Author: Nationalmonitor

In a significant diplomatic endorsement, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Hajiya Amina Mohammed, on Thursday visited Governor Dauda Lawal in Gusau, Zamfara State, where the governor formally presented his administration’s comprehensive development blueprint aimed at rebuilding the state after years of banditry, economic instability, and governance deficit. The visit, which lasted several hours, included closed-door talks at the Government House, a brief tour of ongoing infrastructure projects, and a joint press appearance. It marks the highest-level UN visit to the North-Western state in nearly a decade. Speaking to reporters afterward, the UN Deputy Secretary-General commended Governor Lawal for what she…

The race for the Ado-Odo/Ota Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives is gaining significant traction as frontline aspirants from major political parties begin to unveil their legislative agendas ahead of the 2027 general elections. ​The political atmosphere shifted into high gear during a recent “Meet the Press” session hosted by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun West Independent Chapel. The forum provided a platform for top contenders to pitch their visions for the constituency to the public. ​APC Frontrunners: Tradition Meets Grassroots Impact ​High Chief Olanrewaju Bashorun, the Seriki of Ota Kingdom, emerged as a prominent figure…

As the political landscape for the 2027 general elections begins to take shape, successful entrepreneur and human capital expert, Honorable Alade Jimoh, has officially declared his intention to contest for the Ado-Odo/Ota 1 State Assembly seat under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). ​Speaking at the ‘Meet the Press’ forum organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun West Independent Chapel, Jimoh emphasized that his foray into politics is driven by a desire for service rather than personal gain. He noted that the event, designed to allow aspirants to declare their priorities to the electorate, provided the…

Prominent serial entrepreneur and CEO of Bizenol Nigeria Limited, Okikiola Abayomi Oludegun, has officially declared his intention to contest the Ota State Constituency 1 seat in the Ogun State House of Assembly for the 2027 general elections. ​Popularly known as “Okiki,” the aspirant made his declaration on Monday during a “Meet the Press” media chat organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun West Chapel, in Ota. A Vision to Decouple Youths from Transport Unionism A central pillar of Oludegun’s declaration was his concern over the underutilization of youth potential in Ota. He criticized the current trend where vibrant…

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on Thursday received a high-level delegation of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, reiterating his commitment to strengthening accountability mechanisms within the Nigeria Police Force. The delegation, led by prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), comprised stakeholders from the legal, human rights, governance, and security reform sectors. Among them were representatives of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADL), African Law Foundation (AFRILAW), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Yiaga Africa, CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria, and Partners West Africa-Nigeria (PWAN). Speaking during the engagement, Falana congratulated the IGP on…

Commend Ado-Ota boss for organizing summit Irked over what they described as marginalization, the Egba/Egbado Traditional rulers in Ado-Odo Ota local government have raised an alarm over continue neglect by the council. They noted that the council have overtime, schemed them out of things as regard traditional council of the area. The Chairman of Egba/Egbado Council of Baales, Shokunbi Olawale Oyero while speaking to journalists, noted that the latest of the neglect is the non invitation to the ongoing three – day Strategic Retreat and Summit for Baales in Ado-Odo Ota local government. Oyero explained that their domains have not…

​By Olawale Olurotimi Hon. Abdul Kudus Isah, a prominent House of Representatives aspirant for the Owan Federal Constituency under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has thrown his weight behind the recent protest organized by the party leadership in Abuja. Speaking with a correspondent from National Monitor on Wednesday, the aspirant praised the courage of party members who took to the streets to demand a more transparent electoral process ahead of future polls. ​During the demonstration, Hon. Isah expressed deep concerns regarding the current trajectory of the nation’s electoral umpire. He specifically pointed toward perceived inconsistencies in how recent administrative processes…

Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, has announced the induction of the third and largest cohort of developer interns into its Developer Academy, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to building world-class technology talent and strengthening Africa’s digital ecosystem. Selected from a pool of over 20,000 applications, the new cohort emerged through a rigorous multi-stage process involving technical assessments, and interviews. Their induction into the Developer Academy highlights both the scale of interest in software engineering opportunities in Nigeria and Interswitch’s role in nurturing the next generation of highly skilled technology professionals.The 9-month programme brings together talents…

FirstBank, West Africa’s premier financial institution and the leading financial inclusion service provider, has announced its strategic sponsorship of the second edition of ChessMasters, Africa’s largest school chess tournament. The announcement was made at the official press conference of the tournament held on 16 March 2026 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos. ChessMasters is an annual chess tournament designed to equip the next generation with critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills. The competition targets children in primary school aged between 6 and 11 years old. Organised by Eko Hotels and Suites & KEY Academy , ChessMasters was created to provide…

As conversations around money become more complex in a fast-evolving digital world, the need to Building Financially Smart Future andequip young people with the right financial knowledge, has never been more urgent. From spending habits to saving culture, digital transactions, and entrepreneurial thinking, financial literacy is increasingly becoming a life skill, not just a nice-to-have. It is against this backdrop that Polaris Bank is participating in this year’s Global Money Week (GMW), a global financial awareness campaign which kicked off from Tuesday, April 7 through Thursday, April 30, 2026. Global Money Week is an annual initiative led by Child and…