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Tag: UK

  • NIDCOM boss, lauds Abidoye’s record-breaking UK A-Level feat

    NIDCOM boss, lauds Abidoye’s record-breaking UK A-Level feat

    Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has congratulated 18 -year old Abiola Abidoye for achieving the highest A-Level result in Law in the United Kingdom.

    In a statement by Mr. Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocol, Dabiri-Erewa described Abidoye’s academic excellence as “a source of immense pride to Nigeria and the diaspora,” urging young Nigerians to draw inspiration from his dedication and passion for learning.

    Abiola Abidoye
    She added that his remarkable success reinforces the positive image of Nigeria abroad and reflects NiDCOM’s mission to celebrate such global achievements.

    Dabiri-Erewa urged other young talented Nigerians to emulate Abidoye’s record-breaking performance, thus enhancing Nigeria image abroad as educationally advanced country.

  • US-based Igbo veterans asks UK to facilitate Nnamdi Kanu’s release

    US-based Igbo veterans asks UK to facilitate Nnamdi Kanu’s release

    The American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) has urged the United Kingdom to urgently begin diplomatic moves to secure the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has been in Nigerian detention for over four years.

    Kanu, a British-Nigerian citizen, was seized in Kenya and renditioned to Nigeria on June 27, 2021. He remains on trial in a Nigerian court.

    Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, AVID President Dr. Sylvester Onyia condemned Britain’s “culture of silence” even in the face of what he described as the persecution of its own citizens.

    “Britain has abandoned its own citizens to torture, and history will remember. Four years of silence, four years of complicity,” Onyia said, accusing the UK of violating the UN Convention against Torture and ignoring international rulings against rendition.

    He argued that Kanu’s abduction violated Kenya’s sovereignty under the UN Charter, as well as African and UN human rights treaties. Britain’s muted response, Onyia claimed, amounted to “crimson complicity,” likening it to the UK’s controversial role in the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970.

    “Half a century later, that policy is unchanged. Britain’s betrayal of the Igbo did not end in 1970—it simply changed the uniform,” Onyia said, alleging that British consular visits to Nigeria influenced legal maneuvers against Kanu.

    Rejecting Britain’s dual nationality defence, Onyia cited multiple legal precedents and international laws affirming consular protection regardless of citizenship status. “Dual nationality is not a death sentence—unless Britain makes it one,” he said.

    He accused the UK of endorsing “a travesty” by allowing charges against Kanu under repealed laws, which he said breached the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Onyia also warned that Britain’s inaction over Kanu’s worsening health could make it “an accomplice” if he dies in detention.

    AVID’s demands include a public UK condemnation of Kanu’s rendition, a parliamentary inquiry into Vienna Convention breaches, and an end to what Onyia called “diplomatic cover for human rights violations.”

    “If Nnamdi Kanu dies in detention, his blood will be on Britain’s hands. Silence is not neutrality; it is complicity,” he warned.

  • UK opens applications for Chevening scholarship

    UK opens applications for Chevening scholarship

    The United Kingdom on Tuesday announced the opening of applications for its 2026 Chevening Scholarship. Applications for the scholarship can be made from August 5, 2025, to October 7, 2025.

    Chevening is the United Kingdom’s global scholarship programme. It is funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations.

    The programme, which started in 1983, offers a fully funded one-year taught master’s degree at universities in the United Kingdom to individuals who are ready to lead positive change in their home countries and around the world.

    Since its inception, over 1,500 Nigerians have been awarded the Chevening scholarship.

    According to the British High Commission, for more than 40 years, the Chevening scholarship has attracted hundreds of thousands of applications globally, with over 60,000 professionals advancing their careers through it.

    The Head of Scholarships Unit at the United Kingdom FCDO, Emma Hennessey, said Chevening scholarship’s highly competitive selection process ensures that those chosen represent the brightest and most driven individuals from around the world.

    “Chevening alumni use their world-class education, global networks, and confidence gained in the UK to create a meaningful and lasting change when they return home. This is whether by tackling global challenges or making a tangible impact on their own communities,” she said.

    She urged individuals with a clear demonstration of outstanding leadership and networking skills, and influence to apply.

    Hennessey also encouraged those without such skills to build experiences that would make their applications competitive.

    The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Richard Montgomery, described Chevening scholarship as a gateway to a global network of leaders, innovators and change makers.

