■ Nigeria's Premier Weekly News DigestSunday, 24 May 2026 | Lagos Time (WAT)
📰Top Stories — 18 to 24 May 2026News Roundup
🗳️ BREAKING — Politics & 2027
01
Tinubu Wins APC Presidential Primary with 10.99 Million Votes — Officially Becomes Party's 2027 Candidate
In the most consequential political event of the week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared the winner of the All Progressives Congress nationwide direct presidential primary election on Sunday, May 24, securing 10,999,967 votes across 8,809 wards in all 774 local government areas — against his only challenger, Edo State businessman Stanley Osifo, who scored 16,504 votes. The results were collated at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, chaired by former Senate President Pius Anyim. Tinubu won 100% of valid votes in the vast majority of states and was officially presented with the APC flag and his certificate of return by National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda. He described the primary as a "demonstration of internal democracy." Peter Obi pushed back against suggestions he is avoiding Atiku, while speaking at the Spier Dialogue 2026 in Cape Town. Opposition parties — the ADC, PDP, and NDC — are all still navigating internal crises, with Peter Obi and Kwankwaso now expected to announce their joint platform imminently.
🏥 Health — URGENT
02
NCDC Raises Ebola Risk to "High" as DRC Outbreak Grows; Nigeria Intensifies Surveillance at All Border Points
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control issued one of its most urgent public health notices of the year this week, raising Nigeria's Ebola risk level to "high" as the Democratic Republic of Congo's outbreak continued to expand, with cases now reported near the Ugandan border. The NCDC intensified surveillance and preparedness protocols across all land borders, airports, and seaports, while reassuring Nigerians that no confirmed case has been detected in the country. The Nigeria Immigration Service, separately, allayed fears about unchecked border entry points, confirming enhanced screening at all major crossings. Health Minister Prof. Ali Pate urged citizens to report fever, vomiting, and unexplained bleeding immediately to NCDC's 0800-970000-10 toll-free line. The DRC outbreak, which began in January, has now recorded over 650 suspected cases and more than 400 deaths across multiple provinces.
📊 NGX Markets
03
NGX Seven-Week Winning Streak Snapped — ASI Dips 0.25% to 249,712; YTD Still at Spectacular 60.47%
Nigeria's equities market closed the week ending May 22 on a softer note, with the All-Share Index shedding 618.55 points (0.25%) to settle at 249,712.37 — ending a remarkable seven-week winning streak. Market capitalisation held at ₦160.1 trillion (USD 117 billion), with 38 equities appreciating against 55 declining. Trading activity slowed sharply with 3.8 billion shares trading in 334,745 deals, compared to 7.7 billion the prior week. The year-to-date return remains a spectacular 60.47%, while the quarter-to-date gain stands at 24.06%. Oil & Gas led sectoral gainers — supported by Japaul Gold (+14.37%) and Oando (+11.70%). Insurance, Industrial Goods, and Consumer Goods indices all declined. Friday's session saw Aluminium Extrusion Industries lead at +10%, followed by Daar Communications (+10%), RT Briscoe (+9.93%), and Learn Africa (+9.79%). Analysts view the week's pullback as healthy profit-taking within a structurally strong bull market.
💰 Economy & Development
04
FG Targets $1 Trillion Economy by 2030 with NCC Digital Strategy; Court Nullifies INEC's 2027 Election Timetable
The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission, unveiled ambitious targets for Nigeria's digital economy this week — central to the administration's $1 trillion GDP ambition by 2030. The NCC's five-year strategic plan targets 70% broadband penetration, with 5G rollout accelerated to 15 additional cities by 2027. In a bombshell judicial development, a court this week nullified INEC's published timetable for the 2027 general elections, throwing the elections commission into a legal challenge it must address urgently. Ogun State's 2027 APC governorship ticket was clinched by Adeola, while Governor Fubara explained his withdrawal from gubernatorial primaries. NAICOM commenced a special examination for insurance companies, as the sector prepares for its own recapitalisation deadline.
🌍 Security
05
Kwara Church Vigil Attack: Three Dead, 15 Abducted; Flamingos Thrash Guinea 5-0 in World Cup Qualifier
Gunmen launched a brazen attack on a church vigil in Kwara State this week, killing three worshippers and abducting 15 others in an overnight raid that shocked the community and sparked condemnation from religious and political leaders. Security forces launched a rescue operation, but as of Sunday morning, the abductees remained missing. President Tinubu described the attack as "an affront to our collective humanity" and ordered immediate deployment of additional security assets. Nigeria's lessons from Mali's ongoing battle with jihadist insurgency were highlighted in academic analysis this week, with experts urging a comprehensive counter-insurgency strategy that goes beyond military operations to address root causes. The 2025-26 Nigeria Premier Football League season concluded on May 24, with Remo Stars putting in a final day challenge for the title.
