Welcome

Blog

  • Davido Admits Cheating on Chioma Before Marriage, Says “I Was Most Disappointed in Myself”

     

    Afrobeats star Davido has opened up about a personal regret in his relationship with his wife, Chioma Adeleke, revealing that he once cheated on her before their marriage during what he described as a difficult period between them.

    What happened

    Speaking candidly, the singer said the incident occurred when their relationship was going through a rough patch.

    “I was most disappointed in myself when I cheated on my wife when we had a little rift back then before we got married,” he said.

    He admitted he expected better from himself, especially given Chioma’s personality.

    “I thought I could have done better because she’s an amazing person,” he added.

    Turning point

    Davido described the moment as a major wake-up call, saying it forced him to reflect on his actions.

    “That was the only time I knew I really messed up,” he said.

    According to him, the experience marked a turning point in how he approached the relationship going forward.

    Where things stand now

    The singer said he has since worked on making things right between them, noting that they have moved past the incident.

    “I have fixed it and we’re married,” he stated.

    Background

    Davido also recently shared details about how he met Chioma during their university days, revealing that she initially turned him down before they later reconnected in Lagos.

    The couple’s relationship has remained in the public eye, often drawing reactions from fans across social media.

  • Dangote Named in TIME100 2026 as Elumelu Praises “Indefatigable” African Billionaire

    Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has been named among TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2026, marking his second appearance on the global list and reinforcing his position as one of Africa’s most prominent business figures.

    What happened

    TIME released the 2026 TIME100 list on Wednesday, recognising individuals shaping global conversations across business, politics, technology, and culture.

    Dangote, the only Nigerian on the list, was featured in the “Titans” category alongside top global figures including Sundar Pichai, Neal Mohan, and Ralph Lauren.

    This marks his second appearance after his first recognition in 2014.

    Global names on the list

    The 2026 TIME100 list includes world leaders such as US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

    Others recognised include Pope Leo XIV and leading figures in business and technology.

    Elumelu reacts

    Chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu, who wrote Dangote’s profile for TIME, described him as “indefatigable, resilient, and foresighted.”

    According to Elumelu, Dangote’s investments across cement, sugar, and oil demonstrate Africa’s capacity for industrial growth using local resources.

    He pointed to the Dangote Refinery as a major milestone for Nigeria’s economy and Africa’s industrial future.

    “He has inspired a generation of entrepreneurs… and can always be counted on to return a phone call,” Elumelu said.

    “A great man, creating a great legacy,” he added.

    Background

    Dangote’s business empire spans multiple sectors across Africa, making him a central figure in conversations around industrialisation and economic development.

    His continued inclusion on the TIME100 list highlights his global influence and impact on African enterprise.

    How TIME selects its list

    TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs said the selection is based on individuals shaping the world through their actions and ideas.

    “Our selections are led by the stories that are shaping the world each year and the people who write them,” he said.

    He added that the TIME100 continues to expand into key areas such as artificial intelligence, climate, health, and digital innovation.

    What it means

    Dangote’s recognition further places Nigeria on the global map of influential business leaders, while underlining Africa’s growing role in shaping the future of the global economy.

  • Akinyemi Precious Ayoola Won the 2025 CAC Sunday School Nationwide Examination

    There are victories that belong to one person, and there are victories that belong to a community. What Akinyemi Precious Ayoola achieved at the 2025 Christ Apostolic Church Sunday School nationwide examination is both.

    On Friday, April 10, 2026, at the Sunday School CAC national rally, Ikeji, Ara Ikeji, where the church’s best Sunday School candidates are publicly celebrated and rewarded, Precious emerged as the overall best candidate in the entire country, representing the Ilorin District Church Council, Babajide Region, in what is already being described as a proud moment for her local church C.A.C Oke Isegun Taiwo Isale, her district, and her region.

    She is a student of the University of Ilorin, studying Anatomy. She is also, as of today, the best Sunday School examinee in Nigeria.

    Who Is Akinyemi Precious Ayoola?

    Precious is a young woman living a quietly remarkable double life, balancing the academic rigour of an Anatomy degree at the University of Ilorin with a deep commitment to her faith and her local church assembly.

    She is a member of the Ilorin District Church Council (ILDCC), popularly known as ILDCC, under the Babajide Region of the Christ Apostolic Church. The Babajide Region, headquartered in Odo Owa, Kwara State, covers Kwara and Kogi States and has long been one of the spiritually active regions within the CAC structure in Nigeria.

