The Super Eagles have moved up three places in the latest FIFA rankings, soaring to 36th in the global pecking order.

Nigeria who defeated Libya by a lone goal in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier earlier in the month are now fourth on the continental rankings. The return fixture in the North African country was moved following unsportsmanly behaviour by the Libyan authorities.

On the overall continental rankings, the Atlas Lions of Morocco led Africa. They are 13th in the world and followed by Senegal who are 20th.

Egypt (30th), Nigeria (36th), and Algeria (37th) complete the top five teams on the continent.

“There is further cause for celebration for Africa as two other CAF teams have climbed the most places (10) in this edition of the ranking, namely Comoros (108th) and Sudan (110th), who came out on top against Tunisia and Ghana, respectively, in their recent home-and-away duels as part of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifiers,” FIFA wrote on its website while announcing the latest rankings on Thursday.

On the global scene, Argentina still occupy the top spot and are followed by France. Spain took the third position while England, Brazil, and Belgium make up the top six in that order.

Portugal are number seven, the Netherlands are eighth, Italy taking ninth and Colombia are 10th on the global rankings.

Some of the biggest movers in the latest rankings include Algeria (37th, up 4), Peru (38th, up 5) and Greece (42nd, up 6).

Cameroon also returned to the top 50, moving up four places to take the 49th position globally.

The October 2024 rankings came days after a busy month across the world with teams vying for places for the 2026 World Cup, and Africa Cup of Nations.

“Thirty-two qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 26, 47 for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025, 79 Nations League matches and 17 friendlies were played during the recent international window, making October 2024 a particularly busy month of football and one that has led to a number of changes in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking,” FIFA said.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has stated that Nigerians’ perception played a key role in President Bola Tinubu’s decision to dismiss five ministers from his cabinet.

On Wednesday, Tinubu approved the reassignment of 10 ministers to new portfolios, relieved five of their duties, and nominated seven new individuals for Senate confirmation.

The President also renamed the Ministry of Niger Delta Development as the Ministry of Regional Development, scrapped the Ministry of Sports Development, and merged the Ministries of Tourism and Arts and Culture, forming the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.

The ministers dismissed from their roles include the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye; Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John; Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman; Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim; and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo.

Providing more details on the cabinet reshuffle, Onanuga explained that the decision to remove these ministers was based on public perception and empirical data.

According to Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, introduced a technological system that allowed Nigerians to assess the performance of the ministers.

“It wasn’t done arbitrarily. Hadiza Bala Usman brought in technology, asking Nigerians to rate the ministers. So, the removal of these ministers was based on empirical facts, shaped by the public’s perception. The scorecards were filled out by the people, and the President acted on those results,” Onanuga said in an interview on Wednesday night.

“It wasn’t just about meeting the President’s expectations but also the public’s. A few weeks ago, during a cabinet meeting, the President urged the ministers to inform Nigerians of their accomplishments, because, according to him, there was a public perception that the government wasn’t performing. The government believed it was, but the ministers weren’t effectively communicating their work,” he added.

Onanuga further mentioned that in addition to dismissing the ministers, the administration is working to reduce the cost of governance.

“The President will soon announce measures to reduce government expenditure, starting with the ministers. I don’t want to pre-empt the details, but the cuts will be significant to demonstrate the government’s seriousness in reducing the cost of governance.”

“The government is aware of what’s required to address the country’s challenges. It’s not about the size of the government, but about having many competent hands to drive its agenda. You will hear announcements soon about how the government plans to cut the cost of running its affairs,” he concluded.

President Bola Tinubu wielded his big stick on Wednesday, and like a surgeon in a theatre, he used his surgical knife, yanked off five ministers, redeployed 10 and appointed seven fresh nominees as ministers to replace the sacked ones as well as two others — Betta Edu who was initially suspended, and Simon Lalong who left his cabinet to join the Senate.

Tinubu, ex-Lagos governor, appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, three months after his inauguration. The Senate immediately screened and confirmed the ministers. One of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended in January while ex-Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, resigned and moved to the upper legislative chamber.

There have been growing calls for the President to reshuffle his cabinet as many Nigerians are not impressed by the performance of some of the ministers, especially in the face of unprecedented inflation, excruciating economic situation and rising insecurity.

Despite the shake-up on Wednesday, 31 ministers were not affected; they were not sacked or redeployed.

They are:

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Tyson Fury said he will knock out Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch of their undisputed heavyweight champion of the world bout after losing his undefeated record to the Ukrainian.

Usyk won a split decision on points when the pair first met in May and will battle again for the WBA, WBC and WBO titles in Riyadh on December 21.

Fury had gone 35 professional fights without defeat before facing Usyk in the Saudi capital and vowed to gain revenge in style if his history in rematches is anything to go by.

The Englishman knocked out Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora when meeting them for a second and third time in the past after going the full 12 rounds against both in his first bout.