🏆 Sports
06
Flamingos 5-0 Guinea: Nigeria's U17 Women Storm World Cup Qualifiers; NPFL Season Finale; Osimhen-PSG Latest
Nigeria's U17 women's team, the Flamingos, produced a commanding performance this Saturday, thrashing Guinea 5-0 in the first leg of their second-round qualifier for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Morocco — a result that all but confirms qualification for the second leg. The 2025-26 Nigeria Premier Football League concluded its 54th season this weekend, with Joseph Arumala finishing as top scorer with 12 goals. On the global stage, Victor Osimhen's potential move to Paris Saint-Germain remained the subject of intense media speculation, with French sources claiming a deal is "95% complete" ahead of the summer transfer window. Bukayo Saka's Arsenal ended the Premier League season in second place, finishing just a point behind champions Liverpool — a campaign that has made the Nigerian-heritage winger one of the most decorated players in the division this season.
🔴
⭐ TWN News Special Sports Feature ⭐
The Wait Is Finally Over.
22
YEARS
🏆 Arsenal Are Premier League Champions — 22 Years of Hurt, Ended.
2025/26 Season · Confirmed: Tuesday, 20 May 2026 · Champions of England 🔴⚪
"22 long years for the Arsenal. But finally, we're back where we belong. Champions!" — UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
It happened on a Tuesday night in Bournemouth, and Arsenal weren't even playing. Manchester City's 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium — Junior Kroupi putting Bournemouth ahead in the 39th minute, Erling Haaland equalising too late in stoppage time — sealed the title for Mikel Arteta's Gunners with one game to spare, leaving City four points adrift and mathematically unable to catch them.
The Arsenal players watched together at their London Colney training centre. When the final whistle blew at Bournemouth, the scenes that erupted — inside the building, outside the Emirates, and across north London — were the release of 22 years of agonising near-misses, heartbreaks, and unfinished business. The last time Arsenal were champions, Patrick Vieira lifted the trophy for Arsène Wenger's legendary Invincibles — a team that went the entire 2003/04 season unbeaten. That is how long the wait has been.
22
Year Drought Ended
4th
PL Title (14th Overall)
3
Runners-Up Before This
30 May
UCL Final vs PSG 🏆
For manager Mikel Arteta, the triumph is deeply personal. He watched as Manchester City chased down Arsenal's lead in 2022/23. He watched City pip them by two agonising points in 2023/24. He watched Liverpool edge them to the title in 2024/25. Three consecutive runners-up finishes — each one harder to bear than the last. In taking Arsenal to the title in 2025/26, Arteta becomes the first former Premier League player to win the title as a manager. His squad delivered 27 set-piece goals — including a Premier League record 17 from corners. Viktor Gyokeres, signed last summer, led the scoring charts. But this was a collective triumph built on belief, depth, and the relentless pursuit of a standard that never wavered.
🇳🇬 The Nigerian Connection — Our Heritage in the Champions' Squad
For millions of Nigerians and Nigerian-heritage fans around the world, Arsenal's title triumph felt personal. At the heart of Arteta's championship-winning team were four players of Nigerian heritage — and their contributions were not peripheral. They were central.
Bukayo Saka
#7 · Right Wing
Arsenal's talisman. The most consistent performer across the campaign. His directness, decision-making, and ability to conjure something from nothing made him unplayable on his day.
Eberechi Eze
#10 · Attacking Mid
Signed from Crystal Palace for £67.5m — nabbed from under Spurs' noses. Scored 7 league goals including 5 against Tottenham, the first player to do so since Ted Drake in 1934/35.
Noni Madueke
Left Wing / Forward
Explosive, direct, and dangerous in transition. Madueke brought pace and unpredictability to Arsenal's attack, contributing crucial goals and assists in the title run-in.
Ethan Nwaneri
Rising Star · Midfielder
The youngest of the quartet, Nwaneri's development under Arteta was one of the season's most exciting storylines — a player who could define Arsenal's next decade.
Saka, Eze, Madueke, and Nwaneri join Nwankwo Kanu as the next players of Nigerian blood to lift the English Premier League title. 🇳🇬🏆
⚽ What's Next — The Champions League Final · Budapest · 30 May 2026
The domestic title is won. But Arsenal's season is not over. On Saturday, 30 May, Arteta's Gunners face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final at the Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary — chasing the one major honour that has always eluded the club in its entire 140-year history.
Arsenal have never won the European Cup or Champions League. This is their moment. "It almost feels that the Champions League final is a free hit now," said Alan Smith. For a Nigeria that has watched Saka, Eze, Madueke, and Nwaneri light up Wembley and the Emirates all season — the final in Budapest is a must-watch.
