Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 24th January, 2025

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the IDOMA VOICE News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 24th January 2025

1. Tinubu Commissions Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks, Hails Armed Forces
   President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks in Abuja, a modern facility aimed at alleviating housing challenges for military personnel. During the event, he lauded the Nigerian Armed Forces as national heroes and assured them of his administration’s commitment to their welfare. The project, initiated in November 2022, was completed in January 2025 under the leadership of the current Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede.

2. NLC Rejects Proposed Telecom Tariff Hike
   Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, firmly opposed the planned 50% telecom tariff hike proposed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telecom operators. Ajaero argued that such a move would worsen the economic hardship faced by Nigerians and called for genuine stakeholder engagement to explore alternatives that do not burden the populace.

3. ₦4 Billion Cash Transfer Program Approved
   President Tinubu’s administration approved ₦4 billion for conditional cash transfers to support displaced and vulnerable Nigerians, focusing on conflict-affected households in the Northeast. Announced by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwada, the initiative will run from February to April 2025, benefiting at least 10 million households. An additional ₦2 billion was allocated for interest-free loans to boost rural farming and food production.

4. IGP Bans Police Officers from Wearing Dark Glasses in Uniform
   Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, issued a directive prohibiting officers from wearing dark glasses while in uniform. This order, effective immediately, warned of strict penalties for violations. The directive aims to enhance professionalism and discipline within the police force.

5. Labour Party Denies Faction Claims
   Labour Party National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, dismissed reports of a faction within the party, describing them as baseless media creations. Ifoh assured that efforts are underway to reconcile aggrieved members, emphasizing the party’s unity ahead of the 2027 general elections. He also criticized claims surrounding a Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee.

6. Education Crisis in Northern Nigeria Highlighted
   Former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, emphasized the urgent need for educational reforms in Northern Nigeria, noting that no state in the region has 50% of its teachers fully qualified. Speaking at the 22nd Daily Trust Dialogue, Aliyu called for collaborations between the Ministry of Livestock and universities specializing in agriculture and education to address the challenges.

7. Full Transition to CBT for National Exams by 2027
   The Federal Government announced plans to make all national examinations 100% computer-based testing (CBT) by 2027. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, inaugurated a committee to improve examination quality and tackle malpractice. The government aims to enhance fairness and efficiency in educational assessments while addressing systemic leakages.

8. FCCPC Insists on Service Quality for Telecom Tariff Hike
   Following the NCC’s approval of a 50% telecom tariff increase, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) demanded that service providers improve quality. The agency stressed the importance of addressing issues like network congestion, dropped calls, and unusual data depletion to justify the hike.

9. Police Summon Sowore Over Viral Checkpoint Video
   Activist Omoyele Sowore revealed that the Nigeria Police summoned him for questioning after he posted a viral video exposing alleged extortion by officers at a Lagos checkpoint. Sowore criticized the police for creating traffic and accused them of systemic corruption. He claimed the summons is an attempt to silence his activism.

10. NLC Criticizes Band Migration in Electricity Tariff Plans
    NLC President, Joe Ajaero, condemned the government’s service-based electricity tariff structure, which moves users to higher-cost bands based on service quality. Ajaero labeled the system as fraudulent and discriminatory, questioning its fairness and the justification for the Federal Government’s budgetary provisions for private power companies.