Nigeria's First Lady, Remi Tinubu has assured Nigerians of President Bola Tinubu's commitment to make 2025 a better year despite the economic crisis.

In a New Year message to Nigerians posted on X on Wednesday, she called for unity and renewed efforts toward building a thriving nation.

Tinubu emphasised the need for collective investment in rebuilding societal bonds and fostering inclusivity across all regions and demographics.

She urged Nigerians to rise above divisions and work toward mutual respect and understanding.

“As we journey through 2025, let us rise above our differences and rebuild the bridges that connect us—bridges of love, respect, and understanding.

“It is a year to invest in one another; to nurture our youth and protect the dignity of our elders; to create a country where every Nigerian can thrive, regardless of where they are born, what they believe, or what language they speak,” she said.

The First Lady highlighted the administration’s commitment to ongoing economic reforms aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s vast potential under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.

She stated, “I assure you all that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is truly committed to and is already undertaking deepening reforms that will unlock our nation’s economic potentials.”

Senator Tinubu encouraged Nigerians to stand together and support one another, pledging that the government remains steadfast in its vision for a prosperous nation.

“Together, we can build the Nigeria we all desire. Together, we will. Happy New Year, Nigeria,” she added,

The Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State Command has announced the rescue of a pastor and his wife who were abducted by suspected kidnappers during a prayer session on a remote mountain in the state.

The police disclosed on its X  handle on Tuesday that the couple had travelled to the isolated location for prayers when the incident occurred.

However, details of the rescue operation remain undisclosed, while the police have assured residents that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the culprits. Meanwhile the police paraded some other suspects.

Furthermore, the police cautioned the public to avoid isolated locations due to security risks.

“The command just secured an abducted pastor and his wife at the hinterland while fellowshipping on an isolated mountain, causing fellow worshippers to flee like they were possessed,” the statement read.

Zainab Bayero, daughter of the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, has raised the alarm about her family’s dire situation in Lagos, claiming they are stranded and without shelter.

In a heartfelt video shared on social media, Zainab revealed that she, her mother, and her younger brother have been struggling to make ends meet since her father’s passing in 2014.

The visibly distressed Zainab, speaking in a video less than five minutes long, said her family had nowhere to stay, adding that they were stranded in the Eko Hotel area of Lagos at 1 am.

She said, “This is me, daughter of the Emir of Kano on the street of Lagos, unsafe, stranded. No one cares if I live or die. No one owes me anything. That is fine but at least I deserve to feel safe, protected.

“My father left me with nothing — no education and home. I’ve tried to survive… I can’t go on anymore. This is what they’ve turned me to; they’ve turned me into an urchin, and a girl who had so many dreams.

“I’m a woman with nothing — no job, degree, home. I’m lost and stranded, no one to turn to, no family.

“The burden is too much on me. My mum and my junior brother depend on me. I don’t have any means to keep providing for them. That is why I ran away.”

She further expressed her frustration, stating that she had reached out to influential figures, but received no meaningful assistance.

She added, “I’ve spoken out in the media, I’ve pleaded with the president, the governor, the current Emir Sanusi, and their fathers.

“I’ve pleaded to care for a young woman who doesn’t want to be killed; who doesn’t want to die. But it’s obvious nobody cares if I live or die, and I want to end it because I can’t keep doing this.

President Bola Tinubu says a national youth conference organised by the federal government will begin in the first quarter of 2025.

Tinubu spoke on Wednesday in his New Year message to Nigerians.

The president said the conference is a testament to his administration’s commitment to youth inclusiveness and investment as nation-builders.

“The Ministry of Youth will soon announce the modalities for selecting the conference’s representatives from our diverse, youthful population,” he said.

Tinubu said governors and local council chairpersons should work with the federal government in agriculture, livestock, and tax reforms to move the country forward.

“I commend the governors who have embraced our Compressed Natural Gas initiative by launching CNG-propelled public transport. I also congratulate those who have adopted electric vehicles as part of our national energy mix and transition,” he said.

“The federal government will always offer necessary assistance to the states.

“To all citizens, your sacrifices have not been in vain over the past 19 months. I assure you they will not be in vain even in the months ahead. Together, let us stay the course of nation-building.”

