NEWS
FG Allocates N19bn For N-Power Training And Additional Programs
The Nigerian Federal Government has approved a whopping sum of N19.24bn to cover several projects across the country, including the training of 50,000 non-graduate N-power beneficiaries, and the installation of taxiway lighting systems at the airports in Port Harcourt, Lagos, and Abuja.
The announcement was made by the Ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, Aviation, Education, and Water Resources Sadiya Umar Farouq, during an extraordinary meeting of the Federal Executive Council chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja.
The sum also includes consultancy services for the Dadin Kowa 40MW power project in Gombe State and the furnishing of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency’s 10-storey headquarters in Lagos.
Prior to this, the FG had in March 2023 approved the engagement of four of its agencies to train 50,000 Non-Graduate N-Power beneficiaries for nine months. They include the National Institute of Transport Technology, Industrial Training Fund, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism and the Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute.
Farouk said “The other memo is submitted, which is to seek Council’s approval for the engagement of four federal agencies for the training of the non-graduates N-Power beneficiaries. This is in the total sum of N14.21bn with 7.5% as VAT.”
She added that the life skills acquisition programme had been on since the inception of the N-Power programme in 2016 as the third batch begin training soon.
“We’re now in Batch C of that programme. And we have received a report from these agencies of what we have done thus far and we are very satisfied with them. We have engaged them again and this is what we brought to the Council for approval and it graciously approved,” said the Minister.
Farouk added that the council approved a policy on the homegrown school feeding programme. An initiative she said has reduced the number out-of-school children nationwide.
Although silent about the actual figures, she expressed hope that Nigeria’s out-of-school population would be drastically reduced by 2030.
“One memo we presented today is a policy on the national home-grown school feeding programme which is a food-based and cost effective programme widely used around the world.
“This is under the national social investment programme. It is an important aspect of that programme because it seeks to address issues of education, health, social protection and agriculture.
“It also seeks to address the issue of out-of-school children. Recall that this programme feeds primary one, two and three pupils in schools daily and in fact, we have witnessed significant school enrollment nationwide,” Farouk explained.
She said the programme has provided significant socio-economic relief to poor and vulnerable households, encouraging them to allow their children to attend school.
‘So this policy is the guiding document that is supposed to guide the activities and enhance this program delivery for a period of time. Hopefully, between now and 2030 we should be able to get all our children that are out of school back to school,” she said.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, revealed that the council approved the full business case for the establishment of an aviation leasing company and the sum of N3.05bn for taxiway lighting and other equipment for airports nationwide.
Sirika said, “So today in council, something very significant has happened in the world of civil aviation, part of our roadmap. The Aviation Leasing Company has been established and approved by council.
“Therefore, entrepreneurs and civil aviation will have access to lease equipment at affordable rates and within Nigeria.
“A second memo was for the award of contract for the procurement and installation of taxi lighting system and photometric pattern for Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja airports and some other equipment all over the country.”
He explained that the contract sum for the photometric and taxi lighting system for the airports amounts to N3.05bn with seven and half per cent VAT and to be completed by MSSRS KSR3 Global Nigeria Limited within 12 months.
On his part, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said the FG approved the sum of N605m as a five-year consultancy fee to supervise the concession of the Dadinkowa 40MW hydropower project.
The independent consultant is appointed to supervise the facility’s operations and income generation.
“It is for the first five years, renewable every five years for a total of 25 years. The amount is N605m for the first five years and then subsequently, based on performance of the consultant, it can be renewed.”
The council also approved another memo to regularise an ongoing lease arrangement with a concessionaire under the auspices of the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority.
The approval extends the initial 10-year lease period of lands to farmers in the River Basin and Gurara, Niger State, to 25 years.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye, revealed that the council approved N1.3bn as furniture costs for the newly-acquired 10-storey building to house the headquarters of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency in Victoria Island, Lagos.
It also approved Nigeria’s implementation of six international maritime organizations’ conventions, treaties and protocols. Adegoroye said although Nigeria had been a signatory to the six treaties, it was yet to fully implement them.
“The FEC approved that memo and also directed the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to present the treaties conventions, all six of them before Mr. President for eventual execution,” he explained.
Also speaking was the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who revealed that the FG approved the establishment 37 new private universities nationwide.
Monday’s approval brings the total number of universities approved for establishment under the Buhari-led government to 72. They include, 14 Federal Universities, 21State Universities and 37 Private Universities from 2015 to date.
Adamu who declined mentioning the names of the newly-approved higher institutions of learning only revealed that one of the 37 was an online university operated by a female Chancellor from Bauchi State.
