News on the Go: 5 things that should matter to you today

• Nigeria’s inflation rate drops to 23.71% in April 2025
• President Tinubu to attend inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome
• UK plans ‘return hubs’ for failed asylum seekers – PM Starmer

We have highlighted the five most important developments in the news today, Friday, May 16, and present them below.

5 issues in the news that should matter to you today

1. Nigeria’s inflation rate drops to 23.71% in April 2025: Nigeria’s headline inflation rate dropped to 23.71% in April 2025, reflecting a 0.52 percentage point decrease from the 24.23% recorded in March. 

The development was revealed in the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The report also indicated a fall in the food inflation index, which declined by 0.53 percentage points to 21.26% from 21.79% in March.

2. Parents raise concerns as WAEC, UTME resit dates clash: Parents of students affected by a technical glitch during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are calling for a postponement of the rescheduled test, which begins today, May 16, 2025.

Parents expressed worry over the psychological stress on students, the overlap with the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and the logistical difficulties caused by long-distance travel to exam centres.

3. Ibadan leaders reject move to make Alaafin permanent head of Obas council: Tension is rising in Oyo State as key figures in Ibadan, including Mogajis, Baales, and monarchs, oppose the proposed appointment of the Alaafin of Oyo as the permanent Chairman of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

Led by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), the group condemned the Oyo State House of Assembly’s second reading of a bill that seeks to end the current rotational leadership system in favour of making Alaafin the sole head.

4. President Tinubu to attend inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome: President Bola Tinubu is set to travel to Rome on Saturday, May 17, following an invitation from Pope Leo XIV to attend his inauguration as the 267th Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church.

According to a statement by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president will be accompanied by prominent Catholic leaders to attend the inauguration mass marking the start of the new pope’s pontificate.

5. UK plans ‘return hubs’ for failed asylum seekers – PM Starmer: The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, announced plans to establish “return hubs” in collaboration with other countries to manage the deportation of failed asylum seekers.

Speaking during his official visit to Albania, Starmer told GB News that the UK was in discussions to set up these hubs as part of efforts to streamline the repatriation process.