TheCable

The Punch reports that it will cost Nigeria N8.72 trillion if the country decides to pay back the $40.06 billion external debt in 2022. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said the federal government is not ready to fund public universities in Nigeria, the newspaper says.

The Nation reports that Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has promised to privatise the country’s three refineries to raise $10 billion for the empowerment of small and medium scale businesses (SMEs) in the country. The newspaper says Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has criticised Yakubu Dogara, former speaker of house of representatives, for backing Atiku.

Daily Trust says Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, has directed the Nigerian Correctional Service to redeploy female prison officers who cannot shoot to kill. The newspaper reports that the resumption of the Kaduna-Abuja train service was greeted by low turnout of passengers.

Daily Independent says foreign airlines are still struggling to repatriate their $600 million trapped funds in Nigeria. The newspaper reports that the Nigerian navy has denied indicting the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited over the theft of crude oil in the country.

Vanguard reports that Tinubu said the
Independent National Electronic Commission (INEC) is yet to assure Nigerians of the workability of the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS). The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said it will not accept hike in the price of petrol, the newspaper says.