AFOLABI

AFOLABI

Streaming giant Netflix has increased its subscription prices in Nigeria for the first time in 2025, marking its third price hike since 2024.

The Premium Plan now costs N8,500 per month, up from N7,000, a 21.43% jump.

The latest update on the company’s website also shows that the Standard Plan (HD quality and multi-screen support) now costs N6,500, up 18.18% from N5,500.

 

The Basic Plan has risen by 14.29% from N3,500 to N4,000, while the Mobile Plan, Netflix’s most affordable tier, now goes for N2,500, up 13.64% from N2,200.

Continuous price hike 

In 2024 alone, the company raised prices twice within three months, first in April and the second one in July.

At the time, Netflix cited a global pricing strategy aimed at accelerating revenue and funding its growing slate of content.

“As we invest in and improve Netflix, we’ll occasionally ask our members to pay a little extra to reflect those improvements,” the company noted in a letter to shareholders.  

“This helps drive the positive flywheel of additional investment to further improve and grow our service,” it added.

While Netflix has not directly blamed inflation for the latest increase, the company did acknowledge that price changes respond to local market conditions, including taxes and inflation.

What you should know 

The Netflix price increment comes amid high inflation that has pushed up prices of every product and service being offered in the country.

While Nigerians grapple with skyrocketing food prices, home entertainment is becoming out of reach for many households as a result of price increases, a situation that may be worsened by the recent 50% increase in the cost of data by telecom operators.

Major Pay-TV operator in the country, Multichoice Nigeria, has also implemented multiple price increments in the past year, sparking negative reactions from many Nigerians. 

  • Meanwhile, Netflix has been adjusting prices in key markets globally, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
  • In Africa, Nigeria is not the only country where prices have been increased, as the company also implemented price adjustments in South Africa last month.
  • The price hike in South Africa affected three of its four plans and is already in effect for new customers, while existing subscribers will see the new charges reflected in upcoming billing cycles.
  • The most significant change comes to the Mobile plan, which increased by 20% from R49 ($2.67) to R59 ($3.21) per month—its first adjustment since the plan launched.
  • The Standard plan moves from R159 ($8.70) to R179 ($9.78), while the Premium plan jumps from R199 ($10.87) to R229 ($12.53). Only the Basic plan, priced at R99 ($5.40), remains unchanged.

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has exposed how billions of naira were siphoned from public coffers through fraudulent subsidy claims.

Bawa in his new book, “The Shadow of Loot & Losses: Uncovering Nigeria’s Petroleum Subsidy Fraud,” alleged massive corruption in Nigeria’s fuel subsidy regime, detailing how billions of naira were looted through ghost imports, over-invoicin, forged documentation and systemic collusion between corrupt officials and private firms.

In a statement on Wednesday, Bawa, who served as EFCC chairman from 2021 to 2023 under former president, Muhammadu Buhari, revealed how single fuel shipments were used to obtain multiple subsidy payments, while subsidized fuel was diverted to black markets or smuggled out of Nigeria.

Bawa explained that perpetrators manipulated bills of lading to exploit international price fluctuations and maximise illicit gains, adding that the book is both a documentary of fraud and a call to action for reform, transparency, and accountability in Nigeria’s oil sector.

He said, “Companies routinely claimed subsidies for fuel never imported or inflated volumes to receive excess payouts.

“These crimes were enabled by forged documentation, regulatory failure, and entrenched corruption across government and business.

“In the book, published by CableBooks, an imprint of Cable Media & Publishing Ltd, Bawa details multiple fraudulent strategies including: Ghost importing and over-invoicing: Companies submitted claims for fuel that was never imported or inflated shipment volumes to receive excessive subsidy payouts.

“Manipulation of bills of lading: By altering shipping documents, fraudsters exploited international price fluctuations to claim higher subsidies. Round-tripping and double claims: Single shipments were often used to obtain multiple subsidy payments.

“Diversion and smuggling: Subsidised fuel was frequently diverted to black markets or smuggled out of Nigeria for profit.

“These practices, Bawa explains, were enabled by forged documents, weak regulatory oversight, and systemic collusion between corrupt government officials and private sector actors.

“The Shadow of Loot & Losses is not just a chronicle of fraud, it is a call to action — a demand for transparency, accountability, and reform in Nigeria’s public finance management, especially in the oil sector.”

The Department of State Services (DSS) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Pat Utomi, from making further public comments or staging rallies in connection with his plan to establish a shadow government in Nigeria.
The security agency raised the alarm in a fresh application filed on Wednesday, citing security concerns and a looming threat to public order and national unity if Utomi proceeds with his planned activities upon returning to the country on June 6.

