Here are the major news stories dominating the headlines in Nigeria today:
🏛️ Politics & Governance
- Ambassadorial Appointments: President Bola Tinubu is reportedly moving to finalize the appointment of ambassadors to Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions, a long-delayed process. He has also nominated Kingsley Ude from Enugu State as a Minister and has sought the Senate’s confirmation.
- Tax Ombudsman Appointed: The Federal Government announced the appointment of Dr. John Nwabueze as the Tax Ombudsman, a new office established to strengthen transparency, accountability, and fair resolution of disputes between taxpayers and revenue authorities.
- Domestic Loan Request: President Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking approval for a fresh \text{₦}1.15 trillion domestic loan to fund a deficit in the 2025 Budget.
- US Tension and China’s Stance: The fallout from President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious persecution continues.
- China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson has publicly opposed Trump’s threat against Nigeria, declaring support for the Nigerian government and warning against foreign interference under the pretext of religion.
- Nigeria’s Foreign Minister has stated that the country’s constitution makes state-sanctioned religious persecution “impossible.”
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- PDP National Convention: A court has reportedly cleared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to proceed with its planned national convention, amidst internal party divisions.
⚖️ Security, Justice & Insecurity
- Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial: A Federal High Court has given separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu a Wednesday deadline to begin presenting his defense in his terrorism trial or forfeit his right to do so.
- Security Operations: Troops of the Joint Task Force reportedly neutralized 19 bandits in a major security operation.
- Alleged Passport Seizure: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that immigration officials briefly seized her international passport at the airport, claiming the move followed instructions from the Senate President. The Immigration Service has since denied the claim, stating she only underwent routine checks.
💰 Economy & Business
- Fuel Import Tax: The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the Federal Government to adopt a balanced, phased approach in implementing the newly introduced 15\% import tax on petrol and diesel, warning that marketers believe it threatens their operations.
- Tax Reliefs: The tax reforms committee has unveiled 50 tax exemptions for low-income earners and SMEs, set to take effect from 2026.
- NNPC’s Call for Investment: At the ADIPEC 2025 conference in Abu Dhabi, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited called for bold global partnerships and investments to end energy poverty in Africa, highlighting Nigeria’s potential.
This is a summary of the most prominent news items for November 4, 2025.
