General News
Buhari Leading with 3m Votes as INEC Releases Results

General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), was in the lead yesterday, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) began release of results of the presidential election.
Results of eight states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) earlier released had put the Katsina State-born former military head of state running neck and neck with President Goodluck Jonathan.
But Buhari later surged ahead in comfortable lead when collation resumed at 8.45 p.m. yesterday.
Newswatch Times reported that President Jonathan had earlier polled a total of 2,322,734 votes, while that of General Buhari (rtd.) was 2,302,978 votes. By that, President Jonathan was leading General Buhari with 19,756.
At the second stage of release of results, Buhari polled 1,903,999 in Kano, in Jigawa he had 885,988, in Katsina he got 1,345,441 and 302,146 in Kwara State. He polled 1,129,760 in Kaduna and got 17,926 in Anambra and 13,394 in Abia states respectively.
For President Jonathan, he got 215,779 in Kano; 142,904 in Jigawa; 98,937 in Katsina ; 132,602 in Kwara ; 484,085 in Kaduna ; 660,762 in Anambra and 368,303 in Abia State.
According to Newswatch Times, by these figures, Buhari is leading Jonathan with 3,437,071.
The result of the presidential election in Ekiti State was announced by the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, who is the State Collation Officer, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, that of Ogun was presented by Prof. Duro Oni, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Management Services of the University of Lagos.
That of Enugu State was announced by Prof. Hillary Edoga, the Vice Chancellor of Michael Opara University of Agriculture, while the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. M. U Adigwu, presented Kogi State’s results.
Professor Isaac Asuzu, the Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, announced the result from Osun State, with Prof. Olusola Oyewole, the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, announcing the result from Ondo State.
Prof Michael Faborode, the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, announced the result of the presidential election from the Federal Capital Territory, while that of Oyo State was announced by Prof. Ayobami Salami, DVC, Academics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
The result of the election in Nasarawa State was announced by the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Abdulmumuni Rafindadi.
Results of the remaining states were being expected as at press time yesterday.
Professor Attahiru Jega, chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced after the release of the first batch that the second leg would commence by 8pm yesterday.
General News
Nigeria’s BNPL Market is Projected to Value @ $2.6B by 2030

Nigeria’s Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) market is on a fast-growing trajectory and is predicted to be valued $2.61 billion by 2030, up 83% from $1.42 billion in 2024, owing primarily to the rapid emergence of fintechs in the country.
This observation was stated in EnterpriseNGR’s State of Enterprise 2025 report, which focuses on how fintechs are reshaping Nigeria’s business landscape through digital innovations, accessible credit systems, and mobile-first financial tools.
As a credit system, BNPL allows users to stagger payments for products and services, making it a key development driver in Nigeria’s developing digital economy.
From 2021 to 2024, the BNPL experienced a compounded annual growth rate of 23.1%. Fintechs have contributed to the rapid growth by providing a range of flexible loan alternatives for e-commerce, retail, and services, bridging financial gaps for millions of disadvantaged Nigerians.
The report highlights how fintechs have contributed to Nigeria’s flexibility and resiliency by simplifying digital payments, automating invoicing and payroll systems, and democratising credit through platforms such as Renmoney and FairMoney.
The report also shows a significant rise in remittance inflows into Nigeria following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2024 policy adjustments.
According to the report, by 2024, Nigeria boasted over 400 licensed digital lenders who extend collateral-free credit to those commonly excluded by banks.
General News
FG, Netherlands Partner on Digital Migration for NIS

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) strengthened bilateral relations with the Netherlands’ government through an agreement targeted at improving migration governance and border security.
This partnership was confirmed during a meeting at the NIS headquarters in Abuja, which was attended by a Dutch team led by Jurgen Bartelink, Chargé D’Affaires of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Nigeria.
The meeting focused on increasing bilateral migration cooperation and came after the comptroller general of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, paid a working visit to the Netherlands.
Under the agreement, the Dutch government pledged to continue supporting technology-driven solutions targeted at boosting Nigeria’s border control systems and improving migration management.
During the Netherlands Embassy diplomats handed over essential operational tools, such as Edison Software licence keys and the Passport Examination Programme Manual App.
According to NIS spokeswoman ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, “The partnership focuses on enhancing bilateral collaboration on migration management and reviewing ongoing capacity-building efforts.”
Bartelink, Chargé d’Affaires of the Netherlands Embassy in Nigeria, underlined the Netherlands’ commitment to helping Nigeria’s continuing border security and migration reforms.
Also speaking, Rob Bokhoven, head of international affairs, repatriation, and deportation services at the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, emphasised the country’s strong bilateral relations and announced plans to share a mobile border software solution with the NIS.
Receiving the equipment, Nandap said the delivery of the gadgets would boost West African country’s border security, significantly improve the service’s document verification border management capabilities and support the implementation of Nigeria’s National Migration Policy.
“The engagement will further reinforce the strategic partnership between Nigeria and the Netherlands advancing shared goals in migration governance, border security and international cooperation,” she added.
General News
AfDB Cuts Nigeria’s Growth Projection to 3.2%

Peter Enogb, principal country economist, African Development Bank (AfDB), says the rise in global uncertainty, emanating from increases in global trade tariffs, has slowed Nigeria’s projected growth to 3.2% in 2025.
“Without this level of heightened uncertainty, our projections would probably have been somewhat higher. We’ve reduced our projections for Nigeria. We initially were projecting 3.5% – 3.6% growth in 2025.
“But given the current situation, our models are showing that we’re taking a more cautious approach. So that’s why we produced this and, of course, the main driver is uncertainty in the global economy,” Enogb said.
He said this at the launch of the 2025 Nigeria Country Focus Report (CFR) on Thursday.
AFDB projected that real GDP growth would hit 3.1% in 2026. Following the 2024 consumer price index (CPI) rebasing, with lower weights for food items, the inflation rate is expected to reduce over the medium term to 24.7% in 2025 and 17.3% in 2026.
As imports start to rise over the medium term, the current account is projected to decline to 3.9% of GDP in 2026.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that Nigeria’s headline inflation slowed for the second consecutive month to 22.97% in May. This is down from 24.48% at the start of the year
This is contrary to the World Bank projection that Nigeria’s economy would record steady growth of 3.6% despite the shift in the global trade dynamics.
Joseph Ogebe, head of research and development at Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), also said that global uncertainty had been very high in recent times, resulting from the Trump 2.0 effect.
“And also with the recent war between Israel and the international community, we’ve seen what’s happening to oil prices. Even with the call-off of the war, we’ve seen the effect on oil prices too, which has implications on the fiscal side. So it has implications for the general economy,” he said.
The head of research at NESG said that rather than focusing on just growth, what should be looked at is a strategy called growth with depth.
“Growth with depth means that your growth must be diversified, export-led, productive, and technologically driven,” he said.
Ogebe said that if the Government works towards adopting a strategy of growth with depth, there is a tendency for the government to move towards its goal of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
The report revealed that the country’s recent policy moves, including fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and tax reforms, reflect a commitment to long-term transformation.
However, it also pointed out that at about 13%, Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio is among the lowest in West Africa, noting that fiscal reforms are urgent.
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