HEALTH MINISTRY ORDERS IMMEDIATE RETIREMENT OF LONGSTANDING DIRECTORS

The Federal Ministry of Health has ordered an immediate disengagement of Directors who have spent at least eight years in the directorate cadre with immediate effect.

The directors affected include those in the ministry, federal hospitals, agencies, among others, according to a memo sighted by our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday morning.

Recall that on Monday, the Federal Government directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to enforce the eight-year tenure limit for directors and permanent secretaries, following a new deadline set through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

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DHQ–100 U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL TRAINERS ARRIVE IN NIGERIA

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has announced the arrival of about 100 United States military personnel in Nigeria to support the training and capacity development of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, noting that the U.S. personnel and associated equipment had arrived at the Bauchi Airfield as part of a structured bilateral defence engagement.

According to him, the deployment follows a formal request by Nigeria to the U.S. Government for clearly defined military training, technical support and intelligence-sharing assistance.

The Director therefore stressed that the collaboration stems from deliberations reached during a joint working group engagement between Nigerian and U.S. defence delegations.

The defence spokesman stressed that all activities would be conducted under the authority, direction and control of the Nigerian Government and in close coordination with the AFN.

He noted that the cooperation would provide access to specialised technical capabilities aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s ability to deter terrorist threats and strengthen the protection of vulnerable communities.

According to him, Nigerian troops will commence a series of joint training engagements and intelligence-focused initiatives with the advisers to boost operational effectiveness against extremist groups.

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NERC– STEP-BY-STEP TO RESOLVE POWER SUPPLY CHALLENGES

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has outlined a three-step process for electricity consumers seeking resolution to power supply, billing and metering challenges.

In a public advisory obtained from NERC’s X handle on Tuesday, the commission urged customers experiencing issues such as prolonged outages, estimated billing, faulty meters or voltage fluctuations to first contact their respective electricity Distribution Companies.

According to NERC, the DisCos remain the primary point of contact for all electricity-related complaints and are mandated to address technical and commercial concerns within stipulated timelines.

The commission therefore advised consumers to ensure they obtain a complaint reference number and keep records of all communications to facilitate follow-up.

The advisory read, “Having issues with your electricity supply? Start here: Step 1: Reach out to your DisCo’s customer care. They are your first point of contact for technical or billing issues.

Step 2: Not resolved? If you are in a state that has transitioned to a State Electricity Regulator, SER, escalate your complaint to them.

Step 3: For all other states, or if you need further help, contact the NERC Call Centre. We’re here to make sure your complaint is heard and addressed.

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WAEC ROLLS OUT DIGITAL CERTIFICATE SERVICES ACROSS 5-MEMBER COUNTRIES

The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has announced the full implementation of its Digital Certificate Services System, called WAEC DigiCert, across its five member countries.

The announcement is contained in a statement by the Head of Public Affairs, WAEC Headquarters, Accra, Ghana, Demianus Ojijeogu, on behalf of the Registrar.

According to Ojijeogu, the digital certificate services platform is a mobile and web-based application, designed to provide stakeholders with seamless access to digital versions of original certificates.

He added that users could also recover lost WAEC examination numbers through the system, while enjoying guaranteed authenticity and significant cost benefits.

The Head of Public Affairs also assured that the innovation would not disrupt the printing and issuance of physical certificates, urging the public to download the mobile application or visit its official website and social media platforms for further information.

Recall that the member countries are Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

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DISTILLERS PICKET NAFDAC OVER SACHET ALCOHOL BAN

Distillers under the aegis of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association on Tuesday for the fifth time in 2026, picketed the office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to protest the continued sealing of their companies over the ban on sachet alcohol beverages and PET bottles below 200ml.

Employees of the companies, comprising both junior and senior staff, barricaded the entrance of the NAFDAC office along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

They also carried placards with inscriptions such as “Tinubu does not want jobs to be lost”, “Stop destroying local manufacturers”, and “NAFDAC should release products put on hold”, among others.

Gathering in large numbers, the protesters chanted solidarity songs as they prevented vehicles from entering the NAFDAC premises.

The protest is believed to stem from the ongoing debacle over the ban on sachet alcohol beverages and PET bottles below 200ml.

While the protesters had claimed that the Federal Government had ordered a halt to the enforcement, NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, said there was no official communication to that effect.