    The ILDCC is chaired by Evangelist E.T. Akeredolu, under whose leadership the district has continued to invest in the spiritual development of its members, particularly its young people.

    What the Sunday School Examination Involves

    The CAC Sunday School examination is not a casual affair. It is a serious, structured national academic and spiritual assessment conducted annually by the Christian Education Department of Christ Apostolic Church. Candidates are tested on their knowledge of scripture, CAC doctrine, Sunday School lesson content, and Christian living, content studied and prepared over the course of an entire year using the church’s official Sunday School pamphlet.

    The competition runs at the assembly level, then at the district level, then at the regional level, with the very best rising to represent their zones at the national stage. Only the strongest candidates from across Nigeria’s numerous regions make it to that final level. And from that elite pool, only one person finishes first.

    In 2025, that person was Precious.

    A Win That Reflects More Than One Person

    This result does not happen in isolation. Behind every top candidate in a competition like this is a local assembly that took Sunday School seriously, a district that organised and encouraged participation, and a region that created the environment for excellence to grow.

    For the ILDCC and the wider Babajide Region, Precious’s victory is a validation of years of investment in the spiritual education of their members. Evangelist E.T. Akeredolu and the ILDCC leadership will no doubt look at this result as both a source of pride and a challenge to do even more.

    For the University of Ilorin, Department of Anatomy, it is a reminder that academic pursuit and spiritual depth are not in competition; they can and do coexist in the same person.

    A Word About What This Means

    In a season when Nigeria’s young people face enormous pressure, economic hardship, uncertainty, and countless distractions, a young woman chose to study her Bible thoroughly enough to beat every other candidate. She sat for an exam that required discipline, consistency, and genuine knowledge of the Word of God. And she came first.

    That is worth celebrating loudly.

    Congratulations to Akinyemi Precious Ayoola, on behalf of ILDCC, the Babajide Region, and every person who prays that Nigeria’s next generation will be one that knows God as well as it knows the world.

     

  • US F-15E Shot Down over Iran; One Crew Member Rescued, Search for Second Ongoing

    A United States Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet has been shot down over Iran, with American officials confirming the downing on Friday — a significant military development that directly contradicts repeated White House claims that Iran’s air defences had been completely destroyed.

    Three US sources confirmed the incident to CNN, with the White House confirming that President Donald Trump had been briefed. One of the two crew members aboard the aircraft has been rescued by American forces and is receiving medical treatment, according to CBS News, citing two US officials. A search and rescue operation is ongoing for the second crew member.

    What Iran Claims

    Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for shooting down the aircraft, releasing photos and video of what it described as the wreckage of the jet, including images of debris and an ejection seat with a parachute attached. Iranian state media initially misidentified the aircraft as an F-35 stealth fighter, but CNN analysis of the published images suggested the downed aircraft was more likely an F-15E Strike Eagle.

    Iranian state broadcaster aired footage of a female anchor calling on civilians to help locate and capture the crew, with a state broadcaster offering a bounty for anyone who hands the pilots over to authorities alive. An on-screen crawl on one channel urged the public to “shoot them if you see them,” referring to videos of what appeared to be US aircraft in the area.

    Search and rescue effort

    US search-and-rescue aircraft, including a C-130 Hercules cargo plane and two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, were spotted flying low over Khuzestan Province in southwestern Iran in a formation consistent with a combat search-and-rescue operation. A second US aircraft, an A-10 Warthog attack plane, also crashed near the Strait of Hormuz around the same time, though its lone pilot was safely rescued.

    Israel suspended its planned airstrikes in Iran to avoid interfering with the US search and rescue effort for the downed crew, an Israeli official confirmed.

    The aircraft and crew

    The F-15E Strike Eagle is a two-seater aircraft, crewed by a pilot and a weapons-systems officer. If confirmed as the first manned American aircraft shot down by enemy fire during the current conflict, it would be a major escalation. Photographs consistent with the 48th Fighter Wing — the Liberty Wing, normally based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, were circulating on social media, though their authenticity has not been independently verified.

    A direct contradiction of US claims

    The incident directly challenges repeated assertions from US military commanders and the White House. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said on Thursday, just one day before the shootdown, that Iran’s air and missile defence systems had “largely been destroyed” and that he did not see Iranian aircraft flying. President Trump had also declared in a prime-time address earlier this week that Iran had “no anti-aircraft equipment” and that its radar was “100% annihilated.”

    Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, mocked the US directly in a social media post. “After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?” he wrote.

    Analysis: How Iran may have done it

    Retired US Army Colonel Myles Caggins, a non-resident senior fellow at the New Lines Institute, described the shootdown as a “significant event.” He noted that while Iran’s primary air defence systems were largely destroyed or taken offline in the early days of the conflict, man-portable air defence systems, which can be carried and fired by a single person, remained a viable threat. “Possibly that is the type of system that shot down this F-15,” Caggins said.

    The wider context

    The downing of the F-15E occurred on the same day as a series of fresh Iranian missile and drone attacks on Gulf states, with strikes reported in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, leaving at least 12 people wounded in the UAE. In Iran, US and Israeli strikes destroyed a major bridge near Tehran, killing at least eight people who had gathered below to celebrate National Day.

    There have now been 13 Americans killed during the campaign, with three F-15Es previously shot down by friendly fire. The conflict, which began on February 28, 2026, with coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iranian military and government sites, has escalated significantly in the five weeks since.

    The fate of the second crew member remains unknown as of the time of this report. The US military has not issued a formal statement. RNN.NG will update this story as developments emerge.

  • Burkina Faso’s Traoré Declares Democracy “Kills” and Amounts to “Slavery”

    Burkina Faso’s military ruler, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has made his most explicit rejection of democratic governance to date, declaring in a televised state media interview on Thursday that democracy “kills” and amounts to “slavery”, remarks that have drawn fresh international attention to the Sahel region’s deepening drift away from civilian rule.

    In the interview, Traoré told citizens to “forget the issue of democracy,” arguing that his government was instead focused on what he described as a path of “conquest” and “refoundation”, a revolutionary approach, in his framing, that he believes is more suited to the challenges facing Burkina Faso.

    A broken pledge

    The remarks mark a significant departure from Traoré’s earlier public commitments. After seizing power in a military coup in September 2022, he had pledged to organise elections by 2024 and restore civilian governance. Those pledges have not been fulfilled, and his latest statements signal a further hardening against any democratic transition.

    The reality on the ground

    Traoré’s rejection of democracy comes as his government struggles to demonstrate the security gains it promised when justifying its seizure of power.

    Armed groups linked to extremist networks continue to operate across large parts of Burkina Faso. Estimates indicate that more than 60 per cent of the country is now beyond effective government control, a figure that directly undermines the junta’s central justification for holding power.

    The humanitarian situation has deteriorated in parallel. Over 2.1 million people have been internally displaced, while nearly 6.5 million require urgent humanitarian assistance. Conflict monitoring data indicate that at least 10,600 civilians have been killed since 2016, with violence continuing at a sustained pace under military rule.

    The wider Sahel pattern

    Burkina Faso’s trajectory mirrors a broader pattern of military consolidation across West Africa’s Sahel belt. The 2022 coup in Burkina Faso followed Mali’s military takeover in 2020 and was followed by Niger’s military seizure of power in 2023. All three countries have since withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States and formed a new bloc called the Alliance of Sahel States.

    Each of the three juntas initially gained public support by promising to restore security that civilian governments had failed to deliver, yet insecurity in all three nations has worsened or persisted under military rule, according to independent assessments.

    Why this matters for Nigeria

    Traoré’s remarks carry direct implications for West Africa and, by extension, for Nigeria. ECOWAS, in which Nigeria plays the leading role, has struggled to find an effective response to the military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States represents a direct challenge to the regional bloc’s authority and Nigeria’s diplomatic leadership in the region.

    Nigeria shares a porous northern border with Niger, and the security crisis in the Sahel has direct spillover effects, including cross-border movement of armed groups, displacement of civilians, and pressure on Nigeria’s own north-west and north-east security situation.

    Traoré’s public abandonment of any democratic commitment is also likely to fuel debate within Nigeria about the appeal of military solutions to security crises, a debate that has intensified following the recent attacks in Plateau State and Borno.

  • ADC Defies INEC, Vows to Hold Congresses as David Mark Demands Chairman’s Sack

    A high-stakes confrontation between Nigeria’s most prominent opposition coalition and the country’s electoral commission intensified on Friday, as the African Democratic Congress declared it would proceed with its planned party congresses and national convention regardless of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s decision to de-recognise its leadership, a move the party described as a politically motivated attack on democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.

