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By Gloria Ikibah

The Federal Government has concluded the payment of outstanding severance benefits to 2,100 former workers of Nigeria Airways Limited, more than two decades after the national carrier was liquidated.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, in a press conference in Abuja, said the payments covered beneficiaries in Batches 1 to 7, while another 600 former workers in Batches 8 and 9 are expected to receive their entitlements within days.

The development brings the total number of former Nigeria Airways workers covered under the settlement to 2,700, with benefits amounting to ₦18 billion across the nine batches.

For the affected workers and their families, the payment ends years of uncertainty over severance benefits owed to them following the liquidation of the national carrier.

Naijablitznews.com reports that President Bola Tinubu had earlier approved the settlement of the outstanding obligations and directed the Federal Government to bring the longstanding matter to a conclusion.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, explained that the payment is a reflection of the Tinubu-led
administration’s commitment to addressing legitimate obligations owed to Nigerians.

He said: “Behind these figures are people and families who have waited for years to receive what is legitimately due to them. Our responsibility is to confront outstanding obligations, complete the necessary processes and, once the resources are secured, ensure that the people affected feel the impact of government positively”.

According to Oyedele, the exercise also demonstrated what can be achieved when government institutions worked together to resolve longstanding issues.

He added that the government’s priority is to ensure that approved beneficiaries received their entitlements while maintaining safeguards around public funds.

The Minister said the payment process followed extensive verification of beneficiary records, including biometric capture and validation of personal and banking information, to ensure that the funds reached the rightful beneficiaries.

He also acknowledged the role played by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, whose engagement with the Finance Ministry helped sustain efforts towards resolving the matter.

The National Assembly Joint Committees on Aviation were also commended for their oversight and engagement on the outstanding payments.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, and his House counterpart, Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba, were said to have been actively involved in efforts to advance the case of the former Nigeria Airways workers.

Meanwhile, the Director in charge of the Presidential Initiative and Continuous Audit (PICA) Department, Seldam Dangin, said the Finance Ministry was preparing a second phase of the exercise to capture beneficiaries whose records could not be processed during the first phase.

Dangin said the mop-up exercise would focus on correcting inaccurate or outdated information, conducting additional biometric verification where necessary and updating banking details.

It will also cover cases involving deceased beneficiaries, with next of kin or estates required to complete the necessary verification and legal processes before payments could be made.

The mop-up exercise is expected to begin by the end of September or early October, subject to final arrangements.

The Finance Ministry said the payment of the first seven batches, alongside the readiness of Batches 8 and 9, marked a major step towards clearing the severance obligations owed to former Nigeria Airways workers, while the mop-up exercise would provide an opportunity to resolve remaining cases and bring more eligible beneficiaries into the payment process.

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The Federal Government has approved the takeover of admissions into Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), in a major reform aimed at sanitising the admission process in polytechnics and other institutions offering HND programmes.

The decision means prospective HND students will, from the current admission session, have their admissions processed through JAMB under a centralised system.

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) disclosed this in a circular dated September 9, 2026, signed by its Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, and obtained by LEADERSHIP Weekend.

The directive followed a meeting involving the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa; JAMB; NBTE; the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC); and officials of the Federal Ministry of Education.

According to the NBTE, the new system is designed to tackle illegal, irregular and compromised admissions, particularly cases that could leave students stranded after completing their programmes.

The board said some students admitted through questionable channels had faced difficulties securing NYSC mobilisation after obtaining their HND certificates.

“All HND admissions in all institutions shall from this session be taken over by JAMB to provide centralised process and avoid illegal and compromised admissions, jeopardising students’ mobilisation for NYSC after HND,” the circular stated.

The Federal Ministry of Education is expected to issue a detailed statement on the new policy next week.

NBTE also directed that comprehensive guidelines for HND admissions be developed immediately and submitted to JAMB to guide the implementation of the new digital admission platform.

The proposed guidelines will cover important issues, including the waiting period required for National Diploma (ND) holders before progressing to HND programmes.

They will also clarify exemptions applicable to certain ND health-related programmes.

Part-time ND admissions capped at 50%

The government also approved a new limit for part-time National Diploma admissions following the decision to bring all part-time ND admissions under JAMB.

Under the new arrangement, institutions will be permitted to admit part-time students up to 50 per cent of their approved full-time admission quota.

“Now that all part-time ND admissions are under the JAMB, the proportion of part-time students is pegged at 50 per cent of the approved full-time quota,” NBTE stated.

The Federal Government further reaffirmed an earlier NBTE directive concerning candidates holding combined National Certificate in Education (NCE) and HND qualifications.

In a separate circular issued on September 7, NBTE directed that candidates with an NCE/HND combination should not be presented for NYSC mobilisation.

The latest reforms are expected to strengthen central oversight of admissions into Nigeria’s technical and polytechnic institutions while reducing irregular admission practices and protecting students from complications after graduation.

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Senator Victor Umeh has expressed confidence that former Kano State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, cannot be defeated in Kano State if the 2027 presidential election is free, fair and credible.

Umeh, who represents Anambra Central Senatorial District, made the assertion on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, while discussing the NDC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The senator said Kwankwaso’s political influence in Kano remained formidable, insisting that the former governor would retain his stronghold in the state under a transparent electoral process.

«“No matter the noise they make in Kano, nobody can beat Kwankwaso there once the election is credible, transparent, free and fair. I can bet it,” Umeh said.»

He added that he was working closely with Kwankwaso and other leaders of the party as the NDC positions itself for the 2027 elections.

“I’m working with him and other leaders of the party very closely. The party is well more prepared to be an opposition party that will contest this election with very credible candidates,” he said.

Umeh also pointed to the growing public reception for the party’s candidates, citing the recent outing of the NDC’s Rivers State governorship candidate, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, in Port Harcourt.

“Look at what our Rivers State governorship candidate, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, did in Port Harcourt in just his first outing. Port Harcourt was shut down,” he said.

The senator further cited the large crowd that reportedly followed the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during his recent activities in Port Harcourt, describing the turnout as evidence of growing enthusiasm among voters.

“Those people following them in Port Harcourt last week are Nigerians that will vote. Why were they following our presidential candidate, Peter Obi, like Jesus was crossing, and people were marching around him?

“Something must be motivating and driving the people, the voting population,” Umeh added.

His comments come as political parties and potential presidential contenders intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with control of key states such as Kano expected to play a major role in the presidential contest.