The protesters had, during one of their earlier demonstrations, threatened to take over the streets if the ban was not rescinded.

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KANO STATE DISMISSES NGO’S TWO MILLION STREET CHILDREN CLAIM, THREATENS LEGAL ACTION 

The Kano State Bureau of Statistics, KSBS, has rejected claims by a Non-Governmental Organisation that over two million underaged children are living as street beggars in the state, describing the figure as misleading and inconsistent with verified official data.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Director-General Kano State Bureau of Statistics, Suraj Sulaiman, in Kano, stating that the bureau’s attention was drawn to a publication which alleged that over two million street urchins sleep in unsafe and unhygienic environments across Kano metropolis.

Sulaiman stated that the claim did not reflect the findings of an official survey conducted by the Bureau across eight metropolitan Local Government Areas in the state.

The Director-General therefore explained that the findings suggested that street begging in the state was more closely linked to youths vulnerability, poverty, unemployment and limited access to education, rather than the scale of child begging portrayed in the NGO’s report.

He also stressed that poverty remained the primary driver of street begging in Kano, with unemployment and low educational attainment also contributing significantly.

The director-general therefore called on the NGO to publicly provide evidence of approval granted by the bureau for the survey on which its publication was based.

The bureau said it demand that the NGO retract the misleading publication and issue a public correction within 48 hours, warning that failure to comply would compel it to pursue all legal remedies available under the law regarding misrepresentation of official statistical information and unauthorised statistical activities.

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ZAMFARA STATE GOV APPROVES EARLY PAYMENT OF FEBRUARY SALARIES, PENSIONS

Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has approved the immediate payment of February salaries and pensions ahead of the forthcoming Ramadan, directing the State Accountant General to release the funds without delay.

The approval was disclosed in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mahmud Dantawasa.

According to the statement, the directive is aimed at allowing workers and retirees to make adequate preparations and comfortably commence the holy month of Ramadan.

The governor also called on civil servants, pensioners and the Muslim Ummah to take advantage of the sacred period to pray for the state, urging them to pray fervently for lasting peace, unity, and stability in Zamfara State.

He therefore emphasised the need for continued prayers toward addressing the security challenges confronting the state, as well as for sustained economic growth and development.

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ASIA MARKETS CAUTIOUS AHEAD OF U.S.-IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS

Asian financial markets struck a cautious tone on Tuesday in holiday-thinned trading, as oil prices were mixed ahead of nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Geneva due to begin later in the day.

Markets in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea were closed on Tuesday for Lunar New Year holidays. U.S. markets were shut on Monday for Presidents’ Day.

Ten-year Treasury yields slipped 2.5 basis points to 4.029% on Tuesday.

In Japan, the 20-year JGB yield fell 5.5 basis points to 3.025%. The 30-year yield slipped 6 basis points to 3.025%.

The dollar index, a measure of the U.S. currency against major rivals, was mostly steady at 97.12, after a small gain of 0.2 per cent overnight.

On Tuesday, the Japanese yen was down 0.3 per cent against the greenback to 153.05 per dollar.

The weak figures highlight the challenges ahead for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and should support her push for more aggressive fiscal stimulus, economists said.

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UK UNVEILS E-VISA FOR TRAVELLERS FROM FEBRUARY 25

The United Kingdom has announced that from February 25, 2026, all Nigerian travellers applying for a UK Visit visa will receive an e-Visa, rather than a vignette sticker in their passport.

A statement issued by the UK High Commission in Abuja on Tuesday said the development was the continuation of UK Visas and Immigration’s transition to a fully digital border.

It explained that under the new policy, travellers would access their visa electronically through their UK Visas and Immigration account, marking a significant step in modernising the UK’s visa process.

It added that the visa application requirements remained unchanged, as travellers would apply as usual, visit a Visa Application Centre to provide biometric information, and meet all existing eligibility criteria.

Meanwhile the government revealed that the only difference is that instead of a physical sticker, applicants will receive a secure digital record of their immigration status.

The government further emphasised that Nigerians currently holding a valid vignette sticker do not need to take any action, as their physical visa remains valid until it expires or requires replacement.

According to the UK Government, the move to e-Visas brings a number of benefits for Nigerian travellers.

