The Super Falcons of Nigeria have dropped seven places to 43rd in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings following a disappointing outing at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The 10-time African champions slipped from 36th position after losing 83.54 points in the latest ranking update.

Nigeria’s decline followed a difficult campaign at the continental tournament, where they suffered defeats to Malawi in their opening group match and Cameroon.

The Falcons’ struggles continued in the play-offs, where they lost 2-1 to South Africa, missing out on qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Despite their drop in the global rankings, Nigeria remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team, ahead of South Africa, who occupy 52nd place worldwide.

Cameroon are ranked 62nd, while Morocco and Ghana occupy 64th and 65th positions, respectively.

Malawi recorded the biggest improvement in the latest rankings, climbing 49 places following an impressive WAFCON campaign that saw them reach the final.

At the global level, Spain retained the top position, followed by the United States, Germany, England and Japan. The top five teams remained unchanged.

The next edition of the FIFA Women’s World Rankings is scheduled to be released on December 7, 2026.

Meanwhile, Super Falcons interim head coach Austin Eguavoen has appealed for patience as the team prepare for a crucial two-legged Olympic qualifying tie against Morocco.

Nigeria advanced to the third round of the qualifiers after defeating Comoros 5-0 in Ikenne on October 13, securing a comprehensive 7-0 aggregate victory.

The Falcons are scheduled to face Morocco between February 23 and March 6, 2027, with a place in the subsequent qualifying round at stake.

Eguavoen said the coaching crew would consider bringing back players who missed the recent qualifying matches while maintaining stability within the squad.

“Going forward, we expect to meet tougher opposition, no doubt about that,” he said.

“We have the quality, we have the personnel, we have the support.”

The coach stressed that the technical crew would need to strike a balance between making squad adjustments and maintaining consistency as Nigeria pursue one of Africa’s two qualification slots for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles

The Presidency has maintained that the statement made by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, regarding financial support from Nigerians living abroad to their relatives at home was not misrepresented.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The response came from Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, on Tuesday, shortly after Obi denied telling Nigerians in the diaspora to stop sending money to their loved ones in Nigeria.

Recall that Obi made the remarks during a town hall meeting with supporters in the United Kingdom, where he urged Nigerians abroad to encourage relatives seeking financial assistance to support candidates committed to good governance.

“You have people at home in Nigeria today who are begging you for money. Tell them no! Let’s put somebody who has proven to be productive,” Obi had said.

His remarks subsequently sparked controversy, with some interpreting them as a call for Nigerians living abroad to stop sending financial assistance to their families back home.

However, Obi issued a statement on Tuesday, insisting that his message had been distorted. He explained that although his media office had already released a clarification, he considered it necessary to personally address what he described as the misrepresentation of his comments by political opponents.

Reacting, Olusegun rejected Obi’s explanation, arguing that the original remarks were clear and had not been twisted. He also accused the opposition politician of adopting divisive tactics in his political campaign.

The presidential aide maintained that such an approach would not succeed in the 2027 general election, just as he claimed it failed to deliver victory for Obi in 2023.

In his response, Olusegun wrote:

“Trying to claim ‘MY MESSAGE HAS BEEN TWISTED’ won’t change what we all heard you say on video.

“No one twisted your message, certainly not. Your message, asking Nigerians abroad to stop sending money to their loved ones at home, is clear as day and a representation of the vileness in your heart and the hatred you harbour for Nigerians, whose only offence was rejecting you at the polls.

“You have chosen to go on another divisive route, which you are known for, for your campaign. You have set Christians against Muslims, Southerners against Northerners, children against parents, Nigerians against President Tinubu, and have now graduated to setting Nigerians abroad against Nigerians at home. Even by your standards, this is ridiculously low!

“You seek to govern the people you hate. You do not care about evil deeds as long as they advance your political ambitions.

“Unfortunately for you, Nigerians are wise and sophisticated people; they can read between the lines. Your divisive rhetoric did not work in 2023, and it certainly will not work in 2027.

“By the way, this has now been added to your long, inexhaustible list of flip-flopping, contradictory statements, lies, and denials of past statements and promises.

“Nigerians are watching and taking stock!” the presidential aide stated.

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called for a Nigeria where citizens are protected rather than subjected to brutality, and young people are listened to instead of being silenced.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Obi also urged the government to uphold human rights and ensure that the exercise of public authority is guided by responsibility and respect for human life.

The former Anambra State governor made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, as he commemorated the sixth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests and the shootings at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on October 20, 2020.

Reflecting on the anniversary, Obi stressed that Nigerians must never forget the incident or allow injustice to become an accepted part of society.

He also expressed confidence that Nigeria could achieve good governance and build a better future for its citizens.

In his statement, Obi described the Lekki Toll Gate shootings as a painful reminder of the sacrifices made by Nigerian youths in their quest for a better country.

“Today, October 20, 2026, marks the sixth anniversary of the Lekki Toll Gate shootings, a painful reminder of the price Nigerian youths paid in their demand for a better country.

“On that fateful night, peaceful #EndSARS protesters were met with gunfire. Lives were lost, many were injured, and the nation was left with questions about justice, accountability, and the sanctity of human life.

“We must never forget. We must never normalise injustice,” he stated.

The NDC presidential candidate reaffirmed his vision of a New Nigeria where citizens would be treated with dignity, young people would have their voices heard, and government institutions would respect fundamental human rights.

According to him, no Nigerian should face punishment or intimidation for demanding accountability, good governance and a better future.

Obi further called for the sacrifices of those who died during the protests to inspire renewed efforts towards building a country where such a tragedy would never happen again.

“May the souls of the departed continue to rest in peace. May their sacrifice strengthen our resolve to build a Nigeria where this tragedy will never be repeated.

“A New Nigeria is POssible. A Nigeria where every life matters,” he added.

The #EndSARS movement was a youth-led, decentralised campaign that saw mass protests across Nigeria against police brutality, extortion and extrajudicial killings attributed to the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigeria Police Force.

The protests gained national and international attention in October 2020, with the Lekki Toll Gate shootings becoming one of the most controversial incidents associated with the demonstrations.