    What triggered the crisis

    The crisis reached a boiling point on Wednesday, April 1, when INEC announced it was removing Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its portal as ADC National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, and would not monitor any congress or convention convened by their faction. INEC cited a Court of Appeal ruling in Suit No. CA/ABJ/145/2026, which directed all parties to maintain the “status quo ante bellum”, that is, the state of affairs before hostilities began, pending the resolution of an ongoing leadership dispute before the Federal High Court.

    The dispute involves a former ADC official, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who claims he never resigned as national chairman and that his signature on a resignation letter was forged. INEC said it received legal letters from Nafiu Bala’s lawyers demanding that Mark and Aregbesola be de-recognised, and determined that since Mark’s leadership was uploaded to the INEC portal seven days after the lawsuit was filed, removing the names was consistent with restoring the status quo.

    ADC: “We are proceeding regardless”

    Addressing a press conference at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja on Thursday, ADC National Chairman David Mark described INEC’s action as a direct attack on democracy and accused the commission of taking sides in an internal party dispute. “The only conclusion Nigerians can draw is that the electoral umpire has taken sides and can no longer be trusted,” he said.

    Mark announced that the ADC would proceed with its congresses beginning April 9 and its national convention on April 14, arguing that the law does not make INEC’s attendance a mandatory requirement for internal party processes. “We have duly served INEC notice, and we will proceed accordingly,” he said.

    He called on the ADC’s allies in the international community to take note of what he described as a convergence of legal pressure and political intent by the ruling party. “If you are convinced you have done well, why are you afraid of credible elections?” he asked, directing the question at President Tinubu.

    David Mark demands INEC chairman’s resignation

    Mark went further, calling for the immediate resignation or removal of INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan and other national commissioners, saying the ADC had lost all confidence in their ability to conduct credible elections. “We are convinced they are incapable of conducting any credible election,” he said. He also warned that INEC’s actions could affect the ADC’s participation in the upcoming Osun and Ekiti governorship elections.

    INEC chairman fires back

    Speaking on Arise Television on Friday, INEC Chairman Amupitan defended the commission’s decision, saying the matter was already before a Federal High Court in Abuja and that INEC could not take any step that would prejudice proceedings still before the court. “We have a record of a letter written by ADC sometime ago informing the commission that Nafiu Bala had resigned. Then Nafiu also wrote and contended before the court that he did not resign, and as a matter of fact, that his signature was forged,” he said.

    Amupitan warned the ADC about the potential consequences of proceeding with unsupervised congresses and conventions, citing the Zamfara State precedent. “If they decide to go ahead, let me tell you what happened in Zamfara. At the end of the day, after you have won, the court will declare the election invalid, and the implication is that the person with the second-highest number of votes will be declared the winner,” he said.

    APC denies involvement

    The ruling APC rejected the ADC’s claim that President Tinubu was behind INEC’s action. APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru said at a separate press conference on Friday that the decision implemented by INEC was a consequence of the dismissal of an appeal filed by Mark’s own faction. “Where does President Bola Tinubu feature in their claims, if not in fallacious and malicious propaganda?” he asked. The APC also described the ADC’s call for Amupitan’s sack as reckless.

    INEC brushes off removal call

    In a statement on Thursday night, INEC also firmly dismissed the calls for its chairman’s removal. The commission said its decision was anchored strictly on compliance with the Court of Appeal order, and not on political considerations. It noted that it had recently registered three new political parties, the Democratic Leadership Alliance, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, and the National Democratic Party, bringing the total number of active parties to 22, which it said was an empirical rebuttal of claims that it supported a one-party agenda.

    What it means for 2027

    The dispute strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s 2027 opposition strategy. The ADC has spent the past three months assembling the most formidable opposition coalition in recent Nigerian history, with Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Kwankwaso, El-Rufai, Amaechi, Tambuwal, and Mark himself all under the same roof. An INEC-enforced leadership freeze — or a court ruling that invalidates the Mark-Aregbesola leadership, could significantly disrupt those plans.

    The Federal High Court is yet to set a hearing date for the substantive case. The Court of Appeal has separately ordered that the matter be granted an accelerated hearing. RNN.NG will continue to follow all developments in this critical dispute.