🔴⚪ 🏆 🔴⚪
TWN News Salutes the Gunners — and Our Nigerian Champions
Twenty-two years of heartbreak. Four consecutive top-two finishes. Three runners-up agonies. And then — finally, gloriously — the title. Arsenal are Champions of England 2025/26. For Saka, for Eze, for every Nigerian-heritage fan who has lived and breathed every moment — this one is for you. Come on Arsenal. Budapest awaits. 🏆
🏗️ Infrastructure & Development
07
Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Construction Resumes; Ekiti Governorship Campaign Officially Launched Ahead of June 20 Poll
Construction on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway resumed in earnest this week following resolution of a land acquisition dispute in Cross River State, with the Federal Government reaffirming its commitment to completing the flagship project. Governor Oyebanji officially launched his Ekiti State re-election campaign this week ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election — the first major off-cycle election of the 2027 super-cycle. The Climate Change adaptation agenda received fresh attention as experts warned that Nigeria's rapid urbanisation, combined with inadequate drainage, creates catastrophic flooding conditions — with Lagos, Benin City, and Warri most vulnerable. The Federal Ministry of Environment unveiled a ₦50 billion Green Cities initiative targeting tree planting and urban drainage improvements in the 10 most flood-prone state capitals.
🎭 Culture & Society
08
Owambe Culture: Nigeria's Fashion-Forward Party Scene Goes Viral Globally; Social Media and Young Girls — NTA Raises Alarm
Nigeria's owambe party culture went viral globally this week, with international fashion and lifestyle publications carrying full features on the audacious styles, bold accessories, and spectacular makeup that define Nigerian celebrations — from aso-oke to ankara gele, from designer agbada to matching family outfits. The coverage reaffirmed Nigeria's status as a global trendsetter in fashion and celebratory culture. On a more cautionary note, Nigerian broadcaster NTA raised the alarm about the negative influence of social media on young girls' self-image, mental health, and moral development — calling for stronger digital literacy education in schools. Queen Temi-T's "The Hero Within" children's event in Lagos on May 26 promises to offer families an offline, inspiration-rich alternative for young children.
🇬🇧TWN Spotlight — Our People, Making Us Proud
Nigerian & Nigerian-heritage talent flying the flag — in the UK and around the world
🎖️ TWN Spotlight — British Army
Designed to Lead
Featuring Recruit Tobi Allen · Biomedical Scientist · British Army Selection
TWN News is bursting with pride this week to spotlight one of our own: Tobi Allen — biomedical scientist, determined young man, and a name TWN News readers know well — who has appeared as a featured recruit in the British Army's official Designed to Lead documentary series on YouTube.
📺 Episode 1 — Army Training Centre Pirbright
In the first episode of Designed to Lead, presenter Dan Russell heads to Army Training Centre Pirbright to uncover how future soldier potential is identified from the very outset of selection. Joined by experienced assessor Sgt "Smudge" Smith and candidate Recruit Tobi Allen, the episode offers an authentic, behind-the-scenes view of the selection process through both an expert and first-hand lens.
Together, they break down what the environment tests: teamwork and resilience, values and integrity, and decision-making under pressure. More than just passing selection, this episode is about demonstrating the foundations of leadership — the qualities that the Army identifies before a soldier even fires their first shot.
🤝
Teamwork
How candidates support, communicate with, and motivate those around them under pressure
💪
Resilience
Physical and mental toughness — the capacity to keep going when every instinct says stop
⚖️
Values & Decisions
Integrity and judgement — making the right call when the situation is ambiguous and stakes are high
Tobi Allen is a biomedical scientist looking to advance his career through the British Army — bringing science, intellect, and character to one of the world's most rigorous selection processes. His appearance in this official documentary is not just a personal achievement; it is a moment for the entire community that has supported, celebrated, and believed in him.
▶️
Watch "Designed to Lead" — Episode 1
Featuring Recruit Tobi Allen at Army Training Centre Pirbright
Deaf Audiologist · Tesco "Now We're Cooking" Star · Portrait of Britain Winner
TWN News's own Sarah Adedeji — the extraordinary British-Nigerian deaf audiologist, BSL performer, and theatre-maker whom we profiled at length in our April editions — has had a week that could define a career. TWN News is proud to shout about every single moment of it.
Sarah Adedeji is the face of Tesco's groundbreaking "Now We're Cooking" campaign — Tesco's winning entry for Channel 4's prestigious Diversity in Advertising Award 2025/26, themed "Inclusive by Design."
The 60-second launch film — created to accompany 100 new accessible recipes — features Sarah alongside deaf twins Hermon and Heroda Berhane and blind TikToker Kitty Hinde. The campaign directly addresses a staggering gap: nearly 20% of the UK population — over 18 million deaf, hard-of-hearing, or sight-impaired people — are currently unable to easily access or understand general adverts.