The president said he would also unveil a National Values Charter in the first quarter of 2025 that would foster patriotism and love for the country among citizens.

The General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), Dr Daniel Olukoya, has released powerful 2025 prophecies.

Olukoya released the prophecies at MFM’s cross-over service held at its camp ground, popularly called Prayer City.

Read prophecies below:

• It is definitely a year of strange battles.
• The unlucky will want to terminate the lucky ones.
• The oppressed will be fighting the free.
• The thief will be fighting the owner.
• It is a year of divine interruption.
• It is a year of unlimited deliverance.
• A year of tragedy for married men who like going around wit strange women, the marine world has injected into our midst women who are not women but from another world.

Umar Damagum, the acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says there is a possibility that Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano state, will return to the opposition party.

Damagum spoke in an interview published on Tuesday by BBC Hausa.

Damagum’s remarks came days after Kwankwaso said he has no agreement with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, ex-governor of Anambra state, for the 2027 presidential election.

Kwankwaso had previously criticised the PDP, describing it as a “dead party”.

However, Damagum said despite Kwankwaso’s criticism of the party, he is hopeful that the former governor will rejoin the PDP to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next election.

Damagum said the PDP is ready to accept the return of any member who left the party.

“A person can express his opinion, but I want to remind him of the past when they left the PDP in 2015. If she (PDP) was not dead, then when they felt they had harmed her, then I see no reason to say she is dead now,” he said.

“And don’t forget that the PDP is the only party that can win elections if the incumbent must be removed.

“Kwankwaso’s frustrations are valid in some respects, but there is no better platform for him than the PDP.

“This party nurtured his political career and brought him to where he is today. We hope he will return to work with us to rebuild the party and confront this oppressive government.”

Kwankwaso has been in and out of the PDP since 2015. He has not returned to the party after leaving in March 2022.

Kwankwaso was the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections.

Damagum has been persuading former members of the PDP to return to the party.

In June, Damagum said he wants Obi, the standard-bearer of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, to rejoin the party.

Obi left the PDP for the LP in June 2022.

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians of their resolve to boost food production and reduce inflation on food and drugs to 15 per cent, while strengthening the economy in 2025.

In his New Year message to the nation, Tinubu highlighted economic growth indicators, including lower fuel prices, rising foreign reserves and a stronger Naira, as signs of progress in 2024 that would continue into 2025.

He stated, “Though 2024 posed numerous challenges to our citizens and households, I am confident that the New Year will bring brighter days.

“Economic indicators point to a positive and encouraging outlook for our nation. Fuel prices have gradually decreased, and we recorded foreign trade surpluses in three consecutive quarters.

“Foreign reserves have risen, and the Naira has strengthened against the US dollar, bringing greater stability.”

The President said Nigeria’s stock market’s record growth had generated trillions of naira in wealth, adding that the surge in foreign investment reflected renewed confidence in the country’s economy.

Nevertheless, the cost of food and essential drugs remained a significant concern for many Nigerian households in 2024.

He acknowledged persistent inflation and rising costs of essentials, vowing to intensify efforts to reduce inflation from 34.6 per cent to 15 per cent through reforms aimed at boosting food production and encouraging local manufacturing of drugs and medical supplies.

“In 2025, our government is committed to intensifying efforts to lower these costs by boosting food production and promoting local manufacturing of essential drugs and other medical supplies.

“We are resolute in our ambition to reduce inflation from its current high of 34.6 per cent to 15 per cent.

“With diligent work and God’s help, we will achieve this goal and provide relief to all our people,” said the President.

For the New Year, Tinubu promised to consolidate further and increase access to credit for individuals and critical sectors of the economy to boost national economic output.

“To achieve this, the Federal Government will establish the National Credit Guarantee Company to expand risk-sharing instruments for financial institutions and enterprises.

“The company—expected to start operations before the end of the second quarter—is a partnership of government institutions, such as the Bank of Industry, Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Agency, and Ministry of Finance Incorporated, the private sector, and multilateral institutions.

“This initiative will strengthen the confidence of the financial system, expand credit access and support under-served groups such as women and youth. It will drive growth, re-industrialisation, and better living standards for our people,” he assured citizens.