    “Whether your aspirations lie in shaping public policy, launching a business, or addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, the Chevening scholarship offers a unique opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in the UK to advance your knowledge and skills.

    “If you have the potential to lead positive change in your community, Nigeria, or globally, I encourage you to submit your application before the 7th of October, 2025, deadline,” Montgomery said.

    According to him, prospective candidates can submit their applications via chevening.org/apply,  and are encouraged to review resources available at chevening.org/guidance to assess their readiness to present a competitive application.

  • UK introduces tougher gun laws

    UK introduces tougher gun laws

    People with a record of violence or domestic abuse will be prevented from owning firearms under new rules in the United Kingdom following a series of killings in recent years.

    The new guidance, issued on Tuesday, came in response to concerns raised by coroners and campaigners after shootings in England’s Woodmancote and Keyham.

    Police officers will be instructed to interview partners or other household members of people applying for a firearms licence to identify signs of domestic abuse.

    Other factors that could make someone unsuitable to own a weapon.

    They must carry out additional checks to ensure people with a record of violence are not permitted to hold a firearms licence.

    The move came two years after an inquest found that “catastrophic failures” in the licensing system had meant Keyham gunman Jake Davison had been allowed to own a shotgun despite his history of violence.

    Davison, then 22, killed his mother and four others, including a three-year-old girl, in an eight-minute shooting spree before taking his own life in August 2021.

    Evidence of dishonesty will also be considered against an application, including the withholding of relevant medical history.

    Robert Needham killed his partner, Kelly Fitzgibbons, and their daughters, Ava and Lex, with a legally owned shotgun at their home in Woodmancote in 2020.

    He was given a licence even after admitting that he had failed to disclose a history of depression and work-related stress.

    Emma Ambler, Fitzgibbons’ sister, welcomed the changes but said there was “still some way to go.”

    She said: “I still believe that holding a gun licence is a privilege and not a right.

    “The priority has to be the safety of society, and it’s so important to stop these extremely dangerous weapons falling into the wrong hands, which these changes will go some way to doing.”

    Tuesday’s changes will also mean applicants for shotgun licences now require two referees rather than one, bringing the process into line with the rules for other firearms.

    Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said: “Only those who meet the highest standards of safety and responsibility should be permitted to use shotguns or firearms.

    “It is crucial that police have full information about the suitability of all applicants for these lethal weapons.

    “The events in Woodmancote in 2020, Plymouth in 2021, and other cases provide a tragic reminder of what can happen when these weapons are in the hands of the wrong people.

    “We must do everything we can to protect the public.”

    Controls on shotgun ownership could be further toughened after another consultation, due to be launched later this year, that will also seek views on improving the rules on private firearms sales.

    The new consultation follows the case of Nicholas Prosper, who killed his mother, Juliana Falcon, and siblings Giselle and Kyle Prosper in Luton in 2024.

    Prosper, 19, had been able to purchase a shotgun and 100 cartridges from a legitimate firearms dealer after forging a licence.

    He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 49 years after pleading guilty to the murders earlier this year.

  • UK slashes voting age to 16 ahead of next election

    UK slashes voting age to 16 ahead of next election

    The UK government has announced plans to lower the voting age to 16 in advance of the next general election.

    This change will grant voting rights to approximately 1.5 million 16- and 17-year-olds and represents the most significant adjustment to the UK electorate since the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1969, according to the BBC.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that this decision acknowledges the valuable contributions young people make to society.

    “I think it’s really important that 16 and 17-year-olds have the vote. They are old enough to work, they are old enough to pay taxes—if you pay in, you should have a say in how your money is spent,” Starmer told ITV News.

    The change keeps a Labour Party promise and makes UK elections match Scotland and Wales, where 16-year-olds can already vote in some elections.

    Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali described the reform as “seismic,” noting that young people deserve a voice in shaping the future of the country.

    “At 16, a young person can work, pay taxes, and join the Army. So there’s no reason why they shouldn’t have a say in who governs them,” she said.

    The change will form part of a wider Elections Bill expected to include expanded voter ID options, such as UK-issued bank cards, automatic voter registration, and tighter controls on political donations to curb foreign interference.

    The next UK general election is due by 2029.

  • Davido’s ‘Timeless’ album clinches silver certification in UK

    Davido’s ‘Timeless’ album clinches silver certification in UK

    Nigerian music superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has earned the  prestigious Silver Certification in the United Kingdom for his  fourth album “Timeless”.

