Education
FG Spends Over N375m to Feed 700,000 Kids in 5 States
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Over N375 million has been released this year by the Federal Government to feed almost 700,000 primary school pupils in five states.
This information was revealed by spokesman of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande.
Mr Akande, in the statement, revealed that virtually all states of the federation, except two, are now being processed for the payment of N30,000 monthly stipends to 200,000 graduates in the FG’s N-Power scheme.
Giving a media update in Abuja on Sunday, Mr Akande said the Buhari Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) are proceeding at different stages of implementation.
According to him, regarding the Homegrown School Feeding Programme, the Federal Government last week released money for this year, to the States of Anambra, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ebonyi to cover the feeding for 10 school days.
The sum of about N375, 434,870 has just been released and paid to 7,909 cooks in those states for the feeding of a total of 677,476 primary school pupils, he said.
In his breakdown, he said Ogun State got a total of N119, 648,900 paid to 1,381 cooks to feed 170,927 pupils.
Ebonyi State got N115,218,600 paid to 1,466 cooks to feed 164,598 pupils, Anambra State got N67.5 million paid to 937 cooks to feed 96,489 pupils, while Oyo State got N72.2 million paid to 1437 cooks to feed 103,269 pupils and Osun State got N867,370 paid to 2688 to feed 142,193 pupils.
He said all monies are paid directly to the cooks and cover 10 days of school and said further that later this week, those figures would go up when Zamfara and Enugu States are expected to be paid N188.7 million and N67.2 million respectively.
According to him, in Zamfara, the sum would be paid to 2,738 cooks to feed 269,665 pupils and in Enugu, the sum would be paid to 1128 cooks to feed 96,064 pupils.
By then, he noted that over N631 million would have been released so far in 2017 for school feeding in seven states, paid to 11,775 cooks and meant to feed over one million primary school pupils-exact number of pupils by then would be 1,043,205.
On N-Power, Mr Akande stated that the process of payments of verified graduates who are beneficiaries has advanced and at different stages of progress in all but two states, noting that more and more of such beneficiaries are posting their glad experiences of receiving alerts on the social media.
This means, according to him, that payment of the December stipends which has gone across the country would be completed in all states except two that did not meet the extended deadline for the verification process for December stipends.
He disclosed that the processing of January stipends are also in advanced stages.
He assured some beneficiaries who have issues to remain patient, while observing that quite a number of the beneficiaries have banking information irregularities.
He said the payment of the unemployed graduates which has created a huge buzz across the country especially on the Social Media is being done in batches.
Regarding the Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT, payments continue in the nine pilot states of Bauchi, Borno, Niger, Kogi, Cross Rivers, Osun, Oyo Ekiti, and Kwara States.
While payment challenges are being experienced with the banks in some of the states, beneficiaries continue to receive their stipends which is being paid for two months- a total sum of N10,000 are being paid for the CCT beneficiaries to cover the months of December and January.
The CCT payments would be done 6 times in a year, with a payment of N10,000 to cover two months.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to 21 state-owned universities over alleged failure to implement key provisions of the 2025 agreement reached with the federal government.
The union warned that the affected universities could be heading for industrial action if their respective authorities fail to resolve the outstanding issues within the two-week window.
The ultimatum was one of the major resolutions reached at ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja recently.
In a statement signed by ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, the union expressed concern over what it described as the “haphazard implementation” of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, accusing relevant authorities of displaying a lackadaisical attitude towards its implementation.
ASUU said the problem was particularly pronounced in several state universities, where university visitors had allegedly failed to implement the agreement, leaving affected branches with little option but to seek NEC’s approval to commence the process for industrial action.
Consequently, NEC authorised the affected branches to issue 14-day ultimatums to their university authorities, after which strike procedures would commence if the issues remained unresolved.
The universities affected include Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Gombe State University; Plateau State University, Bokkos; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; Abia State University, Uturu; and University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa.
Others are Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo; Kaduna State University; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil; Northwest University, Kano; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Imo State University, Owerri; Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island; University of Africa, Toru-Orua; Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa; and Taraba State University, Jalingo.
According to the union, the 14-day ultimatum is a precondition for the affected branches to begin formal procedures for industrial action.
ASUU said branches in the Sokoto Zone had already issued a similar two-week ultimatum, while NEC would reconvene in an emergency session at the end of August or early September to assess developments and determine the union’s next line of action.
The union also revived its “No-pay-No-work” position, directing branches in federal universities where salaries had been withheld or underpaid to take appropriate action.
It specifically cited affected universities, including universities of agriculture, where members had allegedly received incomplete salaries.
Beyond the salary and agreement implementation disputes, ASUU maintained its opposition to the National Education Repository Databank (NERD), insisting that unresolved questions surrounding its hosting arrangements and intellectual property rights must first be addressed.
The union also waded into the country’s political process, urging its members to participate actively in politics and approving the establishment of an ASUU Independent Monitoring Group.
The group, according to the union, will monitor and observe elections across the country.
Meanwhile, growing insecurity within university campuses also featured prominently in the NEC deliberations.
ASUU expressed concern over attacks and other security incidents that had claimed the lives of members, directing affected branches to engage the police and other relevant security agencies in pursuing justice for victims.
Branches were also mandated to document cases of insecurity and present comprehensive records to the union’s NEC for further action.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
