Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has argued that Nigeria's former ₦18,000 minimum wage could buy more goods and services than the current ₦70,000 national minimum wage, citing the pressure of rising living costs on workers. Makinde made the remarks while addressing civil servants at the Government House in Agodi, Ibadan, after returning from annual leave. The governor criticised current economic conditions and argued that the nominal increase in wages had not translated into equivalent purchasing power for many Nigerians. Nigeria's national minimum wage rose from ₦18,000 to ₦30,000 in 2019,

before the Federal Government increased the statutory minimum to ₦70,000 in 2024. Oyo State itself subsequently approved ₦80,000 as the minimum wage for its workforce. Makinde's comparison between ₦18,000 and ₦70,000 is his economic and political assessment, rather than an independently established measurement presented in the speech. A rigorous purchasing-power comparison would need to account for inflation and changes in the prices of food, transport, housing, energy and other household expenses across the different periods. Makinde also said Oyo State would extend its existing wage-support and transport measures for workers

for another three months. His comments come as the cost of living remains a major issue in Nigerian political and economic debate ahead of the 2027 elections. Verita Post reported this week that Nigeria's headline inflation stood at 15.39 per cent in August 2026, according to official NBS data.

Chelsea were beaten 3-0 by Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Friday night, with Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho scoring all three goals after half-time. The defeat extended Chelsea's Premier League run without a victory to three matches and left Xabi Alonso's side with seven points from their opening five league games. The first half ended goalless, but Brentford took control after the break. Anthony opened the scoring in the 61st minute, heading home after Chelsea failed to deal with a set-piece situation. Thiago doubled Brentford's advantage

in the 83rd minute, before substitute Carvalho completed the scoring in stoppage time. Chelsea had periods of possession but struggled to create enough clear chances to trouble Brentford consistently. The Blues had also gone into the game with several fitness issues, while Alonso made five changes to his starting line-up. Chelsea's official team announcement confirmed Premier League starts for new faces including Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck. The result was particularly significant for Brentford, who recorded their first home league win over Chelsea since 1938. Chelsea's defensive record is becoming

a concern early in the season. Reuters reported that the Blues have now gone 21 Premier League games without a clean sheet. Alonso acknowledged after the match that his team had failed to maintain their level throughout the contest and would need greater consistency. Chelsea now enter the international break before returning to Premier League action against Bournemouth on October 10.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has described the ongoing bye-elections in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states as crucial operational exercises that will provide valuable lessons ahead of the 2027 General Election. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, stated this on Saturday while monitoring the elections from the commission’s National Situation Room at its headquarters in Abuja. The bye-elections are being conducted across five legislative constituencies in the four states. They include the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State, Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies

in Bauchi State, and Udu State Constituency in Delta State. Amupitan said the commission was using the elections to assess its operational preparedness and identify areas that require improvement before the 2027 General Election. He described the bye-elections as important “dress rehearsals” for the commission, stressing that each electoral exercise provides an opportunity to test INEC’s systems and procedures. “These four bye-elections provide indispensable operational lessons for the Commission as we systematically chart our roadmap toward the 2027 General Election,” the INEC chairman said. He explained that the commission would

assess its logistics, technological systems, field operations and personnel during the elections. According to him, the experience gained would help INEC strengthen its processes and address identified challenges ahead of the general elections. “Our primary mandate in the Situation Room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution,” Amupitan said. He added that administrative and field challenges identified before election day had been addressed, while the commission remained committed to improving the efficiency and credibility of the electoral process. The INEC chairman also commended national commissioners, senior management officials and other personnel

involved in monitoring the elections through the Situation Room. The commission had earlier deployed personnel and sensitive electoral materials to the affected constituencies and conducted training for election officials ahead of the polls. The training covered polling procedures, the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, result transmission, the INEC Result Viewing Portal and other aspects of election-day operations. The Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency election, in particular, has attracted significant attention, with hundreds of thousands of registered voters expected to participate across the constituency. The bye-elections are being closely watched as

INEC continues preparations for the 2027 General Election, which will involve a significantly larger number of voters, polling units and electoral personnel nationwide. The commission's assessment of the four-state elections is therefore expected to contribute to its planning and operational adjustments ahead of the 2027 polls.

