Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 13th March, 2026
Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 13th March, 2026.
by Oladipo Abiola · Naija News1. Tinubu Meets Service Chiefs In Aso Rock Amid Rising Insecurity
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday met with the country’s top military leaders at the Presidential Villa in Abuja amid growing security concerns across parts of Nigeria.
Naija News reports that the meeting brought together the Service Chiefs and other senior security officials for a review of the current security situation in different parts of the country, including the North-East where recent attacks on military formations have raised fresh concern.
Those present at the meeting included the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abass.
The closed-door session comes shortly after the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), held a separate meeting with the Service Chiefs at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja to discuss the recent attacks on military bases in the North-East.
2. Court Bars Aiyedatiwa From Contesting 2028 Ondo Governorship Election
A Federal High Court of Nigeria sitting in Akure has ruled that the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, cannot contest the 2028 governorship election, stating that doing so would violate the constitutional limit of eight years in office.
Naija News reports that delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Adegoke held that Aiyedatiwa’s tenure calculation makes him ineligible to seek another term after the current one.
According to the court, the 1999 Constitution (as amended) clearly stipulates that a president or governor cannot remain in office for more than eight years.
The judge relied on the Supreme Court’s precedent in Marwa v. Nyako, which clarified tenure limits for elected executives who complete the term of their predecessors.
Justice Adegoke stated that allowing Aiyedatiwa to contest again would contradict the position of the apex court.
3. Senate Picks Date To Pass 2026 Budget, Adjourns Till March 31
The Nigerian Senate has adjourned until March 31, 2026, for the Sallah break.
Naija News reports that the decision was taken during Thursday’s plenary, which was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The lawmakers also agreed to pass the 2026 National Budget upon return from Sallah break on March 31.
Meanwhile, as earlier reported by Naija News, a total of nine senators on Thursday, announced their decision to dump their political parties for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
4. Major Blackout Looms As Gas Suppliers Threaten Shutdown Over ₦3.3 Trillion Debt
Nigerians may experience worsening electricity supply in the coming weeks as power generation companies have raised an alarm over a looming disruption in gas supply due to huge unpaid debts.
Naija News reports that the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, Dr Joy Ogaji, disclosed that gas suppliers have threatened to halt supply unless part of the outstanding ₦ 3.3 trillion debt owed to them is settled.
Ogaji made this known during an interview on Fresh FM, where she explained that the ongoing power outages across the country were largely linked to the mounting financial obligations within the electricity value chain.
According to Ogaji, Nigeria’s electricity generation is currently under severe strain because thermal power plants, which rely heavily on gas supply, are struggling to obtain enough fuel to operate.
She explained that the national grid was only able to generate about 3,334 megawatts of electricity as of Wednesday, largely due to insufficient gas supply.
The power sector in Nigeria depends predominantly on gas-fired plants, and any disruption in gas availability directly affects the amount of electricity supplied to the national grid.
5. Fuel Price Drops As NNPC Reduces Pump Price Nationwide
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has reduced the pump price of petrol at its retail outlets to ₦1,130 per litre in Lagos and ₦1,165 per litre in Abuja.
The new pricing, which took effect on Wednesday, represents a reduction of ₦100 from the previous ₦1,230 per litre in Lagos and ₦95 from ₦1,260 per litre in Abuja.
Checks showed that the revised price was already reflected at several NNPC retail outlets in Lagos, including stations along Isheri Oshun Road, Apple Junction, and Ago Palace Way.
Similarly, motorists in Abuja observed the new price of ₦1,165 per litre at NNPC filling stations located in Jabi and Wuse.
The development offers slight relief to consumers who have faced repeated petrol price increases in srecent months.
The latest adjustment comes despite many oil marketers yet to reflect the earlier reduction in the gantry price of petrol by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
6. Appeal Court Affirms Wole Oluyede As PDP Candidate For Ekiti Governorship Election
The Court of Appeal, Akure Division, on Thursday, affirmed Dr Wole Oluyede as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ekiti Governorship Election.
The appellate court, in its ruling, affirmed the validity of the PDP primary election in Ekiti State, which produced Oluyede as the party’s governorship candidate.
In a unanimous decision, the three-man appellate panel led by Hon. Justice Peter Chudi Obiorah, alongside Hon. Justice Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Hon. Justice Peter O. Affen, set aside the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti.
The justices held that the primary election conducted by the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) was valid, transparent, and complied with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
7. Davido, Burna Boy Missing As Ayra Starr Names Her Afrobeats Big 3
Nigerian singer, Ayra Starr, has revealed her choice of the greatest Afrobeats artistes of all time, popularly referred to as the “Afrobeats Big 3.”
The ‘Rush’ crooner made the disclosure during a recent interview with Hot 97 FM, where she named Tiwa Savage, Wizkid and Rema as her top three Afrobeats stars.
Her selection has sparked conversations among fans and music enthusiasts, particularly because popular Afrobeats heavyweights Davido and Burna Boy were not included in her list.
Naija News reports that in the Afrobeats scene, Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy are commonly regarded by fans and critics as the genre’s “Big 3” due to their global influence and commercial success.
However, Ayra Starr’s list took a different direction, with the singer choosing Rema and Tiwa Savage alongside Wizkid.
8. ‘If DNA Test Shows A Child Isn’t Mine, I Will Still Accept The Child’ – Nollywood Actor, Rotimi Salami
Nollywood actor, Rotimi Salami, has weighed in on the trend of paternity scam, stating that he could accept a child whose DNA shows he is not the biological father
Naija News reports that the movie star, during an interview on BBC Yoruba, said that if he has already bonded with the child and sees the child as his own, he would still accept the child and continue to raise him.
He said, “If DNA says a child is not mine and I already see the child as mine, I will accept the child.”
However, Salami added that he does not know how he would react toward his wife if such a situation ever happened.
9. ‘Not Appropriate’ For Iran To Attend 2026 World Cup, Donald Trump Says
United States President Donald Trump has said Iran’s national football team may be “welcome” at the 2026 World Cup, but warned it would not be appropriate for them to attend because of security concerns.
The tournament, organised by FIFA, will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June.
Naija News reports that Donald Trump made the remarks on Thursday, March 12, amid rising tensions following military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran that killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and several Gulf states that host American military bases, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Against that backdrop, Trump questioned whether Iran should travel to the finals.
10. Friday Ekpo Explains Why Super Falcons Are More Successful Than Super Eagles
Former Nigeria international Friday Ekpo has offered his view on why the Nigeria women’s national football team have enjoyed greater success than the Nigeria men’s national football team.
Nigeria’s women remain the most decorated side in African women’s football, having lifted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title a record 10 times.
The Falcons have also maintained a remarkable record on the global stage, qualifying for every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1991.
Their best outing came at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the United States, where they reached the quarter-finals, a milestone no other African women’s team has matched.
The Falcons also hold the distinction of being the only African side to reach the quarter-finals in the women’s football event at the Olympic Games.
By contrast, the Super Eagles have won the Africa Cup of Nations three times and have featured at the FIFA World Cup on six occasions.
Speaking on The PlayZone podcast, Ekpo said competition in men’s football partly explains the gap in achievements.