President Tinubu called on governors and local councils to align with federal agricultural and tax reforms to seize economic opportunities.

“Let me use this New Year’s message to urge our governors and local council chairpersons to work closely with the central government to seize emerging opportunities in agriculture, livestock, and tax reforms and move our nation forward,” he appealed.

Tinubu commended governors who embraced the FG’s Compressed Natural Gas initiative by launching CNG-propelled public transport. He congratulated those who also adopted electric vehicles as part of the administration’s national energy mix and transition, saying, “The Federal Government will always offer necessary assistance to the states.”

Tinubu stressed the importance of national unity and ethical values as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Therefore, he announced plans to unveil a National Values Charter in Q1 2025, alongside a national orientation campaign to promote patriotism and shared values.

In 2025, the President said his government would commit to promoting adherence to ethical principles, shared values and beliefs under the National Identity Project.

He announced, “I will unveil the National Values Charter, already approved by the Federal Executive Council, in the first quarter of 2025.

“I will launch an ambitious national orientation campaign that fosters patriotism and love for our country and inspires citizens to rally together.

“The Charter will promote mutual commitments between the government and citizens and foster trust and cooperation among our diverse population and between the government and the citizens.”

He argued that as far-reaching and foundational as the FG’s reforms were, they could produce the desired outcomes only through shared common values and identities and unconditional love for our country.

He also added that the Youth Confab he announced last October would begin in the first quarter of 2025, saying it is “a testament to our commitment to youth inclusiveness and investment as nation-builders.”

“The Ministry of Youth will soon announce the modalities for selecting the conference’s representatives from our diverse, youthful population,” the President noted.

Expressing confidence in Nigeria’s economic trajectory, Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to reforms aimed at achieving a $1tn economy.

“We are on the right path to building a great Nigeria that will work for everyone.

“Let us not get distracted by a tiny segment of our population that still sees things through the prisms of politics, ethnicity, region, and religion,” he declared.

Tinubu concluded by thanking the citizens for their sacrifices and support, assuring them that 2025 would mark significant progress towards the nation’s aspirations.

He said, “On a personal note, thank you for placing your confidence in me as your President. Your trust humbles me, and I promise to continue serving you diligently and wholeheartedly.

“I seek your cooperation and collaboration at all times as we pursue our goal of a one trillion-dollar economy. Let us stay focused and united. To all citizens, your sacrifices have not been in vain over the past 19 months.

“I assure you they will not be in vain even in the months ahead. Together, let us stay the course of nation-building. As we enter 2025, I wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year. May you be rich in joy, success, and good health. By the grace of God, 2025 will be a year of great promise in which we will fulfill our collective desires.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party urged President Tinubu to take urgent action to address the escalating insecurity, fuel shortages and the food crisis as the country enters the New Year.

This was as it accused the President of pursuing empty rhetoric, false promises and unproven claims since May 2023 without real action to quell insecurity, improve the economy, create jobs, ensure credible elections or raise living standards for Nigerians.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP called for swift and active measures to tackle these challenges facing Nigerians.

The statement read in part, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congratulates Nigerians on the dawn of the year 2025 and charges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to taint the New Year with an address that will not proffer immediate and concrete steps to reduce the price of fuel, address widespread hunger and provide clear-cut measures to guarantee security of lives and property in the country.

“This position by the PDP is predicated on the fact that previous addresses by Mr. President in the last 18 months dwelt only on hopeless rhetoric, unsubstantiated statistics, false promises, conjured performance claims and validation of flawed elections without concrete mechanisms to address insecurity, resuscitate the economy, create jobs, ensure credible elections and guarantee better living standard for Nigerians.

“The PDP maintains that President Tinubu must speak to the issues of unbridled corruption, deceit, budget padding, reckless and wasteful spending directed to fund luxury appetite of APC leaders, insensitivity to the pains of citizens and total disregard to the obligation of government, which has made life unbearable for Nigerians under his watch.”

The main opposition also urged Tinubu to account for the billions of naira reportedly generated from the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.

It continued, “Furthermore, Mr. President should come clean on his public commitment to fight corruption by ordering an investigation and recovery of the over N25tn reportedly stolen by APC leaders and officials in government who have turned government agencies to Automated Teller Machines to siphon funds for their benefit while other Nigerians wallow in abject poverty, hunger and starvation.

