Latest News from Tuesday, July 21st, 2026

The European Union, in partnership with the Government of Portugal, has donated two 8.9-metre rigid-hull inflatable boats and maritime crime investigation equipment to the Nigerian Navy to strengthen operations against piracy and other crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.

Long-serving Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has announced his retirement from officiating after 16 years in England’s top flight.

Track and field analyst Adebayo Abimbola says Nigeria has a strong chance of winning medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with several home-based athletes expected to impress in Glasgow.

A Lagos inmate suffering repeated seizures and severe high blood pressure remains in custody despite a court order directing that he be taken to hospital for urgent medical treatment, according to the Tunji Braithwaite Foundation (TBF).

Authorities in the United States and South America have taken down or blocked nearly 3,000 websites accused of illegally streaming matches from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), the country’s benchmark interest rate, at 26.5 per cent.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its commitment to launching the ECO single currency in 2027 as part of efforts to deepen regional economic integration and boost trade across West Africa.

The Lagos State Government has presented ₦3 billion in compensation to 331 property owners whose lands were acquired for major road infrastructure projects across the state.

A group of lawyers under the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the swearing-in of Nigerian Bar Association President-elect, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, and other newly elected national officers.

Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has decorated 13 newly promoted Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and 17 Commissioners of Police, urging them to uphold integrity, professionalism and accountability in their new roles.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has declared that the country will no longer hold elections.

The Super Falcons' preparations for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) received a major boost on Tuesday with the arrival of key players Esther Okoronkwo, Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu at the team's training camp in Casablanca.

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Presidential Foreign Intervention/Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), several ministers, heads of government agencies and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to appear before it on Thursday as lawmakers deepen their probe into the controversial council.

An early morning fire swept through Sabo Market in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Tuesday, destroying at least 17 shops before emergency responders brought the blaze under control.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission on Tuesday began the commercial bidding stage of the 2025 oil and gas licensing round, with 143 companies competing for 50 oil blocks across the country's major and emerging hydrocarbon basins.

Nigeria's Super Eagles have dropped to fourth in Africa in the latest FIFA Men's World Rankings despite keeping their 26th place in the world.

Former Kano State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso has confirmed that the party's presidential candidate, Peter Obi, signed a written agreement to serve only one four-year term if elected president in 2027.

The Federal Government has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu's administration borrowed about ₦80 trillion in its first three years, saying the figures are misleading and largely reflect accounting adjustments rather than fresh loans.

Winning the FIFA World Cup does not automatically guarantee a player will win the Ballon d'Or, the organisers of football's most prestigious individual award have said as debate over the 2026 prize intensifies.

Team Nigeria has departed its pre-Games training camp in Aberdeen for Glasgow as the country steps up preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which begin on Thursday.

The Jigawa State government has begun moves to establish a dedicated budget line for the Supporting Access to Routine Immunisation and Child Health Services and Systems Strengthening (SARMAAN) programme, in a bid to sustain child survival interventions beyond donor funding.