It’s another edition of NRTC WEEKLY Roundup, and in this week’s edition, we are focusing on five trending stories across the country.
As usual, the stories will cut across the top five beats in our media organisation, NRTC [your one-stop hub for rich and reliable content covering entertainment, sports, politics, metro, and leading stories].
As we all know, a day can’t pass without trending stories, and we have tracked many of them for you this week. Why not scroll down and treat yourself?
Politics: 2027: Makinde declares presidential ambition
NRTC WEEKLY gathered that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The governor made the announcement during a well-attended rally at the historic Mapo Hall on Thursday.
He confirmed that he would run on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Addressing supporters at the rally, Makinde said his decision to join the presidential race was driven by what he described as the need to reposition the country and offer Nigerians a fresh political direction.
Business/Economy: Nigeria’s headline inflation forecast to rise to 16.42% in April 2026
NRTC WEEKLY learnt that Nigeria’s headline inflation is projected to rise to 16.42% year-on-year in April 2026, reversing a sustained disinflation trend that had brought annual price growth down from a peak of 27.35% in March 2025 to 15.06% in February 2026, according to a forecast by the Financial Market Dealers Association.
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The FMDA’s April 2026 Inflation Forecast report, released on Wednesday and drawing on data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the World Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, attributes the projected acceleration to higher energy costs, rising food prices, and elevated global commodity prices.
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On a month-on-month basis, FMDA projects headline inflation at 2.78% in April, moderating from 4.18% in March. The annual figure of 16.42% would represent the first back-to-back monthly acceleration in year-on-year inflation since mid-2025, following a reading of 15.38% in March.
Leading Stories: JAMB announces 2026 admission cut‑off marks for tertiary institutions
NRTC WEEKLY reported that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced new minimum cut‑off scores for admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions for the 2026 academic session.
Speaking after a meeting with heads of tertiary institutions, JAMB confirmed that the minimum admissible score for universities will be 150, while colleges of nursing will also require 150.
Polytechnic will admit candidates with a minimum score of 100.
The announcement was disclosed during the 2026 policy meeting held in Abuja on Monday, and shared on JAMB’s official account.
Sports: NFF suspends referee Yakubu Adamu indefinitely
NRTC WEEKLY gathered that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has suspended referee Yakubu Adamu indefinitely from all football activities, following his controversial officiating during the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match between Rangers International and Bendel Insurance in Enugu.
In an official statement released by the NFF Refereeing Development Committee, the body said, “Referee Yakubu Adamu has been suspended indefinitely with immediate effect from all league and football matters.
Mr. Adamu is sanctioned for his decision to award a penalty during the Rangers vs Bendel Insurance match which is not in line with the provisions of the Laws of the Game.
Entertainment: Nollywood mourns as Alex Ekubo dies at 40
NRTC WEEKLY learnt that the Nigerian entertainment industry has been thrown into deep mourning following the death of Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo after a battle with liver cancer.
He was aged 40.
The heartbreaking news spread across social media on Tuesday, leaving actors, filmmakers and fans struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss.
Actress Kehinde Bankole described the news as one that “breaks the heart in many pieces,” as she prayed for comfort for everyone affected by the tragedy. She also praised the late actor for being “one of our most formidable players in our industry.”
That’s all for this week on NRTC WEEKLY. Stay tuned and join us again for another exciting edition next week!
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