“I have to be a little bit more focused and smart to get the victory,” said Fury at a press conference in London on Wednesday.

“My rematches with people, I always end up knocking them out, so I’m envisaging something similar against Usyk.”

Usyk remains unbeaten in his 22 professional bouts and took the opportunity to have some fun at Fury’s expense in front of the cameras.

Dressed in a black suit, red tie and black leather gloves, the 37-year-old produced a photo of him landing a punch on Fury from a suitcase and got his opponent to sign the picture.

However, it was Fury who did most of the talking as he reiterated his belief that he has learned from the shock of defeat.

“I believe it’s my time this time and all things that happen, positive or negative, are lessons and we must learn from these things as humans,” added Fury.

“What we know is to go out there and knock each other out, and to put on a show for the paying customer.”

Unlike the first fight between the pair, all four heavyweight title belts are not on the line as Usyk vacated the IBF title in June to Daniel Dubois, who knocked out Anthony Joshua last month at Wembley.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has begun supplying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, directly to some oil marketers, bypassing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).

Reports indicate that more marketers are seeking to purchase PMS directly from the refinery, while others continue importing the product, with hundreds of millions of liters of imported petrol expected to arrive in Nigeria in the coming weeks.

Earlier, The PUNCH reported that at least four vessels carrying imported PMS had docked at Nigerian ports between October 18 and October 20, with around 123.4 million liters of PMS unloaded at two seaports to help stabilize nationwide fuel supply.

This move by marketers comes in addition to the $20 billion Dangote refinery’s output, providing further support to the market.

Marketers have now begun lifting PMS directly from the Dangote plant in Lekki, Lagos, signaling a significant change in Nigeria’s fuel supply chain.

According to a senior refinery official, this direct purchase arrangement operates on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis, allowing oil marketers to bypass third-party suppliers and engage directly with the refinery.

“Marketers are already coming to the refinery to lift PMS directly, and agreements have been made with some marketers. If the price wasn’t favorable, they wouldn’t be coming to us,” the official said, indicating that Dangote’s pricing is competitive enough to attract interest.

“Some of the trucks you saw there today were from marketers purchasing the product directly from Dangote, without recourse to NNPC. So the direct sale has started,” another source told The PUNCH.

Officials also revealed that the refinery is dedicating around 53% of its crude oil supply to PMS production due to high demand for petrol in Nigeria and other countries.

The proportion of crude used for PMS may change if demand for other products grows, but for now, petrol remains the primary focus.

“This could be reviewed in future if the demand for other finished products increases more than the demand for petrol, but right now about 53 per cent of our crude is used for petrol production, while other products account for the remaining percentage,” the official stated.

When asked if marketers had started the direct purchase of petrol from Dangote without recourse to NNPC, one of the notable major marketers in the country replied in the affirmative.

“Yes, everyone is in the process. This was advised that it would happen soon and is a normal business transaction,” the source stated.

This direct sale initiative follows earlier claims that the NNPC would be the sole off-taker of PMS from the Dangote refinery starting September 15.

However, a recent announcement from the Technical Subcommittee on Domestic Sale of Crude Oil in Local Currency, headed by Finance Minister Wale Edun, confirmed that marketers can now purchase PMS directly from local refineries, fostering competition and improving market efficiency.

Although some Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) officials, led by Vice President Hammed Fashola, are still in discussions about logistics and modalities for lifting PMS from Dangote, refinery officials confirmed that direct sales to certain marketers have already commenced.

Meanwhile, the refinery has dismissed claims that it sold PMS to NNPC at N898 per liter when sales began in mid-September, labeling such reports as misleading.

The refinery maintains that the official naira-for-crude committee will eventually announce the product’s price, but as of October 22, no such announcement has been made.

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved N740 billion for the construction of the Kano-Abuja road project.

The approval was given on Wednesday during the weekly FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

David Umahi, minister of works, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said the government is working on managing the extensive backlog of infrastructure projects.

According to Umahi, the Abuja-Kano road, previously slated for a tax credit arrangement, “will now be procured without such a provision, with the 162-kilometer Berger section already approved for N740 billion”.

The minister also announced that the Shagamu-Benin road is undergoing critical rehabilitation, while procurement processes are being finalised for its full reconstruction using reinforced concrete pavement.

He highlighted other projects undergoing review, including the commencement of construction on the Sokoto-Badagry road, with the Sokoto section to be flagged off imminently. 

Umahi also said works on the Oyo-Ogbomosho road, a project stalled for 18 years, will resume, and the Makurdi-Katsina-Ala road will undergo significant repairs.

“FEC also tackled the inherited debt profile of N1.6 trillion tied to 2,604 projects, with a total contract value of N13 trillion,” Umahi said.

To manage the backlog, the minister said the ministry of works has initiated a phased approach to project completion based on available funding. 

