In response to what it described as outdated and overly stringent entry requirements into the nation’s tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, the Nigerian government released a new policy on Tuesday that lowers the admission requirements for tertiary institutions. According to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), signed by its Director of Press, Folasade Boriowo, the new policy aims to increase access to tertiary education for more admission seekers than the nation’s institutions currently accommodate. However, this is coming at a time when the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), body of lecturers…
Author: Development Reporting
In many Nigerian homes, kitchens are quiet, as empty gas cylinders sit unused and the usual sound of burners has been replaced by the crackle of charcoal and the smoke of firewood due to the labour dispute between Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Refinery. From Lagos to Kaduna, what began as a brief supply disruption has spiralled into a nationwide crisis. As the shortage of cooking gas worsens, prices continue to rise in major cities, and queues now snake around gas stations as residents jostle for refills, some paying bribes…
By Adedoyin Oguntade As the Nigerian government moves to invoke the “no work, no pay,” rule against the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a breakaway faction of the union- Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has announced that its are not on strike. In a statement, issued by the union and signed by its National President, Niyi Sunmonu, CONUA said the position was aimed at informing the public of its stance on the current conflict within the university education system. CONUA said its commitment to academic stability and the smooth functioning of universities in the country…
“The entire management and staff of DevReporting mourn the passing of a committed comrade, a soldier for the masses and a very principled fighter. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that Comrade Aremson died on a day a foremost labour movement in Nigeria, ASUU, declared nationwide strike. It is a sign of commemoration of his struggle for freedom,” Mr Alabi said. One of the foremost labour activists in Nigeria and Secretary of the Joint Action Front (JAF), Abiodun Aremu, popularly called “Aremson,” is dead. Many of the deceased associates and labour leaders, including rights activist and author, Owei Lakemfa;…
The Nigerian government has responded to the declaration of a warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), threatening to invoke the ‘no work, no pay’ rule should the union proceed on the industrial action as declared. Earlier on Sunday, ASUU directed its members nationwide to begin a two-week strike from Monday, 13 October. The union said the decision became necessary following the expiration of the two-week ultimatum and the failure of the government to show considerable commitment to acceding to its demands. The union noted that an ‘emergency meeting’ held with the government’s delegation on Friday, 10…
Tinubu’s mass pardon blurs the line between compassion and compromise, raising a haunting question: when mercy favors the powerful, what becomes of justice? In the cold chambers of justice where verdicts echo louder than repentance, mercy often walks barefoot, uncertain, delicate, and controversial. Yet on a quiet Thursday, 9th October 2025, in Abuja, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu chose to give mercy its moment in the sun. 175 names, men and women once chained by law, judged by society, and forgotten by time, found themselves reborn under the presidential prerogative of mercy. Among them, one name stirred the nation’s conscience: Maryam…
Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared that the planned two-week warning strike must continue, while also describing the government’s draft agreement presented at an emergency meeting held on Friday as “a total departure from the letter and spirit of the ‘Review of the Draft 2022 Agreement’” earlier submitted to the government by the Yayale Ahmed-led renegotiation committee. The union announced this on Sunday afternoon at a press briefing held at the Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), which was addressed by its National President, Chris Piwuna. Mr Piwuna, a professor of Medicine at the University of…
By Mariam Alabi The Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), a non-governmental organisation has unveiled a national project to equip Nigerians with essential knowledge, safety awareness, and ethical understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), in line with the Federal Government’s newly reformed curriculum for basic and senior secondary schools. The initiative, tagged ‘AI Literacy for Everyday People’, was launched on Wednesday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Hall in Osogbo, Osun State. The event drew participants from the media, federal and state education ministries, civil society organisations, educators, and innovation partners. Making AI accessible to all Nigerians Speaking at the…
By Adedoyin Oguntade The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is set to host a constellation of global innovators, policymakers, and development leaders for its fifth International Week, themed “Equitable Partnerships and the Future of AI in Africa.” Scheduled for 13 – 17 October, at the university’s Akoka campus, the five-day event will bring together global technology leaders, financiers, policymakers, and young innovators to explore Africa’s place in the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI) and global digital cooperation. The UNILAG International Week, an annual event, is a flagship platform for dialogue and networking. It also provides strategic engagement with academic institutions,…
From classrooms in Ogun State to policy summits in Nairobi, African women are reshaping leadership by drawing from their own experiences. New models are emerging that emphasise authenticity, confidence, and collective growth. Bonface Orucho, bird story agency A journey begins in Ogun When Ezeoha Nneka returned to her classroom in Ogun State after a four-month leadership expedition, something had shifted. She no longer saw herself as simply a teacher tasked with delivering lessons. She saw herself as a leader, inviting students to step forward and chart how they would love to learn and lead. “This journey completely transformed my perspective…