  • PDP BoT Takes Over Party Leadership After Supreme Court Ruling

    The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken over the party’s national leadership following the Supreme Court ruling that nullified key structures.

    BoT moves to prevent leadership vacuum

    In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, the body said its intervention was necessary to stabilise the party and avoid a vacuum.

    The trustees said the court’s decision invalidated the PDP national convention held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.

    Court ruling dissolves party structures

    According to the BoT, the judgment nullified the National Working Committee led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and upheld the suspension of key officials, including Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, and Kamaldeen Ajibade.

    It added that all decisions taken by the affected leadership, including the appointment of an acting national chairman and the formation of a caretaker committee, are now void.

    BoT assumes control of party affairs

    Following the ruling, the trustees declared that both the Turaki-led and Abdulrahman Mohammed-led structures stand dissolved.

    “The BoT hereby immediately assumes responsibility of the national working leadership of the PDP,” the statement said.

    The body described the move as a constitutional step to restore order and reposition the party.

    Emergency NEC meeting planned

    The BoT also announced plans to convene an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to appoint an interim National Working Committee.

    The interim leadership is expected to manage party affairs and prepare for the 2027 general elections in line with the Electoral Act 2026.

    Party staff have been directed to resume duties at the national secretariat under BoT supervision pending the emergence of a new leadership structure.

    Call for unity among members

    The trustees commended party stakeholders, including Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, for their roles during the crisis.

    They urged members to set aside differences and work together to rebuild the party.

    “The PDP has suffered enough,” the statement added, calling for reconciliation and collective action.

  • Peter Okoye, Paul Okoye, Mr Macaroni Lead Outrage Over Jos Palm Sunday killings

    Nigerian entertainers and public figures have taken to social media to condemn the Palm Sunday massacre in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area, where gunmen opened fire on residents on Sunday evening, killing at least 22 people and injuring several others, with many directing their anger at both the Plateau State government and President Bola Tinubu over what they described as a failure to protect Nigerian lives.

    The attack, which occurred around 7:30 p.m. on March 29 at a bar in the Gari Ya Waye community, has sent shockwaves through the country, particularly among entertainers with roots in Plateau State.

    Peter Okoye

    Singer Peter Okoye, who grew up in Plateau State, expressed raw emotion in his reaction on X. “My heart is heavy… My prayers are with my people in Jos,” he wrote, accompanied by a string of broken heart emojis.

    In a separate post that surfaced amid the outrage, Peter also directly questioned the Nigerian government’s response, expressing disbelief that a confirmed death toll of dozens had not prompted a formal presidential address to the nation. He called the administration’s response incompetent and said the recurring tragedies were “unbearably heart-wrenching.”

    Paul Okoye (Rudeboy)

    Paul Okoye, Peter’s twin brother and fellow P-Square alumnus, took a sharper tone. “We are not angry enough!!!” he wrote on X. “Maybe na until God come down to earth.” The singer, who was also born in Plateau State, used his platform to challenge what he described as widespread public passivity in the face of repeated security failures.

    Mr Macaroni

    Comedian and activist Mr Macaroni was the most direct in his criticism of the presidency, writing: “President @officialABAT is running the most useless government in the history of useless governments!!! How many more Nigerians have to die due to this abysmal level of incompetence? Nigerians wake up every day to lament one tragedy or the other. Unbearably heart-wrenching!!!

    In a follow-up post, Mr Macaroni said he could not understand how 40 confirmed deaths in Jos had not prompted the president to address the nation. “Zero accountability, zero responsibility!!!” he wrote.

    Ice Prince

    Jos-born rapper Ice Prince reflected on the community’s long history of suffering. “Since 2001, Jos, Jos, Jos. My people have suffered too much tbh… Thoughts and prayers,” he wrote on X — a reference to the cycle of ethno-religious violence that has plagued the city for over two decades.

    Nathaniel Bassey and Jerry Eze

    Gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey offered prayers rather than political criticism, writing: “JOS! You shall not be broken. The forces of evil in our nation shall never prevail. We shall see their end. It is well with you, Jos. Let there be light!” Pastor Jerry Eze of Streams of Joy International also reacted, calling on divine protection for the community.

    Kunle Remi

    Nollywood actor Kunle Remi, who made headlines last week for speaking out about fuel prices, also added his voice to the chorus of condemnation, describing the attack as deeply painful and calling on the government to take decisive action to protect lives in Plateau State.

