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

• Tinubu governing from abroad, to return after Easter, presidency says
• Tunde Onakoya embarks on 70-hour chess marathon in New York
• 1.9 million students to sit for Nigeria’s first digital WASSCE

We have highlighted the five most important developments in the news today, Friday, April 18, and present them below.

5 issues in the news that should matter to you today

1. Nigeria needs new generation of leaders, says Hamzat: The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has stressed the urgent need for a new breed of Nigerian leaders, those driven by integrity and national progress rather than tenure in office. 

Delivering the keynote at the second Lagos Leadership Summit hosted by the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, Hamzat said the future hinges on visionary, courageous, and service-oriented individuals, not just political placeholders.

2. Tinubu governing from abroad, to return after Easter, presidency says: Despite being away from Nigeria for nearly two weeks, President Bola Tinubu is reportedly steering the country's affairs remotely from Europe. 

According to his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu remains actively engaged and in constant communication with key officials. 

He is expected to return on Monday, April 21, following the Easter holiday.

3. Tunde Onakoya embarks on 70-hour chess marathon in New York: Nigerian chess champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, has launched a fresh attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon. 

This marks Onakoya’s second bid for the record.

Backed by the New York-based non-profit Gift of Chess, the marathon kicked off on Thursday, April 17, with widespread support online. 

4. FG opens national grid to private investors to end power woes: In a move aimed at ending the persistent failures of Nigeria’s ageing electricity grid, the Federal Government has decided to unbundle and privatise the national grid. 

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, announced the decision on Thursday while reviewing developments in the power sector, describing the current system as outdated and unreliable.

5. 1.9 million students to sit for Nigeria’s first digital WASSCE: The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is set to launch its first-ever computer-based WASSCE for school candidates, with over 1.9 million students expected to participate. 

Announcing the shift during a press conference at WAEC’s Lagos office, Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of Nigeria’s National Office, confirmed that the exams will run from April 24 to June 20, 2025, marking a significant leap in exam delivery and anti-malpractice efforts.