“One of the universities is an online university by a woman from Bauchi State and this is significant in the sense that we always want to have our women coming forward in education,” he said.
When questioned about the FG’s move to establish more universities despite the ailing public university structure nationwide, Adamu argued that the country needs more universities to school its swelling youth population.
Adamu argued, “As far as I’m concerned, we need more universities. We are still under-University. And if there are universities that are underfunded, they should be funded. It shouldn’t affect new universities that are been established.
“In any case, this one is by the private sector. And I assure you that the regulatory process is such that they will not be established unless they are fully ready for it.”
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has disclosed that two mobile phones allegedly stolen from members of his team during Friday’s attack in Ado-Ekiti have been traced to locations near the Ekiti State Governor’s Office and Fajuyi Park.
Sowore made the disclosure in a post on X on Sunday, November 1, 2026, while renewing his demand for the release of CCTV footage from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where he and members of his team were attacked on October 30.
According to him, one of the stolen devices was traced to a location directly opposite the office of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, while another was located opposite Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti.
RELATED NEWS: Ekiti Attack: Sowore Demands CCTV Release, Questions Gov’t Ties to Gang Leader
Describing the discoveries as disturbing, Sowore questioned why the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) had yet to release the CCTV footage allegedly seized from the restaurant.
“This morning, we tracked two of the devices violently robbed from members of our team during the brutal attack in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, October 30, 2026, and the locations are deeply disturbing,” he wrote.
“One phone was traced to a location directly opposite the office of the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, while our other devices were located opposite Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti,” he added.
The activist subsequently renewed his demand for the release of the surveillance footage, insisting that the recordings from the restaurant should be made public.
“Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS have yet to release the CCTV footage seized from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where we were attacked.
“RELEASE THE CCTV FOOTAGE NOW!” he demanded.
The latest disclosure follows an attack on Sowore and members of his entourage at Tawakalitu Restaurant in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, shortly after the activist participated in a radio interview in the state.
Sowore had alleged that armed men attacked his team, assaulted some members and dispossessed them of their personal belongings, including mobile phones.
The incident generated controversy after the Ekiti State Police Command initially described it as an altercation involving Sowore and some individuals, while the activist maintained that his team was violently attacked.
The police subsequently announced the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the incident.
According to the police, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad arrested the suspects at their hideouts in the Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti at about 10 p.m. on October 30.
Items reportedly recovered during the operation included 13 mobile phones, two walkie-talkies, seven ATM cards, eight international passports, vehicle keys and other belongings.
The police said investigations were ongoing to establish the roles of the suspects and determine their possible involvement in the incident.
Sowore’s latest disclosure has renewed calls for the release of the restaurant’s CCTV footage, which he believes could provide further evidence about the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has tested the physical endurance, tactical awareness and military preparedness of 816 newly recruited personnel during an intensive six-day bush camp exercise in Kaduna.
The exercise, codenamed Exercise MUN FARA, was conducted from October 12 to 17, 2026, at the NAF Base Kaduna for trainees of Basic Military Training Course (BMTC) 46/2025.
The training featured demanding military activities, including day and night navigation, patrols, ambushes, attack drills and tent pitching, designed to prepare the recruits for operations under challenging field conditions.
SEE ALSO: Atiku Mourns 25 Killed in NAF Aircraft Crash in Ondo
The exercise culminated in a gruelling 20-kilometre cross-country competition, with Alpha-Jet Squadron emerging overall winner after completing the race in two hours, 33 minutes and seven seconds.
Recruit Mohammed U of MI-35 Squadron finished first in the male category, while Recruit Salihu SO of ATR-42 Squadron emerged winner in the female category.
Commending the recruits for their resilience, discipline and team spirit, the MTC Commandant, Air Commodore AO Akins, said the exercise provided an opportunity to assess their practical application of essential military skills.
He noted that the training tested their knowledge and abilities in fieldcraft, weapon handling and map reading, alongside their capacity to work effectively as a team.
The Air Force said the exercise formed part of its progressive training programme aimed at developing disciplined, confident and mission-ready personnel.
The recruits are expected to proceed to their final bush camp training before completing their military training and commencing service in the Nigerian Air Force.
Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has demanded the release of CCTV footage showing the attack on him and members of his team in Ado-Ekiti, while questioning the alleged relationship between the Ekiti State Government and a suspected gang leader.
Sowore made the demands in a post on X on Sunday, November 1, 2026, while responding to the Ekiti State Government’s October 31 press release on the October 30 attack.
