Top 5 Stories Of The Day | FG Reaffirms English and Maths as Compulsory O-Level Subjects

• FG reaffirms English and Maths as compulsory O-level subjects
• Cooking gas prices drop as supply increases nationwide
• EFCC deports 51 foreigners convicted of cybercrime in Lagos
• Finance Minister Wale Edun returns after a medical trip abroad
• Dangote Refinery challenges Marketers amidst rising petrol prices

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.

FG reaffirms English and Maths as compulsory O-level subjects

The Federal Government has restated that English Language and Mathematics remain mandatory for all students registering for their O-level examinations, despite recent changes to tertiary admission guidelines.

In a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Education said the new admission policy does not exempt candidates from taking the two core subjects. The clarification, signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Boriowo Folasade, followed confusion over the revised admission framework.

Earlier, Boriowo had said arts and humanities students would no longer need a credit in Mathematics for university admission, sparking concerns among educators. The ministry has now explained that the policy only affects admission criteria and not the requirement to sit for the subjects in the Senior School Certificate Examinations.

Cooking gas prices drop as supply increases nationwide

Cooking gas retailers have confirmed a steady decline in prices, with a kilogramme now selling between ₦1,300 and ₦1,500, down from about ₦2,000 three weeks ago. They attributed the drop to improved availability of liquefied petroleum gas across the country.

Chairman of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigeria, Ayobami Olarinoye, said the market is gradually recovering as supply increases, though stability has yet to be achieved. He noted that prices currently range between ₦1,300 and ₦1,600 depending on location.

Olarinoye expressed optimism that prices could further stabilise within a week if the current supply trend continues. Meanwhile, consumers welcomed the reduction but said they hoped costs would return to ₦900 per kilogramme or lower.

EFCC deports 51 foreigners convicted of cybercrime in Lagos

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has deported 51 foreign nationals convicted of cybercrime and internet fraud in Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Correctional Service.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the latest batch, which included 50 Chinese nationals and one Tunisian, concluded the deportation of 192 convicted foreigners. The last group left Nigeria on October 16.

Oyewale explained that the deportees were among 759 suspects arrested during a major sting operation in December 2024. The exercise, which began in August, saw convicts from China, the Philippines, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Timor-Leste deported in stages, following court rulings and immigration procedures.

Finance Minister Wale Edun returns after a medical trip abroad

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has returned to the country after a period abroad. A video circulating on social media showed him at Fraser Suites in Abuja, where he reportedly held a private meeting with a Qatari delegation alongside Industry, Trade, and Investment Minister Jumoke Oduwole.

Edun had earlier travelled overseas for medical treatment after leaving Abuja for Lagos last Monday. His absence had prompted the Central Bank Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the World Bank and IMF meetings in Washington DC.

Dangote Refinery challenges Marketers amidst rising petrol prices

As petrol prices continue to climb, the Dangote Refinery has urged fuel marketers to bring their trucks for loading, declaring it has over 310 million litres of petrol available.

Vice President of Dangote Group, Devakumar Edwin, made the statement during a tour of the refinery, stressing that the facility can supply both local and export markets. He dismissed claims that the refinery was not distributing petrol, saying such rumours were being used to justify price hikes at filling stations.

Edwin explained that the refinery had only temporarily reduced crude intake to manage inventory levels, noting that maintaining large crude reserves ties up funds. He reaffirmed that the refinery remains fully capable of meeting national demand.

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