Author: Tona.Today

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McLaren’s botched strategy call helps Verstappen win Qatar GP as F1 title fight goes to final race

One week after losing all their points from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren threw away a bunch more in an increasingly tense Formula 1 title race by botching a strategy call at the Qatar GP on Sunday.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took full advantage of the unexpected gift to clinch a seventh win this season — his 70th overall — as he closed the gap on championship leader Lando Norris from 24 points at the start of the weekend to 12 points, heading into next Sunday’s title decider in Abu Dhabi.

McLaren still has two drivers in contention, with Oscar Piastri four points behind Verstappen in third, but must stop the slide.

Last Sunday, the two drivers lost a combined 30 points after both were disqualified following the race, won by Verstappen.

At the Qatar GP, Norris would have clinched his first F1 title with a win but finished fourth, with Piastri placing second having started from pole position and looking assured.

But after an early safety car, McLaren’s decision to keep both drivers out backfired badly as Verstappen effectively benefited from a free tire change in a mandatory two-stop race.

“It’s tough, we just have to have faith in the team to make the right decision,” Norris told broadcaster Sky Sports. ”Now it’s the wrong decision, we shouldn’t have done it (and) we didn’t do a good job today.”

Norris leads with 408 points, Verstappen has 396 and Piastri 392. All three title contenders have won seven races. Verstappen is aiming for a fifth straight F1 crown, with Piastri chasing a first title. Norris will become the first British driver to win the championship since Lewis Hamilton clinched his seventh title in 2020 if he finishes at least third in Abu Dhabi even if Verstappen wins the race.

Although Verstappen overtook Norris heading into Turn 1, Piastri made a clean start and took a comfortable lead early on.

Piastri also said McLaren made an error by staying out following the safety car, which came out after Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber was sent spinning off the track on Lap 7 after being clipped by Alpine driver Pierre Gasly.

“Speechless. I don’t know any words,” Piastri said. “It is a little bit tough to swallow at the moment.”

Later, the Australian added: “Clearly we didn’t get it right” and said there would be discussions.

The decision played into Verstappen’s hands and the elated Dutchman climbed out of his car and jumped into the arms of his mechanics and engineers after winning.

“This was an incredible race for us, we made the right call as a team to box under that safety car,” Verstappen said. “Super happy to win here, we stayed in the fight until the end. Incredible.”

The decision to stay out was even more questionable in a race where drivers had to take two pit stops over the 57 laps — a measure imposed on safety grounds due to a high risk of tire degradation at the Lusail International Circuit.

Gambling on holding track position left McLaren at risk later on, unless there was another safety car.

“It wasn’t the correct decision,” McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said.

Because drivers were restricted to a maximum of 25 laps on the Pirelli tires, those who pitted had to change again on Lap 32.

After the McLarens made their first tire changes, Norris was in fifth place behind Piastri in fourth. That left Verstappen out in front and with several laps to build his lead.

McLaren pitted Piastri again on Lap 43 and Norris soon after, but when Norris came back out on Lap 45 he was fifth with Antonelli and Sainz barring his way.

Norris overtook Antonelli right at the end but could not catch Sainz, who finished third.

George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, with Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) and Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) completing the top 10.

Hamilton’s dismal run for Ferrari continued with a 12th-placed finish. Aside from clinching a sprint race in China in March, the 40-year-old has not been on the podium all season.

Desert battles seem to suit Verstappen, who clinched a third straight win in Qatar and has won four of the last five races in Abu Dhabi. Norris may take hope from the fact he won there last year.

But the McLarens head to Abu Dhabi with a hard-charging Verstappen looking to repeat history by clinching a championship in the last race at Abu Dhabi, having done so when he overtook Hamilton on the final lap after a controversial finish in 2021.

“It’s possible now but we will see,” said Verstappen, who had written off his chances earlier this season. “I don’t really worry about it too much.” (JapanToday)

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Arsenal held by 10-man Chelsea; Isak sets up much-needed Liverpool win and Man United beats Palace

Mikel Merino salvaged a 1-1 draw for Arsenal at 10-man Chelsea as the race for the Premier League title tightened on Sunday.

