The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced the accreditation of additional schools in Equatorial Guinea to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

In a statement issued to newsmen on Wednesday, the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, NECO, Mr. Azeez Sani stated that the newly accredited schools in addition to the existing ones, are in Bata, the largest city in Equatorial Guinea.

The statement indicated that the accreditation of these schools demonstrated the examination body’s dedication to providing quality education and assessment internationally.

It added that the NECO Accreditation Team conducted thorough evaluations, inspecting classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and sports facilities to ensure readiness for the examinations.

After a comprehensive assessment, the newly accredited schools received full SSCE and BECE accreditation status.

With this latest initiative, NECO positions itself as a leading examination body in Africa, offering opportunities for Nigerian students and foreign nationals alike.

The council now oversees examinations in countries including Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, and Saudi Arabia.

By Anastasia John E.

Billionaire Aliko Dangote has experienced a remarkable surge in wealth, with his net worth soaring to $23.9 billion, according to Forbes. This achievement secures his position as the richest person in Africa and the 86th richest globally.

In 2024, Forbes had previously ranked Dangote as the 144th richest individual in the world, with a net worth of $13.4 billion.

Forbes attributes Dangote’s substantial wealth primarily to his 92.3% ownership stake in Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals. At 67 years old, he has re-entered the top 100 richest individuals worldwide—a status he has not held since 2018, as per the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List.

Dangote’s wealth places him well ahead of South African businessman Johann Rupert, who ranks 161st globally with an estimated net worth of $14.4 billion, and significantly above Nigeria’s second richest individual, Mike Adenuga, who is 481st in the world with a net worth of $6.8 billion.

He has made waves in the oil industry by breaking the government’s oil monopoly with the construction of Africa’s largest petroleum refinery. After 11 years of investment totaling $23 billion and overcoming numerous challenges, the Dangote Refinery commenced operations last year.

Situated on a sprawling 6,200-acre site in the Lekki Free Zone, the refinery is designed to process an impressive 650,000 barrels per day at full capacity, making it the seventh-largest refinery in the world and the largest in Africa. Additionally, the adjacent petrochemical complex boasts an annual production capacity of 3 million metric tons of urea, establishing it as Africa’s leading fertilizer producer.

Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigerian government has uncovered over 6,000 Niger Republic nationals registered in the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database with National Identification Numbers (NINs). This discovery comes as President Bola Tinubu has directed an inter-ministerial committee to ensure accurate data for the National Social Register used in federal social investment programs.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo briefed the Federal Executive Council on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, regarding NIMC’s ongoing database clean-up, confirming that the NINs of these Niger nationals have been withdrawn.
This revelation follows a 2022 incident where suspected fake NIMC officials were apprehended for registering non-Nigerians, primarily from Niger, at an IDP camp. These individuals were reportedly charging for the fraudulent registration of Nigerian NINs, particularly in border communities.
The NIN, an 11-digit number linked to an individual’s biometric and demographic data, is crucial for various governmental and private transactions. President Tinubu has emphasized the need for accurate data in the social register to ensure that social interventions, such as conditional cash transfers and student loans, reach the most vulnerable Nigerians.
A presidential source stated that Minister Tunji-Ojo informed the FEC about NIMC’s efforts to refine the database, including the removal of the 6,000 Niger nationals’ registrations. The President has directed expedited efforts to verify data, register more Nigerians, and finalize the database.

Following the briefing, President Tinubu instructed the National Security Adviser and the Interior Minister to join the existing panel overseeing the Humanitarian Ministry. This aligns with previous actions, including the suspension of the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and the subsequent establishment of a Special Presidential Panel (SPP) led by Mr. Wale Edun to review and reform social investment programs. The President aims to eliminate institutional weaknesses and restore public confidence in these initiatives. All Social Investment Programmes, including the school feeding program, remain suspended pending the SPP’s review.

By John Audu.

A total of 165 illegal individuals who migrated from Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, Ivory Coast, Benin Republic among other countries have been arrested by the Nigeria Police.

The Police Command in Kebbi State said the illegal immigrants were all living in a three-bedroom flat in the Kuwait area of Birnin Kebbi..

Nafiu Abubakar, the spokesperson for the Kebbi police command said the immigrants were arrested following an intelligence report which led the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to the location.

“During the operation, 35 Burkina Faso nationals, 110 from Ivory Coast, 11 from Benin Republic, five from Niger Republic, and four from Mali were taken into custody,” Abubakar said.

According to Abubakar, the individuals who have already been handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service were also suspected to be involved in Qnet Ponzi scheme.

Some residents of the area who spoke on their arrest said they were worried about the presence of the illegal immigration in the place.

A resident said, “We don’t know what they do for a living, but we have been seeing them coming in and out of the flat. We don’t know where they are from, but it’s clear they are not Nigerians.

“Some of us reported their presence to the police. Given the current security situation, you can’t be too cautious,” he added.