SEE ALSO: Atiku Raises Alarm Over Attacks on Sowore, ADC Governorship Candidate, Accuses APC of Intimidation
He also challenged Governor Biodun Oyebanji to explain an alleged warning issued by his Chief Security Officer, CSP Ayodele Akinlua, hours before the incident.
According to Sowore, Akinlua contacted a member of his team, Moyinoluwa Olowoyo, popularly known as Gigabytes, at approximately 7:30 a.m. on the day of the attack and warned that his safety could not be guaranteed if he proceeded with political activities in the state.
Sowore alleged that more than 100 armed thugs subsequently attacked him and members of his team in broad daylight, leaving several people injured and robbed.
Questioning the circumstances surrounding the warning, he asked:
“Why was the Governor’s Chief Security Officer warning that my safety could not be guaranteed hours before armed thugs descended on us? Who authorized that call? What did the Governor know, and when did he know it?”
The AAC presidential candidate accused the state government of failing to address the circumstances surrounding the attack, arguing that its response focused on questioning his motives rather than condemning the violence.
He also faulted the government’s description of the incident as an ordinary altercation, insisting that the attack involved armed political thugs.
Sowore further questioned the alleged relationship between the Ekiti State Government and Sola Adenijo, popularly known as Solar, whom he identified as the leader of the gang that attacked him and his team.
He alleged that Adenijo was on the state government’s payroll and challenged Governor Oyebanji to disclose whether the individual received payments, contracts, appointments, stipends or other financial benefits from the government, directly or indirectly.
“We challenge Governor Oyebanji and his government to publicly disclose whether Sola Adenijo receives payments, contracts, appointments, stipends, or any other financial benefits from the state government, directly or indirectly,” he stated.
Sowore maintained that a general denial of involvement by the government was insufficient without addressing the specific allegations.
He also demanded the immediate preservation, recovery and public release of CCTV recordings from the restaurant where the incident occurred and surrounding premises.
The activist urged the relevant authorities to secure the complete recordings, preserve the original files and release the footage without alteration, while protecting innocent bystanders.
“Let Nigerians see what happened. Let the footage establish whether this was the so-called ‘altercation’ being promoted by the Police and the State Government or a coordinated attack by armed political thugs,” he said.
Sowore further alleged that security operatives had attempted to remove CCTV recordings and demanded an explanation regarding who took possession of the footage, where it was being kept and why it had not been made public.
He also questioned the activities of security agencies before the attack, alleging that Department of State Services (DSS) operatives had disrupted his political meeting at a restaurant.
According to him, members of his team and security personnel attached to them were assaulted, with some security personnel allegedly disarmed during the incident.
Sowore also referenced a statement by MKD Araoye, lead organiser of the Ikogosi Marathon, announcing a ban on his participation in the event. He alleged that the development further raised questions about possible official involvement in the incident.
The AAC presidential candidate called for an independent and transparent investigation into the roles of the attackers, their alleged sponsors, the governor’s security personnel, the DSS and any police or DSS officers implicated in the incident.
He maintained that the investigation should examine eyewitness accounts, communication records, financial records and CCTV footage.
“The Ekiti State Government cannot investigate itself through press releases, insult the victims into silence, or manufacture an alternative account of an attack that left people injured,” he said.
Sowore insisted that the incident would not deter him from exercising his constitutional rights or participating in political activities.
He also challenged Governor Oyebanji to release the CCTV footage, explain the alleged warning from his Chief Security Officer and disclose the government’s relationship, if any, with Adenijo.
Oyo Police Arrest Suspected Serial Burglar, Recover Stolen Items Worth ₦16.2m
Ekiti Attack: Sowore Tracks Stolen Phones Near Governor’s Office, Demands CCTV Footage
NAF Tests 816 Recruits’ Combat Readiness in Kaduna Bush Camp Exercise
‘Tinubu Built Northern Alliances Long Before Presidency’ – Sunday Dare
Ekiti Attack: Sowore Demands CCTV Release, Questions Gov’t Ties to Gang Leader
Nigeria Gets More 1,000 5G Sites, Courtesy Airtel
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Tems Sets New Record On Billboard Hot 100 Chart
359171 731269Sewing Machines […]any time to read or go to the content or maybe internet sites we undoubtedly have associated with[…] 180865
728756 689440Oh my goodness! an incredible article dude. Thanks a ton Even so We are experiencing issue with ur rss . Dont know why Cannot enroll in it. Can there be any person obtaining identical rss dilemma? Anyone who knows kindly respond. Thnkx 993609
330976 525743hello, i came in to learn about this topic, thanks alot. will put this site into my bookmarks. 477164