Arsenal is five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, with Chelsea a point further back in third.

Mikel Arteta’s team was boosted late in the first half at Stamford Bridge when Moises Caicedo was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Merino. But despite being a man down Chelsea went ahead in the 48th minute through Trevoh Chalobah’s header.

Merino equalized in the 59th, but Arsenal couldn’t make its numerical advantage count and dropped points away from home for the second time in successive matches.

Arsenal beat Bayern Munich midweek in the Champions League and Arteta said it had been a positive week though accepted “we should’ve won the game (Sunday), and we haven’t. That’s a learning point for me.”

The result meant Man City was the big winner of the weekend, following Saturday’s late victory against Leeds, which saw Pep Guardiola’s team climb above Chelsea to second in the standings.

“I think that we showed that we are in the right direction,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca told Sky Sports. “We were a much, much better team than them when we were 11 v. 11. Then with 10 players it’s more difficult, but the way they dealt with that situation was outstanding.”

Liverpool got back to winning ways — beating West Ham 2-0 — and Manchester United rallied to a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Aston Villa is fourth after a 1-0 win against last-placed Wolverhampton, and fifth-placed Brighton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.

Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool to set up a much-needed win for Arne Slot’s team.

On a day when Mohamed Salah was dropped to the bench, British record signing Isak opened the scoring at the London Stadium. Cody Gakpo got the second for Liverpool, which went into the match on a run of six losses in its last seven league games.

“I am aware that it has been a long time coming and I’ve been trying to get back to my best form,” Isak told Sky Sports. “I am still on the way but I am happy to have that goal.”

Isak, a $170 million signing from Newcastle in the summer, had not scored in his five league games for his new club and only had one goal in 10 games in all. But in the absence of Salah, the Sweden international converted with a first-time effort in the box after 60 minutes to open his Premier League account for the season.

Slot’s bold call to leave out the iconic Salah paid off after the Egypt international’s unconvincing form this season. Slot shook up his attack, with Florian Wirtz and Gakpo alongside Isak.

Isak’s clinical finish into the bottom corner put Liverpool in control and West Ham’s chances were dealt another blow when Lucas Paqueta was sent off in the 84th.

Gakpo converted in the second minute of added time to put the game beyond doubt.

“We have to use this win in a good way, but also be humble because we’ve had a tough time, so one win doesn’t necessarily mean we’re back,” said Isak.

Joshua Zirkzee ended a scoring drought of his own with his first league goal in almost a year.

The Dutch striker hadn’t scored in England’s top flight since a double against Everton on Dec. 1 last year, but ended that streak with a stunning strike at Selhurst Park.

A moment of individual brilliance fired United back into the game in the 54th after Jean-Philippe Mateta put Palace ahead from the penalty spot in the first half.

Collecting the ball in the box, Zirkzee spun and scored from a tight angle for only his eighth goal since joining United from Bologna last year and his first this season.

“Scoring is important but it’s not just the goals,” United coach Ruben Amorim said. “They give confidence but Joshua has also improved a lot in how he holds the ball. That should give him a lot of confidence.”

Mason Mount struck the winner from the edge of the box in the 63rd as United ended Palace’s 12-game unbeaten home run in the league.

Mateta had given Palace the lead with a twice-taken penalty in the 36th. The France international was adjudged to have double-kicked his original spot kick and was directed to retake as per the rule clarification that came in after Julian Alvarez’s accidental double touch in a shootout against Real Madrid last season helped to eliminate Atletico Madrid from the Champions League.

Villa’s Boubacar Kamara scored the only goal of the match to settle the Midlands derby against Wolves.

Wolves remains winless at the bottom of the table and nine points from safety.

Goals from Maxim De Cuyper and Stefanos Tzimas earned fifth-placed Brighton victory at Forest. (JapanToday)

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Three days of mourning begin after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades

Hong Kong officials have held a moment of silence at the start of a three-day mourning period to remember those killed after the city’s deadliest fire in nearly 80 years.

At least 128 people are now known to have died in the fire, which engulfed seven tower blocks on Wednesday. A further 83 were injured and 150 remain unaccounted for.

Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of corruption over the renovation works the blocks had been undergoing. Three others were detained earlier on manslaughter charges.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but officials have said it spread up and between the blocks rapidly because of flammable materials placed on their exterior.

Saturday morning’s ceremony was held outside government headquarters, and saw city leader John Lee joined by other Hong Kong officials to observe three minutes of silence.

The flags of China and Hong Kong were flown at half mast.

The government has also set up memorial points across the city, where the public can pay their respects and sign condolence books.

Once the fire started, it spread quickly to seven of the eight towers in Wang Fuk Court, in Hong Kong’s northerly suburban Tai Po distric.

It then took more than 2,000 firefighters almost two days to bring the blaze under control.

The cause of the fire remains unclear, though authorities have said that polystyrene placed on the outside of the windows and plastic netting around the scaffolding on the buildings facilitated its spread.

The tower blocks were also covered in bamboo scaffolding, which is commonly used for construction and renovation work in Hong Kong. The fire has sparked a debate on whether it should still be used.

Officials have confirmed that an investigation will be taking place over the next few weeks, with police already gathering evidence from the scene.

The fire has caused anger throughout Hong Kong – which is known for its high-rise buildings – as questions about who should be held accountable grow.

Residents of Wang Fuk Court have reported broken fire alarms and negligence from the company carrying out the renovations on the Wang Fuk Court, while Hong Kong’s fire service has said fire alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) said those arrested in the corruption probe on Friday included directors at an engineering company and scaffolding subcontractors.

Hong Kong’s Labour and Welfare Secretary, Chris Sun, told reporters that his department had made 16 checks on the works at Wang Fuk Court since July last year.

The housing estate was built in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census. (BBC)

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Australian Prime Minister Albanese marries girlfriend in private ceremony

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese married his girlfriend Jodie Haydon on Saturday, becoming the country’s first leader to tie the knot while in office.

A beaming Albanese, 62, wed the financial services worker at a private ceremony in the garden of his official residence in Canberra, The Lodge.

“Married”, the prime minister said in a one-word post on social media with video of him in a bow-tie holding the hand of his smiling bride, who wore a long, white dress, as confetti showered down.

In a separate joint statement, the couple said: “We are absolutely delighted to share our love and commitment to spending our future lives together, in front of our family and closest friends.”

The ceremony took place more than a year after Albanese proposed on Valentine’s Day 2024, saying at the time he had found a partner “who I want to spend the rest of my life with”.

They wrote their own vows and were married by a celebrant.

Albanese’s dog, a shaggy cavoodle named Toto, was the ring bearer.

After the ceremony, where guests drank beer from a Sydney brewery, the couple walked down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).”

The newlyweds are to go on a five-day honeymoon in Australia from Monday.

The prime minister — who divorced his previous wife in 2019 and has an adult son, Nathan — met Haydon more than five years ago at a Melbourne business dinner.

The centre-left Labor Party leader secured a second three-year term in office in a landslide election victory in May this year.

He joined Labor while in high school and later became deeply involved in the bruising world of student politics at the University of Sydney. (Vanguard)

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Aviation remains Africa’s ‘connecting tissue’ — Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday declared that aviation is the “connecting tissue” linking commerce, tourism, manufacturing, and regional integration across Africa.

Speaking at a high-level virtual dialogue hosted by law firm Aluko & Oyebode, Keyamo said aviation must be treated as core economic infrastructure.

The webinar, themed “Navigating the African Skies: Legal, Economic and Trade Pathways for the Future of Aviation in Africa,” brought together top aviation, legal and economic experts from Nigeria and across the continent.

Keyamo renewed calls for full implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), warning that Africa risks economic isolation if reforms continue to stall.

He said the economic benefits of open skies remain “real, measurable, and urgent.”

Citing Nigeria’s recent legal reforms, including Federal High Court practice directions aligned with the Cape Town Convention, Keyamo said the country is taking concrete steps to boost investor confidence and lower aircraft financing costs.

He urged African states to harmonise legal frameworks to support leasing, dispute resolution and asset protection.

