
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, swore in four newly elected senators on Wednesday following their victories in recent by-elections. The new lawmakers are Olaka Nwogu of the Peoples Democratic Party, representing Rivers South-East; Envulu Anza of the All Progressives Congress, representing Nasarawa North; Ikeje Asogwu of the APC, representing Enugu North; and Dayo Faduyile of the APC, representing Ondo South. These by-elections filled vacancies created by the deaths of former senators Barinada Mpigi, Godiya Akwashiki, and Okechukwu Ezea, and the appointment of former senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. The Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, administered the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office. Akpabio congratulated the senators, urging them to prioritize national interest and familiarize themselves with the 1999 Constitution and Senate Standing Orders. Dignitaries including Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, attended the ceremony.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadThe Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the African Development Bank and UN Women, has launched the Nigeria Gender Profile and Roadmap to Equality 2030. This initiative aims to address gender disparities and achieve national gender equality targets by 2030. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, stated that the document provides an evidence-based assessment of gender equality and a framework for achieving national commitments. She emphasized that gender equality is a strategic investment in national development, strengthening families, communities, and the economy by advancing equal opportunities for women and girls. The roadmap, developed with support from the AfDB and UN Women, offers a comprehensive assessment of gender disparities and outlines priority actions. Abdul Kamara, Acting Vice President, Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, and Director-General for Nigeria, African Development Bank Group, described gender equality as an economic imperative, noting that closing gender gaps could unlock two to three percent of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product annually. Beatrice Eyong, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, represented by Mr. Dama Ghimire, highlighted that persistent inequalities limit Nigeria's development potential and economic progress, with women concentrated in lower-income sectors and underrepresented in leadership. The roadmap is expected to guide the implementation of ge

Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, has been recognized as Nigeria's top university in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings, achieving 72nd place globally. This makes it the only Nigerian institution to be listed among the top 100 worldwide. The rankings, released by Times Higher Education, evaluated 1,646 universities across 116 countries and territories based on their contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. ABUAD scored 90.8 overall, with strong performance in Climate Action, No Poverty, and Affordable and Clean Energy. It placed second in Africa, behind the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, which ranked 39th globally. Other Nigerian universities in the rankings include Covenant University and Redeemer's University 201–300 global band, Landmark University 301–400 category, and the University of Lagos 601–800 band. The University of Manchester in the UK maintained the top global position. The assessment covers all 17 SDGs, including poverty reduction, quality education, gender equality, climate action, clean energy, sustainable cities, and partnerships for development. Times Higher Education noted that it evaluated universities' performance in advancing sustainability using indicators such as research output, environmental stewardship, community engagement, and teaching activities related to sustainable development. Institutions qualify for the overall ranking by submitting data for SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who also chairs the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, has been elected President of the Forum of African Regions. The election took place in Tangier, Morocco, during the UCLG World Congress. AbdulRazaq will lead a new team that includes four regional vice presidents: Mr. Ousmanou Oumarou for Central Africa, Ms. Mbarka Bouaida for North Africa, Mr. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o for East Africa, and Mr. Panyaza Lesufi for Southern Africa. The Forum's mandate is to accelerate socioeconomic development, deepen decentralization, and position subnational governments as key drivers of continental integration. Governor AbdulRazaq emphasized the importance of collaboration among African nations and subnational governments to achieve sustainable growth, highlighting infrastructure and connectivity as crucial for overcoming developmental challenges. He called for a shared vision of integration and development, stressing that collective action and cooperation can create sustainable linkages for trade, innovation, environmental stewardship, and inclusive growth across the continent.