Reality TV star Phyna and Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing are set to face off in a celebrity boxing bout scheduled for October 1, 2026, in Lagos. The contest, tagged “Phyna vs Nkechi,” is part of the “Chaos in the Ring” celebrity boxing series and is expected to bring the two entertainers into the ring following their recent social media exchanges. The bout is scheduled to take place in Lagos, with the event set to be broadcast live on DAZN and SuperSport, according to details released ahead of the contest. The

proposed fight follows a public disagreement between Phyna and Nkechi Blessing that generated reactions across social media. The two entertainers have exchanged remarks online in recent weeks, with the disagreement eventually becoming part of the build-up to the celebrity boxing encounter. Event organisers have promoted the contest as a clash that will move the rivalry from social media to the boxing ring. The “Chaos in the Ring” series has previously featured Nigerian celebrities in exhibition boxing contests, combining entertainment with competitive bouts. Phyna, whose real name is Josephina Otabor, rose

to prominence after winning the seventh season of the reality television show Big Brother Naija. She has since remained active in Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Nkechi Blessing is an established Nollywood actress known for her appearances in Yoruba and English-language productions. She has also gained a significant following through her social media activities. The October 1 encounter is expected to attract attention from fans of both entertainers, particularly because of the circumstances surrounding their rivalry. Further details on the undercard, ticketing arrangements and other event logistics are expected to be announced

by the organisers ahead of the fight.

Nigeria recorded a $7.54 billion current account surplus in the second quarter of 2026, representing an increase of nearly 68 per cent from the previous quarter, as stronger export earnings and diaspora remittances boosted the country's external financial position. The latest provisional balance-of-payments figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed that the surplus rose from $4.49 billion in the first quarter to $7.54 billion in the second quarter. The figure was also 45.8 per cent higher than the $5.17 billion recorded during the corresponding period of 2025. The improvement

was driven largely by an increase in Nigeria's export earnings, particularly from crude oil, natural gas, refined petroleum products and non-oil goods. Total exports climbed from $15.56 billion in the first quarter to $20.08 billion in the second quarter, while the country's goods-account surplus widened to $10.12 billion. Crude oil exports increased to $9.39 billion, while natural gas exports rose to $3.63 billion. Earnings from refined petroleum products recorded a particularly strong increase, rising by 66.24 per cent to $3.94 billion. Non-oil exports also improved, reaching $3.12 billion during the

quarter. The figures indicate that Nigeria earned more from goods sold to other countries during the period, with petroleum products continuing to account for a substantial portion of export receipts. Money sent home by Nigerians living abroad provided another boost. Personal transfers, including diaspora remittances, increased by 9.81 per cent to $5.82 billion, helping to offset some of the country's foreign-currency outflows. However, the improvement in export earnings did not extend to every part of Nigeria's external accounts. Net payments for services rose to $4.67 billion, compared with $3.71 billion

in the previous quarter. The deficit in the primary-income account also widened to $4.20 billion, largely reflecting higher dividend and interest payments to foreign investors. Despite those outflows, Nigeria recorded an overall balance-of-payments surplus of $3.51 billion in the second quarter. The country's external reserves also increased from $48.35 billion at the end of March to $51.39 billion at the end of June. A current account surplus means that a country receives more from international trade, income and transfers than it pays out through those same channels. It does not

mean the Federal Government has an additional $7.54 billion available for budget spending. The latest figures suggest an improvement in Nigeria's external earnings, although the country's ability to sustain that position will depend on developments in export receipts, import demand, investment-income payments and other international transactions. The figures are provisional and remain subject to subsequent revisions by the CBN.

Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has demanded DNA tests for the two children he shares with actress Ashabi Simple, amid a renewed public dispute over their welfare and financial support. Portable made the demand through his Instagram Story on Friday, saying he wanted the tests before providing further support because he questioned the children's paternity. The singer said physical resemblance alone was not enough to satisfy him and called for medical testing. His comments followed allegations from Ashabi that Portable had not provided adequate financial support for

their two children. Ashabi claimed that between January and September, the singer had given ₦200,000 towards their upkeep and that she had personally covered school fees, feeding and clothing expenses. Those financial claims are Ashabi’s account and have not been independently verified. She said she wanted Portable to take greater responsibility for the children's welfare and indicated that she was tired of repeatedly contacting him over support. Portable responded by questioning the children's paternity and demanding DNA testing before committing to further financial responsibility. The pair also exchanged accusations relating

to their former relationship, with parts of their dispute appearing publicly through screenshots, voice notes and social-media posts. Portable and Ashabi have had a frequently public relationship, with disagreements between them repeatedly playing out online. The latest dispute has generated fresh debate among fans over paternity testing, parental responsibility and whether disputes involving children should be handled publicly. No DNA test result has been made public. There is also no indication from the material reviewed that a court has made any determination concerning paternity or child support in the dispute.

Until such evidence emerges, Portable’s comments remain a request for testing rather than proof that he is not the children's father.