T eam Nigeria wrapped up its campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday with a seventh place finish and the pride of being Africa’s best performing nation in Glasgow. With a 72 athlete team, Nigeria ended the Games on 24 medals 10 gold, 7 silver and 7 bronze behind Australia, England, Canada, India, Scotland and New Zealand. The tally fell short of the 35 medals won in Birmingham four years ago, but the quality of performances made this one of Nigeria’s most memorable outings at the Games. Australia led the final medal table with 171 medals, including 70 gold. England followed with 110, while Canada took third with 62. India and hosts Scotland were tied on 39 medals, with New Zealand on 36. South Africa, Nigeria’s closest continental rival, finished 11th. The medals started coming early for Nigeria, and para powerlifting set the tone. Esther Nworgu opened the account with gold in the women’s lightweight event, breaking the Commonwealth record twice, while Esther Oyema added silv...

L agos is set to welcome the stars of African football in 2026, as Nigeria gets ready to host the CAF Awards for the first time in more than 10 years. Lekan Fatodu, the head of the Lagos State Sports Commission, confirmed on Saturday that the big event will hold at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Iganmu. The centre used to be called the National Theatre. Fatodu said bringing the awards to Lagos shows that Nigeria is ready to host major events and still plays a big role in African football. “This award night celebrates the best in African football top players, coaches, clubs, national teams and those who run the game,” he said. “Having it in Lagos tells the world that Nigeria can host big continental events.” The CAF Awards happen every year. They are organised by the Confederation of African Football to honour players and teams who did well in the past year, both at club and country level.  Some of the awards to be given on the night include:  Men’s Pl...

T he Independent National Electoral Commission has turned down former President Goodluck Jonathan’s nomination as PDP presidential candidate for 2027. The rejection came on Friday, a few hours after a group led by Kabiru Turaki said it submitted Jonathan’s name and other PDP candidate lists in person at INEC headquarters. The development has deepened the party’s leadership crisis ahead of the next election. Vanguard Newspaper reports that INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the commission only accepts online filings.   “Every nomination must be done through our portal. We no longer take physical submissions,” she stated. But the Turaki camp said it was left with no choice. National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, told reporters that INEC refused to release the login codes needed for online upload. He argued the codes are not part of the law. “Because INEC blocked us from the portal, we delivered everything by hand. It is valid...

F ear has gripped students in Ogun State again after gunmen attacked a private hostel and abducted five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade. The National Association of Nigerian Students condemned the attack on Friday, calling it the latest sign that schools are no longer safe.  In a statement signed by NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, the student body said it received the news “with deep sorrow and serious concern.” According to NANS, armed men stormed a private hostel on Paraga Road in Ipara on Wednesday night, July 29, and took away five students. This is the second attack in Ogun State in less than a week. Days earlier, gunmen also attacked D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic in Itori. During that robbery, an HND II student, Miss Ahmed Sekinat, was killed and several others were injured. “As the main body representing Nigerian students both at home and abroad, we totally reject this attack on the safety of students,” NANS said. “It is painful and unacceptable that two s...

U EFA has told FIFA that all 55 European countries will walk away from any FIFA tournament if the world body goes ahead with plans to sell part of the World Cup to private investors.  The clash started on Tuesday when FIFA announced it wants to raise $4.2 billion. To do that, FIFA plans to sell up to 21% of a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprises. This company would run FIFA’s biggest events, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. FIFA said it would still keep control, and gave all 211 member countries until September 19 to approve the plan. The idea is to get money to national associations by early 2027. But the plan did not go down well. On Thursday, UEFA held an emergency online meeting and every single one of its 55 members agreed to reject it. In a strong statement, UEFA said the World Cup belongs to the people who built it.  “The World Cup is not something to buy and sell,” UEFA said. “It is one of football’s proudest traditions. Players...

T he Independent National Electoral Commission has extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards in Osun State as preparations for the August 15 governorship election enter the final stage. INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, announced the extension on Wednesday during the Stakeholders’ Forum in Osogbo. He assured residents that the commission is ready to deliver a credible, peaceful and transparent election. According to him, 322,822 people who registered during the Continuous Voter Registration have already collected their PVCs. That represents about 62 per cent of new voters. He explained that this figure is different from an earlier report. INEC had previously said 37.5 per cent of all uncollected cards in the state, including old ones, were picked up during a special distribution. The new 62 per cent covers only those who registered recently, according to details reported by Premium Times. Mr. Amupitan urged residents who are yet to collect their cards to do so quickly.   “...

Ugandan boxer Aziz Abdul alleges bias following Glasgow exit U gandan boxer Aziz Abdul was thrown out of the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday after officials ruled he headbutted his opponent twice during a super-heavyweight quarter-final. The 25-year-old, grandson of Uganda’s former leader Idi Amin, was disqualified in the third round of his bout against England’s Damar Thomas in Glasgow.   The decision ended Abdul’s chance of winning a medal at the Games, which are held every four years for countries in the Commonwealth. Speaking after the fight, Abdul said he felt the decision was unfair and targeted him, according to The Athletic .   “This referee’s decision is not right and I am not happy,” he said. “It’s unfair. I am a black African. I know when officials are scared of a fight.   How can I headbutt someone? I would not. They wanted him to win because he’s at home. This was an away match for me.”   He added: “It’s God’s plan. I wish him good lu...

