Its a bit chaotic today
Hi!
This newsletter is suuuper late because I just have a lot going on, man. I don’t know what to tell you except that we will do our best to make sure it doesn’t happen next week.
This newsletter is a bit chaotic today, but I hope you it keeps you updated, although not much happened last week.
That New News is an independent self-funded project by me (Adetomiwa). Thank you for reading, sharing and donating. I love you like I birthed you 😘
In this edition
Craving foreign? Not on Tinubu’s watch
More men have switched political parties
Nigeria pays back a debt, but there is still more
Security personnel aiding terrorists? shocker
This edition is 1,300 words (approx. 5 min read)
Governance
Craving foreign? Not on Tinubu’s watch
The President, through the Federal Executive Council (FEC), has banned government agencies from importing foreign foods that are available in the country, another strategy to boost the sale of local goods.
President Bola Tinubu says that unless the Bureau of Public Procurement grants a waiver for good reason, no agency can buy from outside.
The initiative, called the "Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy," is designed to strengthen local industries. The FEC says this move will cut down import dependency.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris called it a major shift in Nigeria's economic strategy, likening it to the "America First" doctrine.
The Nigeria First policy is expected to become central to Tinubu’s economic plan, especially as the government pushes its industrialisation and import-substitution agenda.
The goal is to make government investment benefit Nigerians directly by changing how the government spends, procures, and builds the economy.
Tinubu Pledges to the South-East
Tinubu pledges South-East gas-plant revival & erosion control.
Tinubu visited Anambra State to show his administration is serious about fixing the region’s infrastructure and environmental mess.
He pledged to bring back the long-abandoned gas plant, saying it could boost the region's economy and energy supply. Fresh off the ‘“refineries being fixed” was all an elaborate lie’ reveal.
Politics
Frying pan to fire moves
Last week, we reported that the Delta State Governor and others have decamped to PDP. Now three Katsina senators have left PDP for AP, and three from Kebbi are looking to follow.
Goodluck Jonathan does not like all this decamping
Former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan says all this decamping is bad for governance, and could make Nigeria a one-party state.
Jonathan said it is particularly a problem because it undermines Nigeria’s democracy. Which, let’s be honest, is already quite wonky
Jonathan stressed the need for a system where many parties can freely compete and shape governance.
However, Abdullahi Ganduje, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) disagrees,
Ganduje says there is nothing wrong with having a one-party system in Nigeria. According to him, all the political democracy means there’s too many cooks in the kitchen and "too many cooks spoil the soup".
Recall that Nigeria is one of the loudest ECOWAS countries that condemned the Military leadership in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso because democracy is important.
Economy
COVID-19 loan repaid…almost
Nigeria has paid back a $3.4bn loan borrowed from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2020, but charges still dey.
In April 2020, Nigeria borrowed $3.4 billion from the IMF under the Rapid Financing Instrument to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19.
By April 30, 2025, the IMF confirmed that the debt is paid in full 🎉
But the debt is not totally settled. Nigeria now has to pay the IMF $30 million every year for 4 years to cover Special Drawing Rights (SDR) charges 👎
Last year, Nigeria spent $4.66 billion on servicing foreign debt, $1.63 billion of that went to the IMF.
Meanwhile, Nigerians want to know how the government spent that $3.4 billion.
Nine civil society organisations (CSOs), led by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), have called on the National Assembly to investigate how the $3.4 billion was used
And the organisations say while they’re at it, the National Assembly should also look into where all the money from petrol subsidy removal has gone
Their concern is that Nigeria's debt has escalated to N87.9 trillion (around $114.3 billion).
The organisations urged the government to stop borrowing for recurrent expenditures and to provide transparent accounts of loan utilisation and subsidy savings.
SPIN Project Targets 500,000 Hectares
The Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Bank, launched a major new project called the SPIN Project (Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria) to boost food production and clean energy by irrigating 500,000 hectares of land and generating hydropower.
The project is supported by a $500 million loan from the World Bank and builds on the success of the earlier TRIMING Project, which improved irrigation and helped farmers grow more food.
At the first steering committee meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Water Resources, Joseph Utsev, explained that 17 states have met the requirements to join the project.
Security
Security Personnel Aiding Terrorists
The Nigerian military has arrested four of its agents who were discovered to be helping terrorists in the North-East, including two members of the hybrid forces who were supposed to be fighting alongside the troops.
Nigeria has developed an interesting habit of “rehabilitating” “repentant” militants, then giving them guns to fight against terrorism.
Between April 26 and 29, operations in Borno and Adamawa States led to the arrest of the four terrorist collaborators; the Rescue of six kidnapped victims; the Seizure of weapons, ammo, motorcycles, and bicycles
In the Niger Delta, troops also made progress in fighting oil theft and illegal refining.
AGF Said No Extraction For Ekpa
The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, has denied claims that the Nigerian government has begun extradition proceedings against Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statement, Fagbemi clarified that the government is only in dialogue with Finnish authorities for actions believed to incite violence in Nigeria’s South-East region.
Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-born Finnish citizen, is known for issuing online "sit-at-home" orders in Nigeria.
The AGF emphasised that Nigeria is monitoring the outcome of Ekpa’s trial in Finland before deciding any further steps and urged the media to avoid misreporting the situation.
The Nigerian government recently released 12 IPOB members who have been detained since 2021, despite multiple judges ordering them to be released
Health
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, has raised alarm over Nigeria’s high rate of foodborne illnesses, which are responsible for an estimated 200,000 deaths annually.
At the launch of Nigeria’s first Food Safety Operational Manual in Abuja, Nnaji warned that the federal government will begin enforcing strict penalties against individuals and organisations engaging in food adulteration and contamination.
He called food safety not just a health concern, but a national security and development issue aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
To tackle the crisis, the Ministry is investing in affordable food preservation technologies, training for informal vendors, and promoting local food safety innovations.
Other news
The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) inauguration of the NIMC NIN Authentication (NNAuth) for secure and seamless identity verification and authentication — Vanguard.
The Lagos State Government has announced a 110-day emergency repair programme for the Oworonshoki/Third Axial Bridge, scheduled to commence on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, and run through Tuesday, September 23, 2025– Naira Metrics.
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has commissioned a new domestic cargo terminal at the General Aviation Terminal, GAT, Lagos — Vanguard.
A Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, has sentenced Andrew Ominikoron, a driver of Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, to death by hanging for killing Bamise Ayanwola, a 22-year-old fashion designer - Vanguard
The Federal Government says discussions are ongoing on how 15,000 Nigerians stranded in Cameroon, Niger, Chad, and other parts of the world will be returned to Nigeria in safety and dignity — Punch