By Felix Umande

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum have agreed to implement immediate measures to reduce transportation costs nationwide, with a target for Nigerians to begin seeing lower fares from October 1, 2026.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between the President and Governors on Thursday, August 27, 2026, focusing on leveraging the cost benefits of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, and electric vehicles.

“Cheaper fuel should result in cheaper fares!” the President said, noting that a vehicle running on CNG spends 60 to 80 per cent less on fuel than one running on petrol.

President Tinubu said the Governors, on their own initiative, resolved to take immediate steps to bring down the cost of transportation in their states, where citizens feel fuel costs most directly.

“I am encouraged that our Governors are moving to bring these benefits closer to the people they serve,” he stated.

To drive the process, both tiers of government agreed to set up a joint Federal and State committee to begin implementation immediately.

The President outlined ongoing Federal Government investments in the energy transition through the Presidential CNG Initiative.

According to him, over 120,000 vehicles have been converted nationwide, with more than 100,000 additional conversion kits in the works. Conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure are also being expanded.

Through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, the FG is currently financing more than 100 gas projects, including 15 CNG mother stations and 86 daughter stations.

In May, four of these projects were commissioned in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri, including a 15-station refuelling network in Lagos and an Abuja facility that can serve 1,000 cars and tricycles and 50 trucks and buses daily.

President Tinubu also directed the rollout of an additional 500 CNG refuelling stations nationwide. This is in addition to the 500 stations earlier ordered by the Fund, bringing the total programme to 1,000 stations across the country.

“Each tier of government must keep doing its part and work together for the benefit of every Nigerian,” the President added.

By Felix Umande

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football to address repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental and world tournaments.

The directive was contained in a Statehouse press release issued on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

The President said the reform must tackle longstanding weaknesses in governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football.

“Football, Nigeria’s most popular sport and the greatest beneficiary of public support, investment and national attention, has continued to struggle basically due to structural deficits within the system,” Tinubu stated.

He noted that while other sports have recorded meaningful progress since the reset of the sports sector under the re-established National Sports Commission, football has lagged behind.

“Nigerian football must begin to match the country’s exceptional talent, passion and resources with stronger institutions and sustained performance,” the President said.

President Tinubu directed the Chairman of the National Sports Commission to work with the NFF Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to ensure continuity in essential football administration and facilitate a broad, consultative reform process.

The process, he said, will include appropriate engagement with FIFA and CAF while safeguarding Nigeria’s obligations within the international football framework.

The President called on football stakeholders and Nigerians to support the transition and work together to build a stronger, more accountable and successful football system.

By Isa Abdul, Abuja

A viral video on social media of police officers allegedly extorting a resident of ₦40,000 along Wuye-Utako Road in Abuja has received the FCT Police Command’s attention as the officers have been identified and detained.

SP Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), disclosed this in a statement.

According to the command, the attention of the Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, was drawn to the video circulating on social media showing police officers allegedly extorting an FCT resident of ₦40,000 by Salem Church, within the Federal Capital Territory.

“The officers depicted in the video have been identified and are in custody,” the statement read in part.

The command also extended an invitation to the complainant to visit the FCT Police Command Headquarters to tender an official statement to aid investigation and disciplinary action.

The complainant was advised to reach the command’s PPRO via 07038979348 or 08180382808.

Sanusi reiterated that the command would not tolerate “any form of extortion, abuse of authority, misconduct, or unprofessional conduct by police personnel.”

“Any officer found culpable after due investigation will be subjected to appropriate disciplinary and legal action in accordance with extant laws and regulations,” the CP added.

The command urged members of the public to report cases of police misconduct and provide relevant information that may assist investigations, reaffirming its commitment to accountability, professionalism, and respect for the rights of all residents of the Federal Capital Territory.