In the application, the DSS is seeking an interlocutory injunction to stop Utomi, his agents, and associates from conducting any form of public mobilisation including road shows, rallies, media appearances, and publications—pending the hearing of the substantive suit already before the court.

“Unless this Honourable Court intervenes by granting this application, the defendant/respondent’s acts may foist a fait accompli on the court,” the DSS said in its affidavit.

According to the DSS legal team led by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), intelligence reports revealed that Utomi, who is currently abroad, has concluded plans to return on June 6 and launch a series of public engagements in support of the controversial shadow government agenda.

“If not restrained, Utomi’s planned activities constitute a serious threat to the public order, safety, and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the DSS warned.

The agency maintained that as the statutory body responsible for protecting Nigeria’s internal security, it must act to prevent any attempt to undermine lawful authority.

The DSS noted that the former minister and political economist had already been served with court processes and had entered appearance through his counsel, Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), on May 20, 2025.

The substantive suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, seeks to restrain Utomi from actions deemed capable of causing unrest or undermining national stability.

The agency accused Utomi of planning to disguise the mobilisation under the banner of free speech and civic engagement, with the ultimate aim of inciting public discontent similar to the 2020 #EndSARS protests.

“The planned protests, riots and agitations… may lead to mayhem with a potential for anarchy, loss of lives and property,” the DSS warned.

The DSS further cited Utomi’s remarks at the University of Lagos on May 26 during the Topaz Lecture Series, where he defended the concept of a shadow government and reportedly stated that if the court ruled against him, he would simply adopt a different name for the movement.

 
The security agency argued that such comments were capable of undermining judicial authority and instigating unrest.

Speaking after filing the application, Kehinde said the agency’s actions were guided by its constitutional mandate to prevent threats to Nigeria’s sovereignty and democratic institutions.

Kehinde said, “We, as counsel to the SSS have just filed an application seeking interlocutory injunction against the defendant and his group pending the determination of the substantive suit. The application, being a public document can be obtained from the registry of the honourable court.

“It is good that as members of the 4th estate of the realm you are keeping watch over the case filed against the formation of “Shadow Government” by Prof. Pat Utomi and his group.

“The civil suit, as you are aware, was filed by the State Security Service (SSS) in consonance with its statutory mandate of ensuring internal peace and avoidance of any form of insurrection and treasonable felony against the democratically elected government in the country.

“This fresh application is premised on the fact that despite the pendency of the substantive action, the service of same on the defendant and the entry of appearance to same by his Counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the defendant has continued to make inflammatory statements capable of igniting chaos in the country instead of abiding by the hallowed principle that civilized parties before the court are expected to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive matter.

“What our client has submitted to the court is for the interpretation of the Constitution whether any form of government by whatever nomenclature can be formed or allowed outside the Constitution.

“Furthermore, our client is not interested at arresting anybody in respect of this matter having on its own accord submitted itself to the jurisdiction of the honourable court to interpret the Constitution and determine the legality or otherwise of the ‘Shadow government’ or any other nomenclature that it may be so named.

“It must be pointed out that our client under its current leadership is a very civilized organization with absolute confidence in the rule of law and that is why, it or any of its personnel will always approach the court of law whenever it feels that there is any infraction on its statutory duties by anyone or the rights of its personnel. Let the court have the final say.

“Gentlemen, we must all ensure that constitutional democracy and the rule of law have its way in Nigeria.”

Younger brother to the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, Isaac, has expressed regret for fighting for the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara.

Naija News recalls that Fubara visited President Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

 

Reacting to Fubara’s visit, Fayose, in a video via his social media page, described Fubara as a weakling, claiming his destiny has been changed.

He said, “Fubara that was a governor three months ago, all he does now is to go and take pictures either with President in London or Lagos or stand outside Aso Rock or stand outside Wike’s house. They have changed his destiny. He is now taking pictures with his enemy. What a weak man, Fubara! You are very weak. I regret even fighting for you. Very weak man. Weakling!”

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), on Monday, started the grounding of over 60 private jets flying in the country airspace over alleged non-payment of import duty.

 

LEADERSHIP reports that in 2024, the NCS had attempted to ground some of the private jets but court processes stalled the action. 

The NCS had in October 2024, threatened to ground over 60 private jets owned by very important persons in the country over unpaid import duty.

It however halted the process by announcing the extension of the verification exercise for private jet owners by one month, from October 14, 2024, to November 14, 2024.

Our correspondent gathered that the aircraft were grounded at the International Wings of the Murtala Muhammed Airport and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.

 

It was further gathered that majority of the affected aircraft were foreign registered flying in the country. 