    According to Chart Data, a leading platform for music analytics and certifications, the acknowledgment comes after the album sold over 100,000 units in the UK, making it eligible for a silver plaque.

    “Timeless”, which was released on March 31, 2023, explores diverse musical styles such as Afrobeats, dancehall, raggea, konto, highlife and Afropop.

    It features 17 tracks and includes collaborations with notable artists like Asake, Skepta, Dexta Daps, Fave, Cavemen, and Angelique Kidjo.

    The album enjoyed massive success, breaking multiple streaming records on platforms such as Spotify Nigeria, Audiomack, Boomplay, and YouTube.

    It earned Davido a Grammy nomination for Best Global Album and a Headies nomination for Song of the Year.

    A hit single ‘Unavailable’ has been certified Silver in the UK, and it also received a Grammy nomination for Best African Song Performance.

    Another hit songs on the album ‘feel’, also received a Grammy nomination for Best Global song performance.

    Following the release of the album, Davido embarked on “Timeless Tour”, a global concert tour promoting the Timeless Songs.

    The tour includes North America and Europe, with stops in major cities like Washington D.C., Toronto, New York, and London, among others.

  • UK introduces eVisa for study, work applicants

    UK introduces eVisa for study, work applicants

    The UK Government has announced the introduction of a digital eVisa for study and work visa applicants, effective July 15.

    Mrs Gill Lever, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

    Lever said that the move was part of the UK’s transition to a modern and digital immigration system.

    According to her, the digital eVisa would replace the traditional visa vignette or sticker in passports for successful applicants.

    Lever noted that the change would make the process more secure, efficient, and convenient for students, professionals and families.

    “We are making it easier and faster for Nigerians to travel to the UK.

    “However, applicants applying as dependants or for other visa types, such as standard visitor visas, will still receive a visa sticker in their passport,” Lever said.

    She noted that applicants must still go to a visa application centre to provide their biometric information as part of the visa processing procedure.

    According to Lever, once a decision is made on their visa application, applicants will receive an email from UK Visas and Immigration with the outcome and instructions to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.

    She added that the eVisa system had already replaced Biometric Residence Permits for individuals granted leave for over six months.

    “Customers with a UKVI account can use the view and prove service to securely share their immigration status with third parties, such as employers or landlords,” she noted.

  • One child in every classroom in UK schools born through IVF

    One child in every classroom in UK schools born through IVF

    The equivalent of almost one child in every classroom in the United Kingdom is now born as a result of in vitro fertilisation or IVF fertility treatment, new figures suggest.

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) on Thursday said that  almost 21,000 babies were born from IVF in 2023, compared to 8,700 in 2000

    The authors of the fertility regulator’s latest report wrote that “IVF births are making up a higher proportion of all UK births over time, increasing from 1.3 per cent in 2000 to 3.1 per cent in 2023.

    “This means around one in 32 UK births in 2023 were via IVF roughly one child in every classroom compared to one in 43 in 2013.”

    The HFEA said that its latest figures show the “changing landscape” of fertility care in the UK.

    Overall, 52,400 patients had, more than 77,500 in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycles at UK fertility clinics in 2023.

    While some 11 per cent of births to women aged 40 to 44 were a result of IVF, increasing from 4 per cent in 2000 and accounting for 0.5% per cent of all births, HFEA said.

    The data also reveal a rise in the proportion of women freezing their eggs, rising from 4,700 in 2022 to 6,900 in 2023 but the HFEA said that the number of patients using their stored frozen eggs in treatment remains low.

    Meanwhile the HFEA also said that in 2023, around 820 babies were born following donor insemination (DI) treatment.

    The figure also shows a reduction in the number of IVF treatments funded by the NHS.

    The proportion of NHS-funded IVF cycles declined from 35 per cent in 2019 to 27 per cent in 2023 in the UK, decreasing most in England, the HFEA said.

    More than half of (54 per cent) of IVF cycles in Scotland were funded by the NHS in 2023, compared to 49 per cent in Northern Ireland; 33 per cent in Wales; and 24 per cent in England.

    The HFEA also raised concerns about racial disparities in IVF.

    It said that in recent years, Asian and black patients have had lower birth rates compared to white patients and those from a mixed ethnic background.

    Julia Chain, chairwoman of the HFEA, said: “IVF is helping more people have babies including patients of different ages and family types.

    “One in 32 of all UK births are from IVF and 11 per cent of all UK births are to women aged 40-44 who had IVF.

