Welcome to today’s roundup of Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-focused calls for government action on pressing issues that impact citizens.
1. The Guardian: FG Releases N32.9bn to PHCs, Asks Communities to Track Spending
The federal government has released N32.9 billion to primary health care centres (PHCs) across Nigeria under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and urged citizens to take charge of how the money is spent.
The fund, which represents the third disbursement for 2025, is meant to strengthen health facilities at the grassroots and improve service delivery and was approved by the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) and guided by the newly launched BHCPF 2.0 Guidelines.
Our Take: With N32.9 billion now flowing to primary health centres across Nigeria, citizens must not sit back and assume the money will automatically deliver better healthcare. They should actively monitor how their local government authorities and PHC authoirties spend these funds, ask questions, demand receipts, and ensure the only thing being injected is medicine, not corruption.
2. The Guardian: FG Begins Public Finance Reforms ahead of New Tax Regime in January
The Guardian also reports that less than three months to the take-off of the new tax system, the federal government has activated a broad package of revenue optimisation measures anchored on technology, institutional reform and fiscal transparency.
Our Take: As the government prepares to launch yet another ‘revolutionary’ tax system, Nigerians should keep their calculators close and their eyes even closer on how these reforms are implemented. If the new National Revenue Service truly wants to plug leakages, it should start by sealing the holes at the top, not just chasing sachet water sellers for receipts. Transparency must go hand in hand with taxation so that citizens are not paying more to fund the same old inefficiencies.
3. Daily Trust: Electoral Amendment: Senate Proposes Mandatory Electronic Transmission of Results
Daily Trust reports that the Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and enact a new Electoral Act 2025, with a major proposal mandating the electronic transmission of election results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Our Take: As the Senate fine-tunes the Electoral Act 2025, Nigerians should demand more than fancy clauses and buzzwords about ‘electronic transmission’ and for the amendment to provide an Act that will ensure the electoral system functions in real time, not in ‘Nigerian time’.
4. Vanguard: Insecurity: Defend yourselves, Gov Bago charges Niger residents
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State has vowed never to negotiate with bandits or pay ransom for kidnapped victims, saying instead residents must be prepared to defend themselves against attacks.
Our Take: It is deeply disappointing that Nigerians must now double as their own security agencies when the constitution clearly states that the security and welfare of the people are the government’s responsibility. Well, before residents start forming neighbourhood armies with cutlasses and catapults, perhaps his government should ensure proper training, weapons regulation, and rapid response systems are in place. After all, if citizens must ‘defend themselves’, then the state should also show up when they blow it.
