Dozens die after boat hits tree stump in Nigerian river

At least 32 people have died in Nigeria's northern Niger state after a boat sank in a river, an official has told the BBC.

The boat was reportedly overloaded, carrying about 100 passengers including women and children, capsized when it struck a submerged tree stump on the River Niger in the Borgu area on Tuesday morning.

They were on their way to a nearby village to pay their respects to the family of someone who had recently died.

Abdullahi Baba Ara, the spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) in the state, told BBC Hausa on Thursday that more than 50 other people had been rescued, with eight still missing.

Search operations are continuing.

Mr Ara said the government had set up a team of "water marshals" to stop boat operators from overloading their vessels and ensure passengers wear life jackets.

"Perhaps the water marshals were not on duty when this boat took off," he said, adding that investigations had started.

A local district head told the Reuters news agency that he had been at the scene soon after the accident.

"I was at the scene yesterday around 12 pm until 4 pm. The boat carried more than 100 people. We were able to recover 31 corpses from the river. The boat was also recovered and removed," Reuters quoted Sa'adu Inuwa Muhammad as saying.

Boat accidents are fairly common in Nigeria, often due to overloading, poor regulation and inadequate safety precautions.

About 25 people went missing last month after a boat accident in Sokoto state.

In December last year, 54 bodies were recovered from the River Niger after a boat that may have been carrying more than 200 passengers capsized.

The government has made it mandatory for water travellers to always wear life jackets, but this is often not enforced.

In February, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, set up a "Special Committee on the Prevention of Boat Mishaps in Nigeria", and in May the ministry announced that it would be distributing 42,000 life jackets across 12 riverine states in the country.

Later in the month, the National Inland Water Ways Authority (NIWA) kicked off a campaign they called "No Life Jacket, No Travel", and "No Night Travelling" in Niger and Kwara states where boat accidents have occurred regularly in the recent past.

Niger state is Nigeria's largest by land mass and people tend to travel a lot by water as it is often the fastest and cheapest means of getting around.

By Basillioh Rukanga and Chukwunaeme Obiejesi, BBC

Related story: ‘Over 400 Killed in 6 Months’: The Sorry Cases of Boat Mishaps in Nigeria

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Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, faces a critical turning point: a growing youth population racing against a widening digital skills gap. Young Nigerians, like music producer Daniel Daniel, are investing in digital training to stay relevant in an evolving job market.

CGTN Africa

U.S. defends visa revocations, cites security concerns as Nigerians face entry barriers

Responding to reports of visa revocations affecting Nigerian students, business travelers, and professionals who were asked to return their passports after being informed their visas were no longer valid, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja said the process was a security measure that falls within its legal mandate.

In an earlier report, Business Insider Africa disclosed that some Nigerians were being blocked from entering the U.S. after discovering at airports that their visas had been cancelled without prior notice.

The development was revealed by former NNPC spokesperson Femi Soneye, who said several Nigerians had reached out to him to complain about the cancellations, stressing that they came without any form of warning.

Embassy defends move to ‘secure borders’

A spokesperson for the Embassy told BBC News Pidgin that the revocations were being carried out on “a scale never seen before” as part of efforts to secure America’s borders.

Citing Section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the spokesperson noted that both the Secretary of State and consular officers are empowered to revoke visas at any time if there is “indication of a potential ineligibility.”

“The Trump Administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the Embassy stated.

“Prohibiting entry to the United States by those who may pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety is key to protecting U.S. citizens at home.”

Officials further explained that revocations may target cases involving visa overstays, violations of U.S. law, engagement in criminal activity, or alleged ties to terrorism.

While Nigeria is not on Washington’s formal list of banned or restricted countries, the revocations have nevertheless alarmed many Nigerians who argue that the process lacks transparency, given that most recipients were told only that “new information had come up.”

The controversy has fueled frustration among affected travelers, particularly students and professionals, who say the sudden withdrawals have disrupted their academic, business, and personal plans.

Still, Washington has made it clear that its stance is unlikely to soften, as it continues to emphasize security imperatives over diplomatic sensitivities.

By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa

Related story: Nigerian U.S. visa holders quietly blocked from entry as investigations unfold

Nigeria introduces new curriculum for schools, introduces trade subjects

The Nigerian government has introduced a new curriculum for schools that mandates Junior Secondary School (JSS 1) students to pick at least one trade subject to boost practical skills.

According to a document developed by the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council (NERDC), the six practical skills available are Solar Photovoltaic installation and maintenance, Fashion design and garment making, Livestock farming, Beauty and cosmetology, Computer hardware and GSM repairs, Horticulture and crop production.

Speaking at the 2025 International Conference of the African Curriculum Association hosted by the NERDC on Monday, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, described the new curriculum as ‘future-ready’ and noted it was streamlined to meet the skills demand of the 21st century.