T he Lagos State Police Command has launched an investigation into the death of 32-year-old dispatch rider Emmanuel Jegede, who died in a crash on Wednesday morning along Ikotun-Idimu Road in Alimosho.   According to a Vanguard Newspaper report, the incident occurred around 10 a.m. shortly after Jegede finished a delivery and was heading to another location.   Eyewitnesses say the trouble began after a minor collision with a tricycle rider near a side street. Residents and some youths intervened and settled the dispute. But witnesses allege the same youths later demanded money from Jegede as “payment” for helping him.  When he reportedly said he had no cash, the situation escalated.   One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed that two men waited across the road and shoved Jegede as he rode past the Alhaja section of Ikotun-Idimu Road.   “He lost control, veered off and rammed into the median,” the witness said. “His chest hit a cu...

T eam Nigeria is still making waves at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, holding firm inside the top five on the medal table. This follows our earlier report covering Day 1 to Day 4. The first four days of competition were dominated by weightlifting and para-powerlifting, where Nigeria built an early lead. From Day 5, attention shifted to track and field, and the athletes responded with gold medals, record-breaking performances, and historic firsts. Para-athlete Goodness Nwachukwu delivered Nigeria’s 7th gold medal in the women’s para-discus F42-44/F61-64. She broke the world record twice in the final and recorded a best throw of 39.66 meters to loud cheers from the crowd in Glasgow. Nigeria also celebrated a rare 1-2 finish in the same event. Funmi Oduwaiye threw 38.52 meters to win silver behind Nwachukwu, marking the first time at these Games that two Nigerians finished on the top two steps of the podium. On a wet night at Scotstoun Stadium, sprinter Kanyinsola Ajayi ended a lon...

G rief turned to fear for a 28-year-old widow in Ikorodu after she said members of her late husband’s family began threatening her and trying to force her out of her house.  The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said one person has been detained over the matter. The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, confirmed the development hours after videos of the incident circulated online and drew widespread condemnation. DSVA said it got wind of the case on Tuesday, July 28. The complaint alleged that Tosin was being harassed and pressured to give up her home and belongings. Named in the report are her father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his wife. Agency officials said they spoke with the survivor, who explained that things got worse for her and her two little boys soon after her husband passed away on July 20. According to her, she faced threats, was assaulted, and was told to move all her property and that of her children into one room. She added that she...

G overnor Peter Mbah has approved the employment of more than 6,500 people for teaching, technical and administrative positions in public primary and secondary schools in Enugu State, with the 267 Smart Green Schools taking priority. The Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board announced the recruitment on Monday. Its Chairman, Prof. Hyginus Okibe Banko, said the move is to ensure the new schools are fully staffed so pupils can get quality learning from day one. Applicants for graduate and HND teaching roles must have a Degree in Education. Those with a Degree or HND in other courses can also apply if they have a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, while NCE holders in relevant subject areas are eligible as well. Every candidate at that level must present a valid NYSC discharge or exemption certificate. The board also made it clear that registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, or proof that registration is ongoing, is compulsory for all teaching jobs. Basic com...

K aduna State Governor Uba Sani has announced Jerry Adams as his running mate for the 2027 polls, saying the choice is driven by equity, unity and broader representation for all communities. In a statement released on Monday, Sani said Adams, a Christian, earned the nomination based on performance and not on faith or background. The governor described him as a tested administrator and one of Kaduna’s most effective revenue chiefs, credited with turning the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service into a benchmark institution. According to the governor, Adams brought fresh ideas, accountability and professionalism to KADIRS. The reforms, he said, significantly boosted the state’s internally generated revenue and gave government room to fund schools, hospitals, roads, farming and other basic services. Beyond his record in public finance, Sani praised Adams for his character. He described him as a modest and principled leader who has worked steadily to promote peace and bridge divides in a s...

T he Senate has responded to public criticism over a provision in the Federal Road Safety Corps Amendment Bill, 2026, saying the ₦50,000 penalty for preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial vehicles is not new and has existed in Nigerian law since 2007. The clarification came on Monday after the bill triggered outrage online and from religious groups, civil society organisations and opposition parties. Many Nigerians questioned why lawmakers were focusing on street evangelism and small traders at a time of rising economic hardship. According to Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, the provision was misunderstood. In a statement attributed to him by News Digest , he said the amendment does not create a new offence and does not ban public preaching or street evangelism. Bamidele explained that Section 10(4) of the FRSC Establishment Act, 2007, and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, already list preaching and hawking in moving vehicles as traffic violations....