Sarah shared that as a deaf person, cooking requires a heightened attention to visual cues: "I miss out on auditory cues such as the oven beeping, the pot overflowing, or the fire alarm going off! When it comes to recipes, I sometimes struggle with the English of it so it's nice when I'm able to find visual demonstrations."
She added: "Representation in advertising is so important because it reinforces the awareness we are all trying to spread of all our different communities." The campaign launched with 100 recipes all adapted to inclusive standards, with measurements written in full, full captions, and audio description.
📸 Portrait of Britain — Face of the Nation 2026
Sarah's portrait — photographed by deaf photographer Deaf Mosaic — won the prestigious Portrait of Britain competition, earning display on thousands of JCDecaux digital screens in 79 cities and towns across the UK, visible to millions at bus shelters, train stations, and high streets from January 2026.
The portrait captures Sarah as she truly is: cochlear implant weaving gracefully into her braided cornrows, a mute button tattoo behind her ear, her deafness worn as identity and pride rather than something to be hidden or overcome. The judges described her portrait as capturing the rich diversity of modern Britain with rare authenticity and power.
It was, the photographers noted, the first time Portrait of Britain's winners included a deaf portrait by a deaf photographer. That alone is history.
👤 Who is Sarah Adedeji?
Sarah Adedeji is a 25-year-old British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and qualified audiologist — one of only a handful of deaf audiologists practising in the UK's NHS. Born hearing, she developed progressive hearing loss through Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct (EVA) and is bilaterally cochlear implanted.
By day she changes lives as a clinical audiologist. By night she performs BSL sign-song, dances Afrobeats and hip-hop, creates content, writes poetry, acts in theatre, and advocates relentlessly for Deaf inclusion in every sphere of British and global life. Her one-woman show "Pray For Me" — which TWN News covered as its April cover story — explored her childhood as a Deaf girl in a Black British church.
"Being Deaf is a beautiful thing. It gives you such a unique perspective on things that hearing people will never gain. Use your deafness as a talent — don't see it as a hindrance."
💜 📸 🛒 🎭 🌍
TWN News Salutes Sarah Adedeji
From Pirbright to Tesco, from Camden People's Theatre to the nation's high streets — Nigerian-heritage talent continues to shape the cultural conversation across the United Kingdom. Sarah Adedeji, in every language she speaks — BSL, English, movement, music — you are making history. We see you. We are proud of you. Keep shining. 💜
🎰
Birthday Shout-Out · 21 May 2026
Bond Woman. Birthday Queen.
💛
Mrs. Olapeju Moore
P Moore · 50 & Fabulous · 21 May 2026
To our dearest P Moore — loyal, generous, kind, and unfailingly elegant — TWN News and Just Good Friends celebrate you on your magnificent 50th! You don't just turn 50. You make history.
Stay elegant. Stay fearless. Stay you. 🍸💛
Happy 50th Birthday! With love from TWN News · Larry · The Ajanakus 💛
🎰 🍸 💛 🏎️ 👑
LEGEND AT 50 · PM 50 007
📈NGX Summary22 May 2026
ASI Close (Fri)249,712.37
Week Change▼ -0.25% (-618 pts)
4-Week Gain▲ +12.06%
YTD Return▲ +60.47% 🔥
Market Cap₦160.1 trillion
Weekly Volume3.8bn shares
Gainers / Losers38 / 55
Note7-wk streak ends
🟢 Top Gainers (Fri)
ALUMIN. EXTRUSION▲+10.00%
DAAR COMMS▲+10.00%
RT BRISCOE▲+9.93%
JAPAUL GOLD (wk)▲+14.37%
🔴 Top Losers (Fri)
TRANS-NW EXP.▼-9.86%
NGX INS. INDEX▼-1.77%
IND. GOODS INDEX▼-1.24%
⚡ Quick Bites
Tinubu Gets APC Flag
Tinubu received the APC flag and certificate of return from National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, officially becoming the party's 2027 presidential candidate.
Court Nullifies INEC Timeline
A Federal High Court nullified INEC's published 2027 general elections timetable — throwing the electoral commission into a legal challenge with major implications for the 2027 calendar.
Flamingos 5-0 Guinea
Nigeria's U17 women's team, the Flamingos, thrashed Guinea 5-0 in their first leg qualifier for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Morocco.
Obi & Kwankwaso
Peter Obi and Kwankwaso are set to formally announce their joint presidential platform for 2027 — the most anticipated opposition coalition of the cycle.
Ambassador Kayode Are
Kayode Are began his US ambassador role, presenting credentials to President Trump — a major diplomatic appointment signalling Nigeria-US bilateral continuity.
Uzodinma Warning
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma warns that Nigerian democracy is at risk without a strong opposition to challenge the ruling APC ahead of 2027.
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