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States could earn over ₦4tn annually from 2026, says tax reforms chair Server glitch leaves Lagos residents stranded at NHIA offices CBN debunks claims of $1.25bn disbursement for oil imports 12 passengers feared dead as Kenyan plane crashes in Kwale Nigerian farmers struggle despite bumper harvests Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss. States could earn over ₦4tn annually from 2026, says tax reforms chair Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has said Nigerian states may earn over ₦4 trillion yearly from 2026 when new Value Added Tax reforms take effect. Speaking at the launch of BudgIT’s State of States 2025 Report in Abuja, Oyedele explained that states’ VAT share would rise to 55%, urging governments to channel the funds into development rather than consumption. He noted that while recent reforms have boosted federal allocations from ₦5.4 trillion in 2023 to ₦11.4 trillion in 2024, many Nigerians have yet to experience economic relief despite higher government revenues. Server glitch leaves Lagos residents stranded at NHIA offices Several Lagos residents trying to register for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme have been left stranded for weeks due to persistent system failures that have stopped new enrolments. At the NHIA office in Yaba, hundreds of people have queued for hours, only to be told that their National Identification Numbers cannot be retrieved due to ongoing server problems. Officials say the issue has made it impossible to process registrations, leaving many applicants frustrated. Some residents said they had visited the office multiple times over the past two weeks but were repeatedly told the system was still down. CBN debunks claims of $1.25bn disbursement for oil imports The Central Bank of Nigeria has dismissed reports that it disbursed $1.25 billion to oil sector operators for importing refined petroleum products. The apex bank described the claim as false, explaining that the figure reflected total market transactions, not direct allocations. According to CBN spokesperson Hakama Sidi-Ali, since the unification of exchange rates in 2023, the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market has operated on a willing buyer, willing seller basis. She clarified that the transactions were legitimate market activities by authorised dealers and end-users, not CBN interventions. The bank reiterated its commitment to transparency and a market-driven foreign exchange system. 12 passengers feared dead as Kenyan plane crashes in Kwale Twelve people have died after a small aircraft crashed in Kwale, near Kenya’s coast, on Tuesday morning. The plane was en route to the Maasai Mara National Reserve when it went down shortly after takeoff. Images shared by Daily Nation showed the wreckage engulfed in flames, with debris scattered across the crash site. Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion before discovering the burning aircraft. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that emergency teams were on site investigating the cause. Officials said all the passengers were foreign tourists, though their nationalities have yet to be disclosed. Nigerian farmers struggle despite bumper harvests Nigeria’s recent bumper harvest has driven down food prices, leaving many farmers frustrated over poor returns on their investments. Prices of key staples like rice, maize, and tomatoes have dropped sharply, with a 50kg bag of rice now selling for between ₦50,000 and ₦63,000, down from ₦100,000, while a basket of tomatoes has fallen from ₦120,000 to ₦35,000. Despite the good yields, farmers say they are barely breaking even due to insecurity, poor storage facilities, and limited market access. Many are forced to sell their produce at low prices to avoid losses. Farmers in Kaduna expressed particular concern, warning that without better infrastructure and security, the gains from this year’s harvest may not last.