    The celebrity reactions came alongside physical protests on the ground. Hundreds of angry residents took to the streets on Monday morning, defying the 48-hour curfew imposed by the Plateau State government, to protest the killings and demand urgent action from authorities. Protesters gathered at the scene of the attack, expressing outrage over the continued loss of lives in the state.

    On social media, users echoed the same frustration. One commenter wrote: “The government in Nigeria has failed over and over again in protecting the lives and property of Nigerians. This government must go.” Another, @Frankline Obi, warned that prolonged insecurity could radicalise youth: “Plateau youths have endured enough pain. When peace is met with bullets, frustration turns to fire.”

    The Gari Ya Waye attack occurred on Palm Sunday, the opening of Holy Week in the Christian calendar, in a predominantly Christian community in Jos North. A 48-hour curfew remains in place across Jos North LGA until April 1, 2026. Governor Caleb Mutfwang described the attack as barbaric and unprovoked and said security agencies had been mobilised, but no arrests had been announced as of Tuesday morning.

  • Tinubu Asks Senate to Approve ₦9.3trn Hike, Raising 2026 Budget to ₦67.7trn

    President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the National Assembly to approve an upward revision of ₦9.3 trillion to Nigeria’s 2026 budget, a move that, if approved, would raise total federal spending from ₦58.47 trillion to ₦67.7 trillion, making it the largest proposed federal budget in Nigerian history.

    The request was conveyed in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, as lawmakers returned from the two-week Eid-el-Fitr recess. Akpabio subsequently referred the proposal to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for detailed legislative consideration.

    Why Tinubu says the increase is needed

    The president cited three reasons for the proposed increase in his letter to the Senate.

    First, he said the adjustment is designed to regularise and account for outstanding legal commitments carried over from previous appropriation cycles, preventing them from burdening the execution of the 2026 budget going forward.

    Second, the increase is intended to fund outstanding legacy capital projects inherited from previous budgets — with a specific focus on ensuring their completion rather than allowing them to continue rolling over indefinitely from one fiscal year to the next.

    Third, the president said the additional spending would support key transport infrastructure projects aligned with the administration’s development agenda, while also preserving macro-fiscal stability and easing pressure on the domestic financial market.

    The 2026 budget’s original framework

    Tinubu presented the original 2026 budget of ₦58.18 trillion to the National Assembly on December 19, 2025, themed “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity.” The budget projected total revenue of ₦34.33 trillion, capital expenditure of ₦26.08 trillion, and recurrent non-debt expenditure of ₦15.25 trillion. It carried a deficit of ₦23.85 trillion, representing 4.28 per cent of GDP. Key projections included a crude oil benchmark price of $64.85 per barrel, oil production of 1.84 million barrels per day, and an exchange rate of ₦1,400 to the dollar.

    Notably, the 2026 budget had not yet been passed by the National Assembly as of Tuesday’s request, meaning Tinubu is seeking a significant amendment to a budget that is still awaiting legislative approval.

    Legacy capital rollover problem

    Tuesday’s request is directly connected to a broader fiscal reset Tinubu has been attempting since taking office. In December 2025, the House of Representatives approved Tinubu’s request to extend the 2025 budget implementation to March 31, 2026, after the administration disclosed that approximately ₦16.76 trillion initially earmarked for capital projects could not be funded within the original 2025 timeline and was rolled over to the 2026 fiscal year.

    Tinubu has repeatedly stated his determination to end Nigeria’s long-standing practice of overlapping budgets, vowing that from April 2026, Nigeria will operate on a single budget backed by a single revenue cycle, with no rollovers, no overlaps, and no excuses. Tuesday’s request to increase the 2026 budget by ₦9.3 trillion is framed as the mechanism to clear the inherited backlog before that clean slate begins.

    What it means for Nigerians

    The proposed ₦67.7 trillion budget,  if approved, would mean Nigeria’s federal government would spend more than double what it did just three years ago, when the 2023 budget stood at approximately ₦21.8 trillion. The increase reflects the sharp devaluation of the naira since the subsidy removal in 2023, which has inflated the naira cost of virtually all government programmes denominated in dollars, including debt service, infrastructure contracts, and security spending.