These include faster return of passports, while travellers can manage their immigration status online at any time, from any location.

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GERMAN PRESIDENT STEINMEIER VISITS SITE OF BEIRUT BLAST

German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is to visit the site of the devastating August 2020 explosion in Beirut’s harbour on Tuesday, the second day of his trip to Lebanon.

Recall that more than 220 people were killed in the blast, and several thousand were injured.

Local reports have it that Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, are set to lay flowers and commemorate the victims. They also want to gain an impression of the reconstruction work.

Meanwhile, before flying on to the Jordanian capital, Amman, the president wants to visit the naval school in Beirut, which was rebuilt with German help.

On Monday, he promised Lebanese President Joseph Aoun further German support even after the UN Interim Force in Lebanon mission comes to an end at the end of the year.

The German navy is currently providing a frigate for the mission to secure Lebanon’s sea borders and prevent arms smuggling.

Steinmeier plans to hold talks with King Abdullah II in the Jordanian capital Amman on Wednesday, as the pair know each other well from previous meetings.

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IRAN, U.S. TO HOLD TALKS IN GENEVA ON TEHRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

Top Iranian and U.S. diplomats will hold talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme in Geneva on Tuesday, mediated by the Gulf state of Oman.

Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, are due to hold indirect negotiations at the Omani embassy.

The talks come amid weeks of tensions between Washington and Tehran after Iranian security forces brutally cracked down on a wave of protests in January, with thousands reported killed.

In response, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the Iranian leadership with military intervention and sent an aircraft carrier to the region.

A first round of talks between Iranian and U.S. representatives to defuse the brewing conflict took place in Oman earlier this month.

The latest discussions are also due to focus on Iran’s controversial nuclear programme.

Washington has sought for years to prevent the Iranian government from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Tehran has signalled it is willing to limit its nuclear programme in return for the U.S. lifting harsh economic sanctions.

However, Iran has said it will not negotiate over other issues, such as reducing its missile arsenal or ending support for militant groups.

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UKRAINE, RUSSIA SET FOR PEACE TALKS IN GENEVA WITH U.S. MEDIATION

Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are set to resume in Geneva on Tuesday, with the United States acting as mediator.

The latest discussions follow two rounds of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi in January and early February, as diplomats seek to find a path to an end to the conflict, almost four years on from the Russian invasion.

Local reports have it that U.S. special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to attend the talks on a busy day in Geneva, with Iran and the U.S. holding separate negotiations in the Swiss city on Tuesday.

According to the Kremlin, Russia is aiming to discuss the disputed territorial issues with Ukraine during the two-day talks.

However, a solution to the war in Ukraine is not yet in sight.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is refusing to relinquish the territories demanded by Russia, including those in the Donetsk region that Ukraine still controls.

Ukraine is believed to be seeking a partial ceasefire on attacks on the country’s energy facilities after weeks of attacks that have left millions of Ukrainians without power, water, and heating in a brutally cold winter.

Kremlin representative Vladimir Medinsky is back at the table for the first time this year after his absence in Abu Dhabi, just as bilateral talks on Russian-American economic relations are also due to take place in Geneva at the same time, the Kremlin has said.

Moscow has stated that it wants to end its war on Ukraine, but only on its own terms. Ukraine has so far rejected Russia’s demands as unacceptable.

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MBAPPÉ TOPS UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PHASE WITH 13 GOALS

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé has emerged as the standout marksman of the UCL league phase, scoring an impressive 13 goals, putting him firmly ahead of his competitors.

The French forward’s tally is five goals more than second-placed Harry Kane, demonstrating his lethal finishing and consistent threat in front of goal.

This is according to a post obtained from UEFA’s X handle on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Mbappé’s early-season exploits have drawn comparisons to last season, where the joint top scorers, Raphinha and Serhou Guirassy, finished the campaign with 13 goals each.

Remarkably, Mbappé has already surpassed that total well before the end of the league phase, signalling that he could exceed his previous personal bests if he maintains this form.

His goal-scoring spree has been pivotal to Real Madrid’s attacking strategy. Known for his exceptional pace, technical skill, and clinical finishing, Mbappé has scored in a variety of ways from precise long-range strikes to opportunistic tap-ins inside the box.

His movement off the ball, ability to create space, and composure under pressure have made him nearly impossible for defenders to contain.

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