Top 5 Stories Of The Day | World Bank Highlights Nigeria’s Poverty Levels as the Presidency Disputes Figures

• World Bank highlights Nigeria’s poverty levels as the Presidency disputes figures
• UNICEF says decade-long insurgency cost Nigeria $10bn and crippled livelihoods
• FG enters final talks with ASUU to prevent new strike
• House dismisses genocide claims as CAN raises alarm over attacks on Christians 
• Gas marketers condemn retailers for inflating prices amid supply shortage

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

World Bank highlights Nigeria’s poverty levels as the Presidency disputes figures

The World Bank has warned that Nigeria risks undermining its recent economic reforms if the benefits fail to improve citizens’ living conditions, revealing that around 139 million Nigerians now live in poverty. The Bank’s Country Director, Mathew Verghis, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja during the launch of the October 2025 Nigeria Development Update, titled “From Policy to People: Bringing the Reform Gains Home.”

The report, which reviews Nigeria’s economic performance and policy progress, highlighted that despite stabilisation measures, widespread poverty remains a significant threat to sustainable growth. It urged the government to ensure that reform gains directly translate into better welfare for ordinary Nigerians.

However, the Presidency has dismissed the World Bank’s figure as exaggerated. Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare, in a post on his official X account, argued that the estimate must be viewed in the context of global poverty assessment methods. He explained that the $2.15 per day international poverty line, used to calculate the figure, does not reflect an actual headcount of Nigerians living in poverty.

UNICEF says decade-long insurgency cost Nigeria $10bn and crippled livelihoods

Nigeria has lost about $10 billion to the prolonged insurgency in the North-East, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The agency revealed this on Wednesday during the launch of a new socio-economic reintegration programme for children affected by armed conflict in Maiduguri.

UNICEF Country Representative Wafaa Saeed, represented by Child Protection Manager Shah Mohammad Khan, stated that the conflict had severely impacted both the national economy and household incomes. She noted that many young people, particularly girls, had been denied opportunities to learn trades or build sustainable futures.

Saeed added that the insurgency has also led to grave violations against children, including abductions and sexual violence. The new reintegration programme, she explained, will focus on providing vocational training and essential child protection services to help restore hope and livelihoods for children in the region.

FG enters final talks with ASUU to prevent new strike

The Federal Government has initiated the final stage of discussions with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary education unions in an effort to avert another strike.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting of the Technical Working Group on the Conditions of Service for university lecturers. He said the group was putting together a counteroffer to be presented to the unions through the Allied General United Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Negotiations Committee.

Alausa noted that the effort was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to keep students in school and ensure academic stability. He said most of the unions’ demands were shared across all tertiary institutions, while a few were unique to specific sectors. The committee, he added, had begun intensive discussions to fast-track an agreement and implementation plan.

House dismisses genocide claims as CAN raises alarm over attacks on Christians 

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed concern over what it described as genocidal attacks against Christians, particularly in northern Nigeria. In a statement signed by its president, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, on Wednesday, the association acknowledged ongoing government and security efforts but urged swift prosecution of those behind the violence.

Clarifying its position on the growing debate around faith and insecurity, CAN stated that many Christian communities across the country had suffered deadly assaults and the destruction of places of worship. The group called for stronger protection of religious minorities and justice for victims of sectarian violence.

However, the House of Representatives dismissed the genocide claims, calling them a “misleading narrative.” Lawmakers instead urged a coordinated diplomatic and domestic response to a proposed bill in the United States Senate seeking to classify Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged religious freedom violations.

Gas marketers condemn retailers for inflating prices amid supply shortage

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has criticised some retailers for taking advantage of a temporary supply shortage to inflate the price of cooking gas.

Speaking on the issue, the association’s national president, Oladapo Olatunbosun, clarified that there has been no official increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). He explained that the recent price surge in some areas was caused by retailers exploiting the gap between high demand and limited supply.

Olatunbosun described the act as unethical and warned against profiteering from the situation. He assured Nigerians that gas prices would return to normal levels soon, adding that supply is expected to stabilise in the coming days.

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