“Equally worrisome is the failure of the APC government to revisit and address the reported cases of alleged state-backed killings in various parts of the country, particularly the 2020 EndSars killings and inhuman denial of the massacre of promising Nigerian youths in that sad and repulsive incident.

“The last 18 months have been the most excruciating period to Nigerians since the Civil War, with citizens now resorting to suicide and slavery missions abroad due to the hopeless situation foisted by the anti-people policies of the suppressive, exploitative and insensitive APC government, which continues to reject every appeal and suggestion for review of such policies.

“More disheartening is that while Nigerians die of hunger and insecurity, APC leaders and officials in government continue to flaunt their luxury appetite and lifestyle in utter disdain for the feelings of millions of impoverished citizens.”

The PDP also warned the APC-led government against carrying its old attitude into 2025, as that would intensify citizens’ frustration and dissatisfaction.

The party encouraged Nigerians to stay hopeful for the country’s future, remain law-abiding and approach 2025 with optimism.

It also urged citizens to remain committed to defending the nation’s constitutional democracy, upholding the Rule of Law and demanding greater transparency and accountability from the government.

Linda Yaccarino, the chief executive officer (CEO) of X, formerly Twitter, has announced that the social media platform will launch a payment system called X Money in 2025.

In a statement on X on Tuesday, Yaccarino said 2025 will connect X users in ways never thought possible.

“In 2024, X changed the world. Now, YOU are the media!” she said.

“2025 X will connect you in ways never thought possible. X TV, X Money, Grok and more.

“Buckle up. Happy New Year!”

In April 2023, SLATE reported that Elon Musk, the owner of the microblogging platform, plans to make X the “everything app”.

X is expected to serve as an all-in-one solution.

On December 18, Musk said the total active users on X is one billion, but about 40 percent only visit the platform during major world events.

In April, Musk confirmed plans to charge new users to post on the platform, adding that it is the only solution to curb the issue of bots on the platform.

The billionaire said the proliferation of fake accounts occupies the available space for usernames, leading to the unavailability of many good handles.

According to Musk, new users will be able to post for free after three months.

Already, X has started charging new users in New Zealand and the Philippines $1 per year to access key features, which include the ability to tweet, retweet, like posts and reply to posts.

The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, asserted on Tuesday that PDP remains the strongest opposition party in the country, adding that any merger without the PDP would not unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Damagum, who spoke in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Tuesday, was reacting to comments on Monday by the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who ruled out an alliance with the PDP and the Labour Party in 2027.

Speaking on Tuesday, Damagum said there would have been no Kwankwaso without the PDP as he had his political grooming in the PDP before he departed.

The PDP chairman dismissed Kwankwaso’s assertion that the PDP was dead, stating that the party remains the only opposition party still winning governorship elections across the country.

Damagum said, “People are entitled to their opinions, but I want to remind him (Kwankwaso) of the past. When they left the PDP in 2015, if the party didn’t die back then, during a time they thought they had weakened it, I don’t see why anyone would claim it is dead now.

“Let’s not forget that the PDP remains the only party capable of winning elections if you exclude the ruling APC.

“That said, there is no party better than the PDP for Kwankwaso. The party nurtured his political career and brought him to where he is today. We still hope he will return to work with us to rebuild our party and confront this oppressive government.”

Damagum highlighted the PDP’s resilience and continued influence, pointing to its lasting structure and widespread presence throughout Nigeria.

He stated, “The PDP is the only party that has consistently won elections without being in power. Senator Kwankwaso may have left, but how many states did he win with his new party? The facts speak for themselves.

“For over two decades, the PDP has remained steadfast, maintaining its identity and producing governors and lawmakers in every part of the country. Even if four parties merge without the PDP, they cannot win an election. We’ve seen this play out repeatedly. Where are those parties now? Even their alliances with other parties have not delivered the desired results.

“I admit that some of his claims about the challenges we faced back then are valid. As the Deputy National Chairman (North) at the time, my powers were limited, but we tried to resolve the issues. Unfortunately, those efforts fell short. He himself acknowledged this in previous interviews.”