    “We are also seeing more single patients and female same-sex couples having IVF. These findings highlight the changing landscape of the UK fertility sector and how it could develop in the years to come.

    “However, we are very concerned to see that black and Asian patients continue to have lower IVF birth rates compared to other patient groups, and our recent survey found that Asian and Black patients are less likely to report being satisfied with their fertility treatment.”

    Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the fertility rate in England and Wales in 2023 was 1.44 children per woman the lowest level on record.

    Commenting on the HFEA data, a spokesperson from the fertility charity Fertility Network UK said: “This important report from the HFEA reflects how essential fertility treatment has become for growing families in the UK and underlines.

    The spokeperson added that it is not just the scientific advances in fertility care, but also the profound social impact of helping people realise their dreams of parenthood.

    “Delays in accessing treatment whether due to long GP referral times or inconsistent NHS funding can have a devastating emotional and biological impact.

    “We call for fair and timely access to fertility services for all, wherever they live and whatever their background,” the spokesperson said.

  • UK unions condemn Govt’s decision to end care worker visas

    UK unions condemn Govt’s decision to end care worker visas

    Labour unions and stakeholders in the United Kingdom’s care sector have come out strongly against the government’s move to stop the recruitment of foreign care workers, describing it as a reckless policy that could cripple the already struggling industry.

    According to The Guardian UK, the UK government is set to publish a new immigration white paper on Monday, which includes plans to ban the recruitment of care workers from abroad.

    This move is part of broader efforts by the government to cut down on legal migration and shift focus to local labour.

    The announcement has drawn sharp criticism from unions and industry leaders, who argue that the care sector — already battling manpower shortages and funding challenges — heavily depends on foreign workers to function.

    Reacting to the development, Professor Martin Green, CEO of Care England, lamented that the government’s decision amounts to “kicking the sector while it’s already down.”

    For years now, we’ve been surviving on limited resources, rising operational costs, and serious staffing gaps,” Green said. “International recruitment may not have solved all the problems, but it provided a much-needed lifeline.

    Taking that away now without offering any support or alternative is simply heartless.”

    The UK’s largest trade union, Unison, also condemned the policy and demanded immediate clarification on the fate of foreign care workers already in the country.

    Unison General Secretary, Christina McAnea, noted that the UK’s healthcare and social care systems would have collapsed without the input of migrant workers.

    “Thousands of migrant health and care workers have kept things running. Now, they are left confused and anxious about their future. The government needs to assure them they’ll not be kicked out,” she stated.

    McAnea also criticised the government for tagging care roles as “low-skilled”, insisting that the sector deserves better pay and recognition.

    Figures show that in 2023 alone, over 58,000 foreign care workers entered the UK through the skilled worker visa route — accounting for nearly half of new entrants into the care workforce.

    Meanwhile, the Labour government has defended the decision, describing it as part of a reset of the immigration system designed to reduce dependency on foreign labour and invest in British workers.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, speaking during a BBC interview, insisted that there are still untapped pools of labour within the UK.

    “Employers should be looking to hire from those already in the UK, including people on existing visas who are yet to be deployed,” she said. “There’s also room to extend some visas, but we believe it’s time to draw the curtain on recruiting new care workers from abroad.”

    The policy continues to stir debate across the UK, with fears that it could worsen the staffing crisis in the care sector and increase pressure on families already struggling to access quality care services.

  • Iron cast verdict: UK Supreme Court rules legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex

    Iron cast verdict: UK Supreme Court rules legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex

    The Supreme Court has ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, in a decision which could have far-reaching implications for who can access single-sex services and spaces.

    It came about after the Scottish government included transgender women in quotas to ensure gender balance on public sector boards.

    Campaign group For Women Scotland argued that sex-based protections should only apply to people born female.

    The judges were tasked with deciding on the correct interpretation of “sex” and “woman” in the main piece of legislation setting out sex-based legal protections.

    Specifically, they ruled that the definition of sex as used in the Equality Act 2010 is “binary” and decided by biology – a person who was not born as a biological female cannot obtain the legal protections the Act affords to women by changing their gender with a Gender Recognition Certificate.

    It’s important to note that the Act still provides transgender people with protections against discrimination, and that the judges said it was not their place to weigh in on those definitions in the wider public debate.

    The judgment brings clarity on the law, but the jury is still out on what day-to-day differences it will make.