By Funmilayo Adeyemi

Abuja, April 23, 2025 (NAN) Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has announced the release of ₦50 billion by the Federal Government to the academic and non-academic staff unions of federal universities.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday by Director Press, Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo.

Alausa said that the money was for settlement of earned allowances, as promised by President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, this ‘landmark development’ stands as yet another testament to Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to fundamentally transform Nigeria’s education sector.

“It reflects the administration’s bold resolve to transition the nation from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy through strategic investments in education, infrastructure and human capital.

“This intervention is not just a financial transaction, it is a reaffirmation of our president’s belief in the capacity of Nigerian youths and the invaluable role that academic and non-academic staff play in nurturing them.

“By prioritising their welfare, we are laying the foundation for a future where every Nigerian child receives highly qualitative and globally competitive education,” he said.

The minister expressed the president’s heartfelt appreciation to both academic and non-academic unions for their sustained trust in his administration and for fostering an atmosphere of peace and cooperation across the country’s federal institutions.

“Notably, the country is currently experiencing one of the longest uninterrupted academic sessions in recent history.

“This is a feat attributed to the mutual understanding and shared commitment between the government and the university community,” he said.

Alausa pledged to continue working collaboratively with all stakeholders across the education value chain to ensure that every Nigerian child had access to quality education comparable to global standards.

Federal workers in Cross River have shunned the proposed nationwide indefinite protest organised by the Federal Workers Forum.According to the forum’s National Coordinator, Mr Andrew Emelieze, the protest, billed to commence on Tuesday, was to press home the demands of the workers in the nation.

The forum had earlier issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government. The forum demanded the payment of the five-month wage award arrears, the implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance and the payment of its arrears. Others include the immediate review of the heavy taxation of the federal workers’ wages, the upward review of the new national minimum wage and payment of cost-of-living allowance.Mr John Etuk, a staff member of one of the Federal Ministries in the Federal Secretariat, Calabar, told newsmen that while a circular was passed to MDAs, they did not comply.“As you can see, activities at the federal secretariat are ongoing, and there are no protests. There was no protest yesterday,” he said.Another federal civil servant, Mr Emmanuel Adejo, said that most workers were aware of the planned indefinite protest, but nobody came out in the state.Adejo noted that they had carried out several protests in the past with proper organisation, but with little effort to back them up. Report says that while filling this report, the Federal Secretariat in Calabar was calm with no sign of people gathering to protest. (NAN)

By Joel Oladele, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) has generated an impressive N1,751,502,252,298.05 in revenue during the first quarter of 2025.

The Comptroller-General (CG) of the Service, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed this yesterday, during a press briefing in Abuja.

According to Adeniyi, the achievement not only surpasses the quarterly target but also marks a substantial increase compared to the same period last year, reflecting the effectiveness of recent reforms and the dedication of customs officers across the nation.

“This first quarter of 2025 has seen our officers working tirelessly at borders and ports across the nation.

I’m proud to report we’ve made real progress on multiple fronts—from increasing revenue collections to intercepting dangerous shipments,” Adeniyi stated.

He attributed this success to the reforms initiated under President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the guidance of the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun.

The CG noted that the revenue collection for Q1 2025 exceeded the quarterly benchmark of N1,645,000,000,000.00 by N106.5 billion, achieving 106.47% of the target. This performance represents a remarkable 29.96% increase compared to the N1,347,705,251,658.31 collected in Q1 2024.

Adeniyi highlighted the month-by-month growth, noting that January’s collection of N647,880,245,243.67 surpassed its target by 18.12%, while February and March also showed positive trends.

 “I’m pleased to report the Service’s revenue collection for Q1 2025 totaled N1,751,502,252,298.05.

“Against our annual target of N6,580,000,000,000.00, the first quarter’s proportional benchmark stood at N1,645,000,000,000.00. I’m proud to announce we’ve exceeded this target by N106.5 billion, achieving 106.47% of our quarterly projection. This outstanding performance represents a substantial 29.96% increase  compared  to  the  same  period  in  2024,  where  we  collected N1,347,705,251,658.31.

“Our month-by-month analysis reveals even more encouraging details of this growth trajectory,” Adeniyi said.

In addition to revenue collection, Adeniyi said the NCS maintained robust anti-smuggling operations, recording 298 seizures with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦7,698,557,347.67.

He stated that rice was the most seized commodity, with 135,474 bags intercepted, followed by petroleum products and narcotics.

“From rice to wildlife, these seizures show our targeted approach,” Adeniyi remarked, noting the NCS’s commitment to combating smuggling and protecting national revenue.

Adeniyi also highlighted key initiatives, including the expansion of the B’Odogwu customs clearance platform and the launch of the Authorized Economic Operators Programme, which aims to streamline processes for compliant businesses. The NCS’s Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, “Customs Cares,” was also launched, focusing on education, health, and environmental sustainability.

Despite these achievements, the CG noted that the NCS faced challenges, including exchange rate volatility and non-compliance issues. Adeniyi acknowledged the need for ongoing adaptation and collaboration with stakeholders to address these challenges effectively.

Looking ahead, the NCS aims to continue its modernization efforts and enhance service delivery, ensuring that it remains a critical institution in Nigeria’s economic and security landscape.

“Results speak louder than plans; faster clearances through B’Odogwu, trusted traders in the AEO program, and measurable food price relief from our exemptions. We’ll keep scaling what works,” he concluded.