Nigerian newspapers review: Why 2026 capital budget may not be implemented

In today’s Nigerian newspapers review programme, Today in the News, Vanguard leads with a report that there are indications that the Federal Government’s capital budget for 2026 may record zero implementation at the end of the fiscal year, forcing further extensions across multiple fiscal years.

Another headline features the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arresting and detaining 24 personnel in connection with the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State, and parading the suspended Niger State Commandant, Commandant Subaru Siyaka Aniviye, and 23 other officers at the Corps Headquarters in Abuja.

Vanguard also reports that Vice President Kashim Shettima will on Thursday, September 24, 2026, declare open the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Enugu.

Moving to another newspaper, The Guardian’s lead story states that a single worker in any of Nigeria’s urban centres would need to earn a minimum of N372,300 monthly to reasonably survive what has become the new normal across cities, according to data analysed by the paper.

The Punch reports that as the Federal Government moves to deliver measurable reductions in transportation costs from October 1, states are adopting different approaches to the Compressed Natural Gas initiative, with some already operating subsidised transport services while commercial operators in several others complain about inadequate refuelling infrastructure, high conversion costs and long queues at existing stations.

Lastly, The Nation reports that barely four months before the presidential election, the APC won four of the five seats contested in federal and state constituencies across the North-East, North-West, and South-South – three of the six geopolitical zones.