Umahi said examples of projects in the category are the phasing of the Biu-Kangiwa-Kamba-Kaya Niger Republic road in Kebbi state, the Yola-Hong-Mubi road in Adamawa state, and the Kachako-Dambazua road in Kano state.

On July 29, the FEC approved N1.4 trillion for some road projects across the country.

‘30% ADVANCE PAYMENT TO CONTRACTORS’

Umahi said the council approved advanced payment mechanisms to combat inflation and rising costs driven by fluctuating exchange rates and petroleum prices.

“And finally, we presented a memo to FEC that where there is proof of funds, there is available funds, the Procurement Act allows MDAs to pay a maximum of 30 percent advance payments. And let me emphasise that this advanced payment. When you read the law, it say may pay,” Umahi said. 

“And so when people are giving contracts and they don’t mobilise, and they said, I’ve not paid mobilisation, it is not legally binding, because the word says may pay. And so some people turn it (to) shall pay. So no, it’s may pay.

“So where we have funds, and they will have a valuable fund beyond this 30% so what we are, you know, we requested from FEC is approved, that we first pay 30% which is the Procurement Act, and not more, and then when the contractor has started work, and to the satisfaction of the Ministry of works, we should be allowed to pay additional funds. 

“Yes, the law allows us to pay in terms of you know, materials on site. But we are asking beyond that, what is the essence of this? Is to mitigate a lot of fluctuation and inflation, because we have a lot of you know, indices that affect the ministry of works like the petroleum you know it affects it.”

The minister also said the dollar exchange rate affected negotiations, adding that the ministry is “doing everything to manage the resources within the available funds so that we mitigate inflation”.

Year-to-date, the naira has depreciated by 59.79 percent in the official window, declining from N1,035.12 per dollar on January 3, to N1,654.09/$ on October 23.

In the parallel market, the naira has depreciated by 40.65 percent, from N1,230/$ to N1,730 per dollar, within the same period.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a loan of approximately $618 million from a consortium of financiers to procure six M-346 attack jets manufactured in Italy and ammunition for the Nigerian Air Force.

Naija News reports that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced this on Wednesday, October 23.

The Air Force has indicated that the initial three jets are anticipated to arrive by early 2025, with subsequent deliveries expected to continue until mid-2026.

In a recent development, Nigeria’s Air Force revealed the acquisition of 24 Italian-made M-346 attack jets and ten AW-109 Trekker helicopters as part of its fleet modernization initiative.

Air Force spokesperson, Olusola Akinboyewa, noted that a delegation led by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, held discussions in Rome with executives from Leonardo S.P.A., the manufacturer.

Leonardo confirmed that the first three M-346 jets are projected to arrive by early 2025, with the remaining units scheduled for delivery through mid-2026.

This acquisition is expected to enhance the firepower and aerial capabilities of troops engaged in the ongoing battle against insurgents within the country.

Negotiations with the Italian firm commenced in early 2024, following a meeting between Claudio Sabatino, Vice President of Leonardo, and Nigeria’s air force chief, Hasan Abubakar, in Abuja.

In recent years, the Federal Government has significantly increased its defence and security budget to tackle various security challenges across the nation.

For the 2024 fiscal year, approximately ₦3.3 trillion has been allocated to the defence sector.

Despite some successes, recent events indicate that Boko Haram and other armed groups continue to pose a threat in the Northeast and other regions of the country.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says a bank verification number (BVN) platform will be launched by December for Nigerians in the diaspora.

Cardoso spoke on Wednesday during a parley with members of the Nigerian community on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Washington D.C, United States.

He said the BVN platform will be launched by the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), a subsidiary of the CBN.

The BVN is an 11-digit number that is unique to each individual, but the same across all bank institutions for the same individual.

BVN is required to own and operate a bank account in Nigeria.

According to Cardoso, the platform would enable Nigerians in the diaspora to operate their local bank accounts, run their businesses and sort out know-your-customer (KYC) issues with financial institutions from anywhere in the world.

The CBN governor added that the initiative is part of efforts to ensure that Nigerians irrespective of their location anywhere in the world can participate in the Nigerian economy.

“As far as we are concerned it is totally unacceptable that you should be out here and be having hassles in operating your accounts or doing your business in your original country,” he said.

“I want to tell you that starting in December 2024 Nigerians in the diaspora will no longer face the hurdle of travelling long distances for physical biometric verifications to access financial services.

“The launch of the non-resident BVN platform by NIBBS will enable enhanced KYC processes remotely making it more convenient and cost-effective for the diaspora to engage with the Nigerian banking system.

“This initiative in collaboration with our banks marks a significant step toward greater financial inclusion and accessibility as we continue to roll out innovative solutions.”

On February 14, 2014, BVN was introduced by the CBN to strengthen the banking system, safeguard bank customers, and mitigate fraud.

As of April 2, 2024, over 61.47 million have enrolled for BVN, according to NIBSS.