Top 10 Stories In Nigeria’s National Newspapers Today, Thursday January 5, 2023

Here are the top 10 stories from across Nigerian daily Newspapers for today, Thursday January 5, 2023.

1. FG Paying Fuel Subsidy With Borrowed Funds – Finance Minister

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, restated the need to end the fuel subsidy regime, disclosing that the Federal Government was borrowing money to fund it. This comes after the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government had spent billions of dollars on the controversial subsidy of petroleum products:  Read more.

2. 2023 Election: INEC Gets N173bn, Receives Last Batch Of BIVAS

As Nigeria prepares for the general elections this year, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been allocated N173 billion to fund all electoral expenses. Read more.

3. Nigeria’s Total Debt Stock May Hit N77 trillion By Mid 2023, Servicing Gulps 80.6% In 2022 Budget

Director General of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Ms. Patience Oniha, has revealed that Nigeria’s total debt stock may hit N77 trillion by mid 2023 when President Muhammadu Buhari must have gone out of office.

Oniha who made disclosure during public presentation of the 2023 budget in Abuja on Wednesday, explained that the move by the federal government to securitise the loans (Ways and Means) from the Central Bank would drive up the debt to about N77 trillion.

This means that the incoming administration will inherit the debt.

Currently, the total debt is put at N44.06 trillion as at third quarter 2022. Read more.

4. Nigeria Records 35 Fresh Cases As COVID-19 Resurfaces

As China battles resurgence of COVID-19, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced that 35 new cases of the disease were recorded in the last week of December 2022.

According to an update on the NCDC website on Wednesday, 22 of the cases were recorded in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 10 in Lagos State, two in Delta, while one happened in Plateau State . Read more.

5. Another Fuel Scarcity Looms As Petrol Tanker Drivers Threaten Nationwide Strike

As Nigerians groan over fuel scarcity in parts of the country, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, (PTD-NUPENG) has threatened to embark on nationwide strike over what it described as “illegal activities and high-handedness of security agents” in the Port Harcourt.

6. Counterfeit: NAFDAC Gets $2,451,000 Worth Scanners To Test Drug Quality

As the war against drug counterfeit continues to rage, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has procured scanners worth $2,451,000 to test quality of drugs produced and imported into Nigeria.

Director General, NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, said it is in line with the agency’s quest to reach World Health Organisation Maturity Level IV(ML4) and World Listed Authority (WLA) Status latest by first quarter of 2024 as its new initiative to enable Global trade of Nigerian-made pharmaceuticals.

She said it will also enable the agency to attain Vaccine Lot Release ML4 to position Nigeria strategically for vaccine manufacturing.

7. New Finance Bill: N’Assembly Okays 3 Years Imprisonment, N10m Fine For Corrupt Public Officers

The Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives have approved three years imprisonment, and N10 million fine for “any public officer who in the discharge of official duties awards or signs contracts without budget provision, administrative approvals and procurement plan.”

8. 2023: Our Quest Is To Change Nigeria’s Narrative – G-5 Govs

Five Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also known as G-5 have expressed readiness to play a prominent role that would change the narrative of Nigeria’s elections in the upcoming polls.

The governors made this known at a dinner held Oyo to ahead of the launch of Governor Seyi Makinde’s reelection campaign.

9. Asset Declaration: Court Throws Out Suit Seeking Removal of INEC Boss

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. MahmoOd Yakubu, over an allegation of false assets declaration against him.

10. 2023 Budget Hopeless – Ezekwesili

Former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has described Nigeria’s 2023 National budget as “hopeless.”

The N21.83 trillion budget was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.