The request by President Muhammadu Buhari for an external loan of $30 billion and the Lagos gas fire casualties are the trending stories in the Nigerian press on Friday.
The Sun reported that President Buhari’s request for re-consideration and approval of a 2016-2018 External Borrowing Plan to enable him secure additional $30 billion loan to finance an estimated 39 infrastructure projects across the country has sparked concern about Nigeria’s rising debt profile.
The newspaper also said that eminent Nigerians, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe are expected at the Nigerian Reggae Festival (NRF) holding in Awka, Anambra State.
The Guardian said the president in making the loan request lamented what he considers as meagre earnings Nigeria is deriving from oil.
The Nation said that gas fire on Wednesday night razed several shops in Ajegunle in Ifelodun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, leaving six persons dead and 52 others critically injured.
The Daily Trust said that as pensioners groan under unpaid arrears, former governors are drawing billions as retirement allowances from state governments, while pension arrears of retired workers have continued to accumulate.
ThisDay said that the House of Representatives has intervened in the brewing crisis between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government over the implementation of Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) in federal universities.
ChannelsTV said that the House of Representatives has passed the Finance Bill, 2019 submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Punch reported that the Super Eagles have moved up by four spots to 31 in the world in November 2019 FIFA ranking.
The three-time African champions, who placed 35th last month with 1481 points, retained their third position in Africa.
The ranking table published on FIFA’s website on Thursday showed that Nigeria garnered 1493 points in November.
MM/GIK/APA