Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday 20th April, 2026

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the NaijaChoice News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday 20th April, 2026.

1. Dangote Fuel Prices After Crude Oil Crash

Crude oil prices have crashed by more than 15 percent in recent days, yet many Nigerian motorists are still waiting for meaningful relief at the pumps.

Global benchmarks like Brent tumbled to around $92 per barrel after United States President Donald Trump announced a conditional two-week ceasefire with Iran. The drop followed weeks of tension that had pushed prices higher and triggered earlier fuel price reviews by local refiners.

2. Mumbai Police Nab Nigerian National with Drugs Valued at Over N300 Million

Khar Police in Mumbai, India, have arrested a 39-year-old Nigerian man, Eze Njoku, for possession of ecstasy tablets and cocaine.

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) intercepted him around 11:15 pm on April 16 at Sherly Rajan Road in Bandra while he waited for customers. Officials spotted him wearing a pouch and attempting to slip away on seeing their patrol vehicle.

3. Senator Eshilokun Sanni Joins Lagos APC GAC

Senator Wasiu Eshilokun Sanni has been confirmed as a member of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council, the apex decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in the state. The Lagos State Council of Elders announced the appointment, recognising his decades of service to Lagos politics.

The senator, who represents Lagos Central in the 10th National Assembly, made the disclosure on his verified X handle on Thursday. He listed his long political journey, from three terms in the Lagos State House of Assembly where he served as Deputy Speaker, to two terms as Executive Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Area.

4. Nigeria Records 20,838 New HIV Cases in Q1 2026

Nigeria recorded 20,838 new HIV infections between January and March 2026, according to figures from the Nigerian National Data Repository.

The data shows Lagos leading with 2,298 cases, followed by Benue State at 1,949. Other states with significant numbers include Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Anambra, while Kaduna, Delta, Oyo and Plateau also reported notable infections.

5. Benue Kidnap: 13 Rescued, Including Police Recruits

Nigerian security forces have rescued the remaining 13 passengers abducted along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State last Wednesday.

The victims regained freedom during a search-and-rescue operation in the early hours of Sunday inside a forest at Okete Ward, Ohimini Local Government Area.

6. Rev Omolehin: Adeboye, Kumuyi, Olukoya are Denominational Heads, Not Fathers of Nigerian church

Rev. Isaac Omolehin, founder of The Word Assembly Churches, has declared that Nigerian Christianity lacks a unifying father figure for all believers.

The Kwara-based evangelist made the statement in a sermon delivered midweek and uploaded to his church’s official YouTube channel. A clip of the message went viral on social media over the weekend, sparking widespread debate.

NaijaChoice News monitored the clip, where Omolehin questioned the frequent reference to certain prominent pastors as “fathers” of the Nigerian Church.

7. JAMB releases Friday, Saturday UTME results

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the results of candidates who sat for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18.

In a Sunday statement signed by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the board disclosed that a total of 1,264,940 results from the two days have been made available for candidates to check.

“The results of candidates who sat the examination on Friday, 17 April and Saturday, 18 April 2026 have now been released. A total of 1,264,940 results from these two days are available for candidates to check/view,” the statement read.

8. You Betrayed Atiku, Hurt The North — Nafiu Bala Gombe Hits Kwankwaso

A factional leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafi’u Bala Gombe, has rejected an overture from former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. He described any talk about Northern Nigeria with Kwankwaso as worthless. Gombe made the remarks following a phone call in which Kwankwaso proposed what he called a solution for the North.

Kwankwaso had reached out to Gombe to discuss the way forward for the region. The factional ADC chairman turned down the idea outright. He accused Kwankwaso and others of the same political stock of destroying the country through past decisions.

9. “I Blame My Mother For Being Unmarried At 37” – Woman Shares Emotional Story

A 37-year-old woman has sparked emotions online after opening up about her painful life story, blaming her current situation on years of sacrifice for her family.

According to her, she left Nigeria about 15 years ago, travelling through Libya and Italy before eventually settling in Germany, where she worked tirelessly to support her family back home.

10. Tinubu Signs ₦68.32trn 2026 Budget into Law

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the development in a statement on Friday. NaijaChoice News reports that the National Assembly passed the budget on March 31 after Tinubu requested an upward review of ₦9.81 trillion from the original ₦58.47 trillion estimate presented to lawmakers in December 2025.

The new budget earmarks ₦4.79 trillion for statutory transfers and ₦15.8 trillion for debt servicing. It also sets aside ₦15.4 trillion for recurrent expenditure while dedicating ₦32.2 trillion to capital projects through the development fund.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on NaijaChoice News. See you again tomorrow.