T eam Nigeria has announced itself early at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, powering straight into fourth place on the medal table after a weekend and Monday that belonged entirely to strength. As of Monday night, 27th July 2026, Nigeria has won 10 medals six gold and four silver. Every single one has come from weightlifting and para-powerlifting, and the results have pushed the country into the top four nations in Glasgow. The breakthrough started on Day 1, and it started big. Nigeria’s para-powerlifting team opened the Games with a statement, collecting three gold and three silver medals in one day.  Captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo set the tone in the Women’s Heavyweight. She won gold and broke her own world record twice. Esther Nworgu followed with Nigeria’s first gold of the Games in the Women’s Lightweight, also breaking the Commonwealth Games record twice with a 123kg lift. Riluwan Idris then added a third gold for the day in the Men’s Heavyweight with a huge 208kg lift....

T he National Population Commission has discontinued manual registration of births and deaths across Nigeria, warning that certificates issued outside its new digital platform will no longer be recognized.  According to information from Vanguard Newspaper, the Commission said its Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, E-CRVS, platform, which went live on July 1, 2026, is now the sole approved channel for recording births and deaths in the country. Speaking in Umuahia on Monday during events to mark the 2026 World Population Day, the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State, Rev. Emma Trumps Eke, said the shift to a fully digital system was aimed at ending fraud and providing government with real-time data for planning.  “Anybody giving you manual registration is leading you into trouble. We have stopped everything about manual registration. From now on, every registration must be digital and captured in real time,” he warned. He added that any NPC official fou...

N igeria’s Super Falcons can finally breathe easy.  Authorities in Casablanca have arrested a suspect in connection with the theft that hit members of the national women’s team during their stay in Morocco. The incident occurred on the final day of the Falcons’ training camp in Casablanca, just before the squad departed for Rabat to begin their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations journey. Several players returned to their hotel rooms to discover cash was missing. Altogether, $1,220 was reported gone. The breakdown: $700 from one player, $200 from the captain, and $100, $100 and $120 from three others. Beyond the loss, the players said their complaints to hotel management were not taken seriously. The frustration grew when one player spoke out online and was met with racist attacks from some social media users. There is now progress. Officials confirmed a suspect has been taken into custody and has admitted to the crime. The money will be given back to the players, and legal proceedi...

F ormer Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is asking the Federal Government tough questions about money. Speaking through his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday, Atiku said the government should explain what it has done with an estimated ₦7.98tn in extra oil earnings, even as it keeps borrowing heavily at home. He noted that between January and June 2026, the government raised about ₦5tn from domestic bonds. That is almost 80 percent of what it borrowed in the same period last year. To Atiku, that level of borrowing only makes sense when revenue is down, not when oil prices are up. The 2026 budget was built on crude selling at $64.84 per barrel from March 1 to July 14. But Nigerian oil has been selling higher. Atiku’s team calculated that the gap added $42.7m every day for 135 days. That comes to $5.76bn, or about ₦7.98tn in additional income. “Why is a government swimming in extra oil money borrowing almost twice as fast as last year, like we are in a crisi...

F or the first time ever, the gates of Computer Village stayed shut for a full week.  Instead of the usual rush of customers and sales on Otigba Street, Ikeja, shop owners stood outside on Saturday and Sunday talking in small groups. Phones, laptops, and accessories were locked inside. The reason: a disagreement with the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, that has now affected hundreds of thousands of people. How it started According to The Guardian , the crisis began last Wednesday when LIRS officials sealed several plazas. The agency said some market leaders failed to honour a tax payment agreement. But the Coalition of Associations in Computer Village, Ikeja CACOVI which represents more than 50 associations and plaza heads, disagrees.  CACOVI President, Timi Famoroti, said traders have been paying rising taxes for years, with many now paying ₦50,100. He alleged that despite an earlier agreement, LIRS later demanded three years of unpaid taxes. Because of that, enti...

C olombian superstar Shakira says Nigerian singer Burna Boy was the right fit for 'Dai Dai' because the 2026 FIFA World Cup song needed a strong male voice She made this known during an interview on Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill aired on July 8. “When I completed the track, I knew it had to have a man singing on it,” Shakira said.   “The World Cup comes with a lot of male energy. So I started thinking about who could give me that power on an Afrobeat record.” According to her, 'Dai Dai' is built mainly on Afrobeat, but also has Caribbean and R&B touches. She added that she has followed Burna Boy’s career for years and had hoped to work with him. “I’ve always loved Burna’s music. I’ve always wanted to do a song with him,” she said. Shakira said she called Burna Boy herself and he accepted. But it took a while to get his part.   “I asked him if he was in. He said yes.   I waited close to 20 days for his verse. There was a time I thought it might no...

N igeria moved a step closer to state-controlled policing on Thursday after the House of Representatives approved an Executive Bill to create state police services. As reported by Champion Newspapers , the approval came amid drama in Abuja, with opposition members storming out over the way the vote was handled. 311 lawmakers participated in the exercise. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas said 276 cast their votes in the chamber, while 35 voted online. Before the vote, the House adopted recommendations from the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. The bill “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters (HB. 2797)” seeks to amend the constitution to allow states to operate police forces alongside the Nigeria Police Force. Lawmakers abandoned their own earlier draft and a 12-member harmonization panel set up on July 9. Instead, they adopted the ve...