    The development is expected to generate debate among lawmakers and economic stakeholders, particularly regarding funding sources, implementation capacity, and the broader implications for Nigeria’s fiscal outlook. Critics are likely to question how a government that has already warned of a ₦23.85 trillion deficit in the original budget plans to fund an additional ₦9.3 trillion in spending.

    The Senate Committee on Appropriations is expected to schedule public hearings on the request before reporting back to the full Senate for a vote.

  • CAF President Admits Error as Senegal Fights Title Strip at CAS

    Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has publicly acknowledged a procedural error in the handling of the decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, an admission that has added fresh scrutiny to one of the most contested rulings in African football history, even as the CAF chief continues to defend the overall outcome.

    In a video statement released on Wednesday, Motsepe expressed his extreme disappointment with the events at the final, saying the incidents undermined years of work to build integrity, respect, and credibility in African football. He admitted that CAF made an error in the composition of the Appeals Board that led to the decision to strip Senegal of the title, while simultaneously defending that board’s ruling as legitimate and independent.

    Motsepe reiterated that CAF will accept whatever decision the Court of Arbitration for Sport delivers, stressing the need to respect the independence of judicial bodies.

    What happened at the final

    The controversy stems from a chaotic sequence during the AFCON 2025 final in Rabat on January 18. With the match still goalless deep in regulation time, Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest after the referee awarded Morocco a penalty. The stoppage lasted approximately 15 to 20 minutes. When play resumed, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the penalty. Senegal returned to the field and went on to win 1-0 in extra time through Pape Gueye’s decisive strike.

    CAF’s Disciplinary Board initially sanctioned both federations with fines and suspensions but upheld the result. Morocco appealed, and the CAF Appeals Board reversed the Disciplinary Board’s position, ruling that Senegal had breached tournament regulations — specifically Article 84, which states that any team refusing to play shall be eliminated from the competition. Senegal’s 1-0 victory was overturned and replaced with a 3-0 default victory for Morocco.

    The impartiality controversy

    A key concern surrounding the Appeals Board ruling is the presence of the Tunisian Football Federation president on the panel, which has raised serious questions about impartiality, given Tunisia’s complicated relationship with Senegal in African football politics. Senegal’s legal team has said it is investigating whether members of the Appeals Board may have been compromised, and has reserved the right to pursue separate legal action if evidence is found.

    Senegal’s defiance

    Senegal has refused to accept the ruling in both word and symbol. The Senegalese Football Federation paraded the AFCON trophy at the Stade de France in Paris ahead of a friendly against Peru on Saturday, and the national team wore shirts carrying two stars — one for the 2021 AFCON title and one for the disputed 2025 triumph — in a deliberate act of symbolic defiance.

    FSF president Abdoulaye Fall described the ruling as “the most blatant administrative scam in the history of our sport,” while Senegal’s legal team warned that if CAS allows such a ruling to stand, future tournament titles could effectively be decided in law firms rather than on the pitch. “After what Morocco has managed to get the CAF to do, whether through surprise or malice, if the CAS allows it to go ahead, the next World Cup will be played out in law firms in Paris or the United States,” lawyer Seydou Diagne said.

    The Senegalese FA’s general secretary, Abdoulaye Sow, confirmed that the federation has no intention of returning the physical trophy, expressing full confidence in their CAS appeal.

    The CAS appeal

    Senegal formally lodged their CAS appeal on Wednesday. The case has been registered, but no procedural timeline has been set, as Senegal requested additional time to submit its appeal brief — noting that CAF has not yet provided detailed written reasons for the Appeals Board decision, which Senegal’s lawyers argue is itself a procedural breach of CAF’s own disciplinary code.

    Senegal’s legal team, which includes lawyers from Switzerland, Spain, France, and Senegal, will push for an expedited CAS hearing. Lawyer Serge Vittoz said that while CAS cases typically span nine to twelve months, Senegal hopes to secure a verdict within two months if all parties agree to the expedited procedure.

    Motsepe said he will visit both Senegal and Morocco to stress the importance of working together to grow African football, and that CAF is implementing changes to its statutes and regulations to strengthen trust and confidence in referees, VAR operators, and judicial bodies going forward.

    The Super Eagles finished third at AFCON 2025 in Morocco under coach Eric Chelle, meaning Nigeria were present for the final and its chaotic aftermath. The resolution of this dispute will shape the governance context of African football going into the next AFCON cycle, which Nigeria is expected to participate in as it looks to rebuild after missing out on the 2026 World Cup.