Blog - Abia ThinkTank News

Jan

15

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

NELFUND To Clear N928 Million Arrears Owed To Over 11,000 Students

Education, FGN, News Flash

NELFUND To Clear N928 Million Arrears Owed To Over 11,000 Students Mustapha Iyal, the executive director of operations at the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), says all students owed arrears under the scheme will soon receive their payments. Speaking in a recent interview on Arise News, Iyal clarified that over 11,000 students are experiencing the delay, totalling about N927.98 million. He said the delay was caused by technical and operational issues, adding that plans are on for an expansion in the 2026–2027 academic session. Iyal said the backlog of applicants increased due to various issues, including the application process or…

Jan

15

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

AFCON 2025: Despite Loss To Morocco, BUA Chairman Promises To Fulfil Pledge Of $500,000 To Super Eagles

Football, News Flash, Sports

AFCON 2025: Despite Loss To Morocco, BUA Chairman Promises To Fulfill Pledge Of $500,000 To Super Eagles In a heartening display of support amid disappointment, Nigerian billionaire Abdulsamad Rabiu has announced he will honor his $500,000 pledge to the Super Eagles, despite the team’s semifinal exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at the hands of hosts Morocco. The Super Eagles’ campaign came to a dramatic end on January 14, 2026, in Rabat, where they faced Morocco in a tense semifinal that ended 0-0 after extra time. Morocco advanced to the final with a 4-2 victory in the…

Jan

14

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Morocco Vs Nigeria AFCON 2025 Semi-Final Preview: Special Feature On All You Need To Know

Football, News Review, Sports

Morocco Vs Nigeria AFCON 2025 Semi-Final Preview: Special Package On 'All You Need To Know' The Super Eagles of Nigeria and Morocco are set for a heavyweight showdown when they meet in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at 9 p.m. tonight, January 14, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. This is another chance for the Super Eagles of Nigeria to cement their standing among Africa’s elite. A win would send the West African country into a ninth AFCON final and secure consecutive final appearances for the first time since 1988 and 1990. It…

Jan

14

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Six Worshippers Killed, Others Injured As Truck Rams Into RCCG Church In Lagos

Accident, Lagos, News Flash

Six Worshippers Killed, Others Injured As Truck Rams Into RCCG Church In Lagos Six worshippers were killed at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) branch in the Epe area of Lagos State on Monday night after a truck loaded with sharp sand rammed into the church building. The tragedy occurred around 8:30pm along Hospital Road, shortly after the church had concluded its evening service. Although many congregants had left, some worshippers were still inside the auditorium, praying and preparing to leave, when the heavy-duty vehicle veered off the road and crashed into the structure. Residents said the truck lost…

Jan

13

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

U.S Court Bars Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer From Representing Venezuela’s Deposed President

Human Rights, International, News Flash, World News

U.S. Court Bars Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer From Representing Venezuela’s Deposed President A federal judge in Manhattan has barred Bruce Fein from representing Venezuela’s deposed President Nicolás Maduro, after finding that Mr Fein was never authorised by the defendant to act on his behalf. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said Mr Fein lacked the right to appear for Mr Maduro because he had not been hired by the Venezuelan leader. Mr Fein, a lawyer for Nnamdi Kanu, the imprisoned Nigerian leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra. Mr Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism in 2025. He had been…

Jan

13

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Family Demands Justice As Woman Dies After Hospital Abandoned Scissors In Her During Surgery

Health, Human Rights, News Flash

Family Demands Justice As Woman Dies After Hospital Abandoned Scissors In Her During Surgery A case of alleged medical negligence has thrown a family into mourning after a woman, identified as Aishatu Umar, reportedly died following months of severe pain caused by a pair of scissors allegedly left inside her body during a surgical operation at the Abubakar Imam Urology Center, Kano State. Aishatu Umar reportedly passed away on Monday at about 1am, after enduring unbearable abdominal pain for several months following a surgery carried out in September 2025. The incident was made public by a commentator, Abubakar Mohammed, who…

Jan

13

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Nigeria Signs Economic Agreement With UAE, To Co-Host Investopia

FGN, International, World News

Nigeria Signs Economic Agreement With UAE, To Co-host Investopia President Bola Tinubu announced on Tuesday that Nigeria will co-host Investopia with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Lagos in February, an initiative aimed at attracting global investors and accelerating sustainable investment inflows. He made this announcement at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), on the sidelines of which Nigeria also concluded a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE to deepen trade and cooperation in renewable energy, infrastructure, logistics, and digital trade. Present at the signing of the agreement were President Tinubu, President of the United Arab Emirates,…

Jan

13

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

U.S.A Delivers ‘Critical’ Military supplies To Nigeria, Reaffirm Security Partnership

World News, International, News Flash

US Delivers ‘Critical’ Military Supplies To Nigeria, Reaffirm Security Partnership The United States forces have delivered “critical military supplies” to Nigeria, with the handover taking place in Abuja. The development was disclosed in a post shared on X by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which said the delivery was part of ongoing cooperation between both countries. “U.S. forces delivered critical military supplies to our Nigerian partners in Abuja,” the command wrote. According to AFRICOM, the delivery “supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasizes our shared security partnership.” The post, which also tagged the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, @USinNigeria, underscores continued…

Jan

13

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Abia Beyond The Noise: Why Records, Not Rhetoric, Define The Otti Moment – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Politics

Abia Beyond the Noise: Why Records, Not Rhetoric, Define the Otti Moment In the middle of the daily political crossfire—press statements, counter-statements, and social-media skirmishes—it is easy to lose sight of what actually matters in governance: records, systems, and verifiable outcomes. In Abia State today, the loudest critics of Governor Alex Chioma Otti OFR are also the least willing to engage with documents, timelines, and publicly accessible evidence. That contrast is not accidental; it is revealing. Revenue, Not Rumour Start with what can be verified. Abia’s official Third Quarter Budget Implementation Report (2025) states plainly that Actual Total Revenue (Q1–Q3)…

Jan

12

2026

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Output Is Not The Same As Reform: Why Alex Otti’s Abia Is Taking The Harder, Lasting Path – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Good Governance

Output Is Not the Same as Reform: Why Alex Otti’s Abia Is Taking the Harder, Lasting Path It is fair to acknowledge that Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has pursued a visibly aggressive, project-forward agenda in Enugu. Within two years, his administration commissioned urban roads, announced the New Enugu City vision, rolled out farm estates, revived water schemes, passed a state electricity law, and invested in transport hubs—an approach reviewed by BusinessDay in its assessment of Enugu’s infrastructure drive and smart-city ambition (https://businessday.ng/life/article/two-years-of-evidence-in-enugu-state-celebrating-governor-peter-mbahs-two-years-in-office/). Output is undeniable. But governance is not only about how many projects move at once; it is about the…