Top 5 Stories Of The Day | Atiku Slams ₦70,000 Transport Allowance as Inadequate Amid Rising Costs

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government’s ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for public servants, calling it insufficient to ease Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his campaign communication director, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the allowance would cover only about 50 litres of petrol at ₦1,400 per litre.

The six-month payment, scheduled to begin in November 2026, followed an agreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress. Atiku argued that the measure offered only temporary relief while households and businesses continued to face rising costs and economic hardship.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has alleged that people attacking President Bola Tinubu and his supporters on social media are being paid, urging northern youths to mobilise support for the President’s 2027 re-election.

He spoke on Wednesday during a visit by the Arewa Revival Project, a youth group representing Nigeria’s 19 northern states, which presented him with an award for his contributions to nation-building.

Akpabio urged members to engage young people at the grassroots and promote continuity in government. He said they should help others understand the administration’s actions, despite what he described as paid online attacks against Tinubu and his supporters.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) has announced that eligible Visa and Mastercard holders can now use Google Pay for contactless payments in Nigeria, following the service’s launch.

The bank said on Wednesday that customers can pay for purchases in shops using compatible mobile devices at supported terminals without carrying physical cards. The service also supports local and international transactions, subject to availability and merchant acceptance.

UBA’s Director of Cards, Orry Seem, said the integration would make payments more convenient. She added that UBA was the first Nigerian bank to enable Google Pay for eligible Visa and Mastercard users.

Nollywood filmmaker Funke Akindele has revealed that she has experienced emotional breakdowns, sometimes locking herself away to cry before finding the strength to carry on.

Speaking to CNN Africa, she said public attention often focuses on her marriages and break-ups, leaving people unaware of her personal struggles. She added that prioritising her mental health had helped her overcome difficult periods.

Akindele also said she was learning to make more time for herself after years of putting work first. The actress stressed the importance of self-love, personal happiness, and spending time with loved ones, rather than letting work dominate her life.

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian has described co-parenting with her ex-husband, rapper Kanye West, as a major burden, admitting she constantly worries about him because he is the father of their four children.

Speaking in an interview for Jonathan Van Meter’s biography Citizen Kim, Kardashian said she tries to shield their children from their tensions and often protects their image of their father. She also acknowledged the need for stronger personal boundaries.

Kardashian said their relationship has been relatively smooth because they communicate less frequently. She added that she sometimes tells the children their father is travelling when his whereabouts are unclear.

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