It was also gathered that the Customs also sealed off some of the foreign private jets at ExecuJet, a free trade zone at the Lagos airport.

A source close to some of the private jet owners, said that the impounded aircraft belonged to private individuals in Nigeria operating under the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) license.

This permit is granted to individuals who want to own and operate aircraft for personal use and not for commercial purposes.

The official seal of the NCS stated that the exercise was in accordance with Section 221 of the NCS Act 2023, stressing that unauthorised removal of the seal attracts a fine of N100 million or 10 years imprisonment of both.

 

LEADERSHIP understands that this was not the first time the Customs would attempt to ground private jets in the country because of import duty.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State and Chairman, PDP Advocate for Peace and Justice (PAPAJ), Dr. Tom FredFish, has urged the party’s leaders to invoke constitutional provisions and expel the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, from the party.

FresFish made the call on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Uyo. He was reacting to Wike’s assertion that no one has the power to expel him from the PDP.

While calling on the PDP to wield the big stick on Wike by moving swiftly to expel him, FredFish insisted that the minister has been working against the interests of the party in clear violation of the party’s constitution, ideals and principles.

 

The Akwa Ibom politician also faulted Wike’s claims that he is working hard for the PDP.

He said: “If Mr. Wike says he is working hard for the party, the right question that Nigerians should ask him is what kind of hard work is he doing for the PDP? Is the hard work positive or negative?

“How can a man who has been working against the interests of the party after he failed to clinch the PDP ticket in the 2023 presidential race still have the temerity to say he is working for the interest of the party? How can he say such a thing?

“Is he not the same Wike who openly worked against the PDP in the 2023 presidential election and further
connived with, encouraged and ordered the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly that are loyal to him to decamp to the APC and work against the interest of Rivers State controlled by the PDP?

”As far as the PDP Advocate for Peace and Justice is concerned, Mr. Wike was appointed to destroy the PDP and he’s doing the job very well. He should not expect party faithful across the country to clap for him for compromising the efforts of the party leadership.”

FredFish observed that “there is no one in the country that has de-marketed the PDP more than Wike who has continuously used demeaning words on the PDP and its leaders – the most recent is the way he spoke about the governor of Oyo State Mr. Seyi Makinde”.

He added, “The PDP Advocate for Peace and Justice (PAPAJ) is calling on the PDP Board of Trustees headed by Senator Adolfus Wabara, former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, Senator David Mark and other leaders of the party to rally round and galvanize the National Working Committee (NWC) to invoke sections 10(6), 57 and 58 of the PDP Constitution, as amended in 2017, for which he (Wile) should be expelled under Section 59 of the PDP Constitution.”

A former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, has responded to the claim by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, that he (Amaechi) is not his boss.

Wike, during a media chat in Abuja, dismissed his former boss, saying the former Minister of Transportation is not influential.

He claimed that Amaechi, even as the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign, could not deliver Rivers State to former President Muhammadu Buhari in both the 2015 and 2019 elections. 

Later, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike also criticized former presidential spokesman Reuben Abati for describing him as rude.

Abati had asserted that Wike was very rude, stressing that former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi was his political boss.

The Arise Television anchor made the comment in reaction to Wike’s statement that Amaechi was power-hungry and failed to deliver 10 percent of the vote for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election.

Responding, Olayinka questioned how Amaechi could be considered Wike’s boss in politics.

Posting on Facebook, Olayinka recalled how Wike remained in Rivers State to help Amaechi retrieve his mandate after the latter fled to Ghana in 2007.

In response, during an Arise News interview on Thursday, Amaechi was asked if he is still friends with Wike. He replied, “Why go into personal life?”

When asked if he still hangs out with Wike, Amaechi said, “I’ve told you this several times, subordinates. I was once his [Wike’s] boss, whether he likes it or not. I hired him; I could have said no.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kaduna State chapter, has described the All Progressives Congress, APC, two years in office in the country as “Nigeria’s worst era despite the humongous accruals from the subsidy removal”.

Briefing newsmen in Kaduna, its state chairman, Edward Percy Masha said, “The PDP under my leadership is poised to continue to hold the APC-led govt in Kaduna State to account on behalf of the people of the state and to usher in a new government that will be responsive, responsible, and accountable to the people of the state.

“Never again shall our party, the PDP win the gubernatorial or any other election for that matter and be shortchanged.

 

“In 2027, it shall be the people against the APC with their one-party system attempt notwithstanding. We will mobilize the people to defend their mandate at all costs.”

He alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Senator Uba Uba Sani’s agenda had combined to make life miserable for the people.

