarck Rewane has urged Nigerians to invest in the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offering rather than seek quick financial gains by selling their Permanent Voter Cards. He said, “You are better off with your N5,000 share than selling your PVC for N10,000 or N15,000 and consuming it,” Rewane said. He said such participation would give the refinery an exceptionally large shareholder base and bring more Nigerians into the investment process. “If you can get 10 million shareholders to participate in the IPO, the Dangote Refinery will have the largest number of shareholders in the world,” he said. Rewane argued that such growth could benefit investors through dividends and profits while also generating more revenue for the government.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 18:40 UTC
Jigawa LG chairman joins 2,600 Hisbah guards in training
Jigawa council chairman Shehu Baba Birniwa (front centre) with other Hisbah guards during the passing-out parade after a week-long training. Photo credit: Salisu KabugaThe Chairman of Birniwa Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Shehu Baba, has joined 2,600 Hisbah guards in a one-week training aimed at strengthening the fight against social vices in the state. Hisbah Guards are custodians of moral values. Earlier, the Commander-General of the Jigawa State Hisbah Board, Dr Fa’iz Bashir, said the training focused on discipline, law, public enlightenment and skills for crime prevention. Some of the trained Jigawa Hisbah guards shared their excitement with a PUNCH correspondent shortly after their passing-out ceremony.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 18:40 UTC
Sokoto schools resume Monday, insecurity-hit areas stay shut
The Sokoto State Government has announced September 14, 2026, as the resumption date for public and private schools for the 2026/2027 academic session. However, schools previously shut due to insecurity will remain closed until the government determines that it is safe for them to reopen. The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Iya, on Friday, said boarding schools would resume on Sunday, September 13, while academic activities in all public and private schools would begin on Monday. “However, schools that have been closed as a result of insecurity shall remain closed until further notice. Ala thanked stakeholders in the basic and secondary education sector for their contributions during the previous academic session and urged them to maintain their commitment in the new session.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 18:30 UTC
La Liga: Mbappe condemns AI meme comparing him to dictator
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has criticised a viral social media meme that superimposes his face onto the body of a dictator, saying it reflects a “lack of political and human awareness”. “There’s a funny side to it because you can sense that, for some people, it’s good-natured,” Mbappe said. The Real Madrid star also spoke about the nickname “Mobut”, which France teammate Ousmane Dembele used for him during the 2026 World Cup. Mbappe, however, distinguished Dembele’s nickname from the wider social media meme, saying his team-mate was simply joking after picking it up from social media. He took that from social media.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 18:24 UTC
Nigerians to get free daily data for educational websites
Under the operator-sponsored model, users will receive the daily 100MB allowance when accessing approved educational platforms. The NCC said the 100MB allowance could also help reduce disparities in access to teachers and educational resources between regions. Maida said connectivity could allow students in areas with shortages of teachers to access educational resources and expertise from elsewhere. Eligible services include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms and technical and vocational training platforms. Participating platforms are also being encouraged to reduce data consumption by limiting advertisements and optimising the delivery of educational content.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 18:17 UTC
Nigerians to get free daily data for educational websites – NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission has launched a programme to give users 100MB of free data daily to access approved educational websites and platform Read More: https://punchng.com/nigerians-to-get-free-daily-data-for-educational-websites/
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 18:17 UTC
Edo lawmaker trains birth attendants on safe deliveries
More than 120 traditional birth attendants have received training on safer delivery practices, pregnancy danger signs and prompt referral of complicated cases to healthcare facilities in Edo South Senatorial District. Representing Imasuen at the programme, his Senior Legislative Aide, Dr Hassan Lumumba Okundia, said the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between traditional birth attendants and orthodox medical practitioners. “Traditional Birth Attendants occupy an important position in many of our communities. Osoikhia, who delivered a lecture titled, “Understanding Pregnancy: Normal Pregnancy, Danger Signs and High-Risk Pregnancy,” said recognising danger signs early could make the difference between life and death. “You must recognise the points of danger signs that you need to refer the patient to other facilities.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 18:15 UTC
Sowore celebrates son on 17th birthday in US
African Action Congress Presidential Candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has celebrated his son, Olukomi Sowore, on his 17th birthday in the United States. Sowore, who recently returned to the US after 20 months away from his family, described his son as strong, courageous and independent-minded. In a post on his X handle on Friday, the activist wrote, “Today is my comrade son Olukomi’s 17th birthday! Happy 17th birthday, my son and comrade!”Sowore had earlier disclosed that he had returned to his family home in New Jersey after spending 20 months away from his family. “After 20 long months away from my family, I have finally arrived at our family home in New Jersey,” he wrote.
Source:Punch
September 11, 2026 17:54 UTC