
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has appointed former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, as the state's representative on the Board of Trustees of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Humwashi Wonosikou, announced the appointment, stating it reflects the administration's commitment to strengthening regional security and ensuring Adamawa State's representation in key decision-making bodies. The Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund, established by the Northern Governors' Forum, is a sub-national initiative to complement security agencies' efforts. It aims to support intelligence coordination, provide operational logistics, enhance inter-state collaboration, and promote community-based security initiatives across the 19 northern states. Governor Fintiri described Mustapha as a seasoned public servant whose experience, leadership, and national stature qualify him to represent Adamawa State's interests. Fintiri expressed concern over security challenges in Northern Nigeria, including banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and communal clashes, highlighting the need for proactive measures like the Trust Fund. He is confident that Mustapha will use his experience to advance the fund's objectives, foster synergy among states, and ensure Adamawa's voice is heard in the pursuit of a safer Northern Nigeria. The governor reiterated his administration's commitment to collaborating with federal and regional stakehold
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Must ReadThe Manufacturers Association of Nigeria MAN has voiced concerns regarding a significant 22.5% year-on-year contraction in commercial bank credit to the manufacturing sector in 2025, falling from N8.53 trillion in December 2024 to N6.61 trillion in December 2025. Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General of MAN, stated that this decline, which represents a N1.92 trillion reduction, is alarming and could impede industrial growth, job creation, and economic diversification. He noted that manufacturing experienced one of the steepest credit contractions among major sectors, trailing behind the oil and gas sector N10.59 trillion and the finance sector N9.24 trillion in credit attraction. Ajayi-Kadir attributed the credit allocation decline to high interest rates, bureaucratic hurdles, and inconsistent policies, also criticizing the non-implementation of the N1 trillion Manufacturing Stabilisation Fund from the Federal Government’s Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan ASAP in 2024. He warned that inadequate access to affordable financing could undermine the 2025 Nigeria Industrial Policy NIP and lead to reduced manufacturing capacity utilization, stagnation of the sector’s GDP contribution, job losses, supply-side inflation, and foreign exchange pressures. To address these issues, Ajayi-Kadir proposed reducing benchmark interest rates by 200 to 300 basis points, incentivizing banks to lend to manufacturing at single-digit rates, increasing the capital base of the Bank of I
Must ReadKenyan prosecutors announced they will charge several students with the murder of 16 schoolmates following a dormitory fire in late May. The incident at Utumishi Girls’ School in Gilgil, approximately 100 kilometers north of Nairobi, resulted in the deaths of 16 pupils aged 15 to 18 and injuries to 132 others. Nine students from the school, which primarily serves children of police officers, remain in police custody, having been arrested on arson charges the day after the tragedy. The Director of Public Prosecutions has approved charges against the implicated students, who are expected to face 16 counts of murder each. A spokesperson for the prosecutors office indicated that the suspects would likely be charged in court on Wednesday, but declined to provide further details as they are minors. Kenya has a history of deadly dormitory fires, with the Kenyan Red Cross recording at least 47 such incidents in 2026 alone. Several fires have occurred since the Utumishi incident, leading many boarding schools to send pupils home to prevent similar disasters. Experts suggest these incidents may be linked to copycat attacks and frustration with the education system.

Ten Local Government Areas in Gombe State are experiencing severe food security issues, as revealed by the 2024/2025 Gombe State General Household Survey and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. Alhaji Ibrahim Dule, the Statistician-General of the state, shared this information at a three-day capacity-building workshop for local council officials. The workshop, organized by the Gombe State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with UNICEF, aims to address multidimensional poverty among children in 11 LGAs. The survey also indicated that 65 percent of households in the state have access to drinking water, 51.5 percent have access to improved sanitation, and 50.5 percent have access to electricity. Nuzhat Rafique, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bauchi, expressed concern over the high level of child poverty, stating that the survey showed seven out of 10 children in the state experience multidimensional poverty. UNICEF is supporting Gombe State to expand social protection programs, improve healthcare access, and tackle severe child food poverty, focusing on highly deprived LGAs such as Dukku, Balanga, and Nafada. Jalo Ali, Permanent Secretary, Gombe State Ministry of Finance, urged participants to use the training to enhance their capacities and adopt cross-sector thinking to address the multidimensional nature of child poverty.