According to him, “On 29th May 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inaugural speech declared that “subsidy is gone”, it was like a declaration of war on the well-being of Nigerians, or as Bashir Audi, Esq. wrote, “Tinubu unwittingly opened the gates of Hell, and let loose all the trapped Demons on hapless populace” considering the strategic importance of petrol in the life of the ordinary Nigerian. From Lagos to Maiduguri, Calabar to Sokoto, Nigerian citizens were thrown into their worst economic crisis in history.

“In Kaduna State, where citizens were already grappling with worsening insecurity, hunger, unemployment and penury, the subsidy removal was like a death sentence,” he said.

Masha stated that the APC’s promise of a ‘Renewed Hope’ in security, welfare, infrastructure, health, education, agriculture and economic transformation had failed to translate into meaningful or positive outcomes for the nation, saying that since coming on board, there had been little or no difference in the security situation inherited from the preceding APC administration.

He lamented that according to a 2025 Grimm report, “between July 2023 and June 2024, no fewer than 7,568 people were abducted in 1,130 incidents across the country.

“Of the 1,130 reported kidnapping areas, Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina have the highest number of incidents and victims. Zamfara reported 132 incidents with 1,639 victims, Kaduna had 113 incidents with 1,113 victims, and Katsina reported 119 incidents with 887 victims.

“These 3 states also have the highest number of civilian deaths. In the year under review in this report, kidnapping has become more lethal with 1,056 people killed in 1,130 reported incidents. On average, someone is killed each time there is an attempted kidnap.

“The claim of improved security by the governor of Kaduna State in a recent media chat, therefore, falls flat on its face given these figures as can be confirmed by reports of the incessant cases of banditry and kidnapping in Local Government Areas like Kajuru, Kauru, Kaura, Birnin Gwari, Chikun and others in the state.”

In addition, he said that the Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security was nothing but a conduit for siphoning state resources owing to its failure to acquire and deploy technology into intelligence gathering and surveillance, especially in ungoverned spaces where terrorists and other criminals hold sway, stressing that while victims of these attacks wallow in sorrow, tears and blood, the government was allegedly pampering the criminals with public funds in the name of negotiations.

Elon Musk has criticised a major tax and spending bill backed by President Donald Trump, calling it a “disgusting abomination.”

The legislation, passed by the House of Representatives last month, includes trillions in tax breaks, boosts defence spending, and authorises a significant increase in government borrowing. Analysts estimate it will add about $600 billion to the federal deficit in the next fiscal year. 

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,” Musk posted on X. “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.” 

Musk’s comments came just one day before he stepped down as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a position he held for four months. His departure attracted attention due to his previously close ties with Trump.

A retweet from the X CEO account pushed back against claims of a falling out between the two, stating that Musk’s exit was due to his status as a Special Government Employee, limited to 130 days of service.

“In the coming days, legacy media will try to convince you that President Trump and Elon Musk are no longer friends and that’s why Musk left,” the post read. “What they won’t tell you is that Elon was a Special Government Employee, limited to 130 days of service and that term ends tomorrow.”

Speaking out before his resignation, Musk voiced disappointment with the bill, saying it increases the deficit and undermines the DOGE team’s efforts.

“I think a bill can be big, or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both, in my personal opinion,” he said.

The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, has revealed that Nigeria is steadily moving from dependence on foreign military procurement to local production.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday by Mati Ali, the Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity to the minister, Badaru stated that “this aims to facilitate local production, repairs, refurbishment, and supply of military hardware and ordnance.”

According to the minister, the shift to local production marks a significant stride towards self-reliance for enhanced national security.

“The shift to local production is expected to boost efficiency and reduce reliance on imported hardware,” he clarified.

 

Badaru made this known shortly after concluding his 2-day working tour of military institutions and facilities in Kaduna.

The minister visited key military institutions, including the Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigerian Army Command Engineering Depot, Buffalo Engineering Technical Services Limited, and the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology.

During his visit, Badaru praised the ongoing efforts in training, local production, and refurbishing military assets.

 

He emphasised that training remains a vital pillar in achieving Nigeria’s defence objectives.

The minister inspected several workshops and was impressed by the potential and progress on repairs and refurbishing of military hardware.

He noted that new combat platforms, bulletproof glasses, spare parts, and surveillance UAVs are being built at the workshops.

“Some of the equipment successfully constructed and repaired are made readily available for redeployment, while others are already deployed back to theatres of operations,” he explained.

Badaru commended the Armed Forces for their initiative and emphasised the critical roles of Training, Research, Development, and Innovation in achieving operational excellence.

He therefore urged continued collaborations between institutions and investment in military RDI.

Also, the minister highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s defense capabilities, noting the recent signing of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Bill into law.

 
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