Television presenter Rufai Oseni has dismissed the law that allows Nigeria's states to generate and distribute their own electricity, saying it cannot work in practice.

What he said

Speaking on a breakfast television programme on Monday, 2 November 2026, Oseni reportedly said the idea of decentralising power sounds good in theory, but most states lack the money, technical skill and infrastructure to carry it out. He said the power sector needs huge investment, steady gas supply, power plants, transmission lines and working distribution networks, and asked how many states could provide these.

His argument

Oseni noted that the federal government, after running the sector for more than four decades, still struggles to supply a steady 4,000 to 5,000 megawatts to a population of over 200 million, and that the national grid often collapses. He added that many states struggle to pay civil servants and depend on monthly federal allocations, so they cannot be expected to fund power plants costing billions of dollars. He questioned how the country could split supply into 36 centres when it could not provide 24-hour power from one, and urged the government to focus on fixing the grid and gas supply.

Background

The Electricity Act of 2023 allows states to regulate and develop their own electricity markets, and several states, including Lagos, Enugu and Ondo, have set up their own regulators. Supporters of the law say it will attract investment and bring power closer to consumers. Electricity has also become a campaign issue, with opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar accusing President Tinubu of failing to keep his power promises, while the government points to its grid expansion plans.

Ebonyi State governor Francis Nwifuru says he has sent a bill to the state House of Assembly that would make kidnapping punishable by death by hanging, with no other option.

Where he said it

Nwifuru made the announcement over the weekend at the funeral of HRH Eze Francis Igwe, the traditional ruler of Ndufu-Alike autonomous community in Ikwo Local Government Area. The monarch, the father of a former deputy governor of the state, Eric Igwe, was abducted on Sunday, 1 March 2026, while travelling to church, and was reportedly killed by his captors the next day.

What he said

The governor said the bill was meant to deter anyone planning a kidnapping, whether for money or for political reasons. He said he would not delay in carrying out any court judgment against those arrested over the monarch's killing, and that the murder must be the last of its kind in Ikwo and across the state. He also expressed concern about what he described as a moral decline among young people and urged them to turn away from crime.

Tributes

Former governors Sam Egwu and Martin Elechi and former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim paid tribute to the late monarch, describing him as a peacemaker, educationist and good administrator who brought projects such as the Folk Technical College to his community. His eldest son said his father's last wish was for Governor Nwifuru to win a second term.

Background

Several Nigerian states already have laws that allow the death penalty for kidnapping, but executions are rare because governors must sign death warrants. Human rights groups oppose the death penalty, while supporters argue it is needed to deter a crime that has spread across the country.

What happens next

The bill must be passed by the House of Assembly and signed by the governor before it becomes law.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says two people investigated for suspected Ebola virus disease in Adamawa State have tested negative.

What happened

NCDC Director-General Jide Idris said the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre received a report in the early hours of 30 October 2026 after two people in Yola developed symptoms that needed further investigation. The two were isolated, public health measures were started and samples were collected. Idris said the samples came back negative for Ebola after two rounds of testing.

Nigeria's only case

Idris said the case confirmed earlier in the Federal Capital Territory remained the only laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria. That patient had recently travelled to Uganda and was later evacuated to Switzerland for treatment, while dozens of contacts were monitored. He praised the Adamawa Commissioner for Health and the state response team for acting quickly, and said the NCDC would keep supporting the state.

Contacts being monitored

In its latest situation report, published on Monday, 2 November, the NCDC said 62 contacts of the confirmed case had been identified and are being followed up. Their monitoring periods end on different dates between 31 October and 13 November 2026, so 13 November is the latest date on which follow-up of the current contacts is expected to finish. The agency said it had trained more contact tracers and that surveillance continues.

Advice to the public

The NCDC urged people to stay calm, avoid spreading unverified claims and rely on official channels for updates. Anyone with fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, especially after possible exposure, should seek medical help immediately, tell health workers about any travel or contact with sick people, and avoid self-medication.

Background

The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, began in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May and has recorded more than 10,000 confirmed cases and close to 5,000 deaths, mostly in the DR Congo. Africa CDC has warned that the continent is not winning the fight, and African health ministers have agreed to strengthen border surveillance.

Some poor households have reportedly started receiving payments under the federal government's Household Prosperity and Empowerment (HoPE) Cash Transfer Programme, according to reports at the weekend.

What has been reported

Several beneficiaries said they received text messages showing that ₦25,000 had been paid into their accounts through microfinance banks and payment providers. Under the programme, eligible households are expected to receive ₦25,000 a month for three months, a total of ₦75,000 per household. The money is meant to help families with food, transport and other basic needs.

What is not yet clear

The government has not confirmed how many households have been paid or whether payments have started nationwide. Reports say payment dates may differ from one beneficiary to another, and that not every eligible household will be paid at the same time.

Beware of scams

Beneficiaries are being advised to confirm any payment alert with their bank or payment provider through official customer service channels, and not to share passwords, PINs or other private details with anyone. People are also warned to ignore offers of registration for a fee, as the programme does not charge people to enrol.

Background

The government has run several cash transfer schemes since the removal of the petrol subsidy in 2023, aimed at cushioning the effect of rising prices on the poorest households. A separate scheme offering ₦50,000 a month to some vulnerable Nigerians was announced recently. Critics have questioned how beneficiaries are selected and whether payments reach the right people, while the government says it uses the national social register.

What it means

For families who receive the money, the payments offer some relief, but many Nigerians say the amounts are small compared with the cost of living.