Represented by the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, a professor, Mr Alausa said the review for the basic education level has been completed, while that of the senior secondary level nears completion.

A separate statement by the education ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, indicated that the review was conducted in collaboration with the NERDC, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), National Secondary School Education Commission (NSSEC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and other key stakeholders.

The new curriculum

The statement explained that the new framework balances subject offerings with more practical learning.

The ministry noted that at the primary level, pupils in Primary 1–3 will offer 9–10 subjects, while those in Primary 4–6 will take 10–12 subjects.

For Junior Secondary School, the range is 12–14 subjects; Senior Secondary students will take 8–9; and technical schools will offer 9–11 subjects.

Minister speaks

Mr Alausa said the new curriculum is expected to kick off soon.

“The review of these curricula is based on best practices and design approach following the requisite stages, criteria and involving a broad-spectrum of critical stakeholders,” the minister said.

He explained that the framework, structure and content of the curriculum are based on a competency and outcome approach and leveraged on the thematic, spiral-cyclical model.

He added that the content covers new areas pertaining to digital literacy, robotics and artificial intelligence, new technologies and subject-based skills.

Mr Alausa said the new curriculum is learner-centred and focused on 21st-century skills that are transferable and issues of values, national heritage, and effective citizenship.

“One thing we want to achieve in the curriculum reform process is to ensure content learnability and coverage, thereby improving learning outcomes across all subjects,” he said.

“Thus, the curricula and subject offerings have been scaled down drastically to align with global standards and engender effective learning at the various levels of primary and senior secondary education.”

New subjects

According to the NERDC document, the subjects for Primary 1-3 pupils are: English Studies, Mathematics, Nigerian Languages (One Nigerian Language), Basic Science, Physical and Health Education, Christian Religion Studies (CRS) (For Christian Pupils Only) and Islamic Studies (For Muslim Pupils Only), Nigerian History, Social and Citizenship Studies, Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA) and Arabic Language (Optional).

For Primary 4-6, the subjects are: English Studies, Mathematics, Nigerian Languages (One Nigerian Language), Basic Science and Technology, Physical and Health Education, Basic Digital Literacy, CRS (For Christian Pupils Only) and IS (For Muslim Pupils Only), Nigerian History, Social and Citizenship Studies, Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA), Pre-vocational studies, French (Optional) and Arabic Language (Optional).

The subjects for Junior Secondary School 1 – 3 are: English Studies, Mathematics, Nigerian Languages (One Nigerian Language), Intermediate Science, Physical and Health Education, Digital Technologies, Christian Religious Studies (CRS) (For Christian Pupils Only), Islamic Studies (IS) (For Muslim Pupils Only), Nigerian History, Social and Citizenship Studies, Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA), Business Studies, French (optional), Arabic Language (Optional) and one of the six available Trade subjects.

Meanwhile, Senior Secondary School students are to take five compulsory subjects, including one of the trade subjects and the others from their preferred area of specialisation – sciences, humanities, or business.

The compulsory subjects are: English Language, General Mathematics, One Trade subject, Citizenship and Heritage Studies, and Digital Technologies.

Students in the Sciences are to take: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agriculture, Further Mathematics, Physical Education, Health Education, Foods & Nutrition, Geography, Technical Drawing.

For Humanities: Nigerian History, Government, Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, one Nigerian language, French, Arabic, Visual Arts, Music, Literature in English, Home Management, Catering craft Business: Accounting, Commerce, Marketing, and Economics.

Premium Times

Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala leaves Bay FC for Saudi Women’s Al-Hilal

 

Nigeria forward Asisat Oshoala has joined Saudi Women’s Premier League club Al-Hilal on transfer from Bay FC in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The 30-year-old Nigerian international signed a two-year contract with Al-Hilal.

Oshoala joined Bay FC before its inaugural season in 2024 from Barcelona, where she won two Women’s Champions League titles. She scored a team-high seven goals in her first year with the San Francisco Bay Area team.

The 30-year-old scored Bay FC’s first franchise goal on March 17, 2024, in the 17th minute of a match against Angel City.

“Asisat has been an incredibly important part of Bay FC history, not only with her impact on the pitch but also through the energy, professionalism, and kindness she brought every day,” Matt Patter, Bay’s sporting director, said in a prepared statement Tuesday.

“She is a world-class player and an even better person, and we are grateful for everything she contributed to our club in its first season.”

A six-time African player of the year, her last being in 2023, Oshoala was on the Nigerian team that won its 10th Africa Cup of Nations title in July.

Born in Ikorodu, Oshoala was also the first African woman to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or award, the title regarded as representing the best player in the world each year.

She missed out on the 2022 award to Alexia Putellas of Spain. That year also marked her sixth and last African Women’s Player of the Year award.

Oshoala joins fellow Nigerians, Ashleigh Plumptre and Francisca Ordega, at Al-Hilal.

Al Jazeera