The Minister also highlighted the need for modern fleets and deeper partnerships with global manufacturers and lessors, referencing Nigeria’s recent Memorandum of Understanding with Boeing as a model for capability building and supply-chain integration.

He pushed for stronger safety oversight, fair competition, and investment in local industry through MRO facilities, training centres and technical talent.

“Open skies must work for African jobs and African businesses,” he said.

Keyamo outlined a five-point action plan for accelerating the continent’s aviation growth: phased SAATM implementation, harmonised legal systems, innovative financing models, sustainability-driven fleet upgrades, and deliberate investment in people and institutions.

He warned that failure to act would leave Africa economically disadvantaged, stressing that “the alternative to open skies is unacceptable.”

Keyamo reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to modernising its aviation infrastructure, deepening international partnerships, and delivering lower logistics costs and better connectivity for Nigerians.

He urged African governments, the private sector and young professionals to view aviation as a catalyst for continental prosperity.

“Open skies is not just a policy choice, it is an economic imperative for Africa’s future,” he said. (Vanguard)

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Ayra Starr, Tyla, Burna Boy and more are nominated for 2026 Grammy Awards

The Recording Academy has announced the nominees for the 2026 GRAMMY Awards, unveiling the musicians and recordings that influenced the past year. The ceremony is scheduled for February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with a global broadcast on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

This year’s nominations arrive at a moment when African music has firmly entered the global conversation and is heavily informing and directing it. From Lagos to Johannesburg, Accra to Nairobi, and all the areas in between, the sound of the continent continues to influence how people dance, feel, remember, mourn, and celebrate. African artists are the moment, the center stage, the sauce, injecting global sounds with spirit and soul.

The 2025 GRAMMYs offered a clear illustration of this shift. Tems won the award for Best African Music Performance with “Love Me JeJe,” a recognition that reflected positively on her ongoing rise and the Academy’s increasing acknowledgment of African innovation as a contemporary cultural force. South African flautist Wouter Kellerman also earned a win in the New Age/Ambient category, the third in his career so far, proving that African musicians are excelling across genres that have historically seldom recognized them. And although some African nominees did not take home trophies in the major categories, their presence alone marked a meaningful step forward. The Grammys have come a long way, but work still needs to be done if African music is to be viewed in its fullness. 

In the Best African Music Performance category, the nominees reflect the breadth of the continent’s sound in 2025. Burna Boy earns a spot with “Love”, while Davido and Omah Lay come in with the tender, radio-favored “With You.” Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo teams up with Mehran Matin on “Hope & Love,” while Ayra Starr and Wizkid’s effortlessly catchy “Gimme Dat” also makes the list, standing alongside Tyla‘s “Push 2 Start.” Angélique Kidjo returns to familiar territory with a nomination for Best Global Music Performance for “Jerusalema,” reaffirming her status as one of the continent’s most decorated and enduring cultural ambassadors. Similarly, Burna Boy extends his international streak with a nod for Best Global Music Album, making it the 11th time he’s been nominated.

Nigerian-American country artist Shaboozey earns a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance with “Good News,” and also appears in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category for “Amen,” alongside Jelly Roll. In the Best Global Music Album category, two giants who have shaped the modern sound of the continent stand side by side. Burna Boy lands a nomination for No Sign of Weakness, while Senegalese maestro Youssou N’Dour, whose album Éclairer le monde (Light the World) speaks to his long-standing role as both cultural ambassador and sonic innovator.

The Recording Academy has continued to diversify and globalize its membership, incorporating more voices with lived experience across a wider array of musical cultures. As the voting body becomes more reflective of the world’s actual musical communities, the awards naturally shift as well, which makes possible an environment in which African musicians are an essential part of defining the core of the conversation. 

As anticipation builds toward February, the question now is how far this influence will extend and how it will continue to reshape the global landscape of sound. The nominations affirm that the continent is firmly in the room. It’s in the sound, the style, and the pulse of the present. (OkayAfrica)

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Southern govs, monarchs back Tinubu, unveil unified security strategy

Southern Governors and members of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council met in Ogun State on Wednesday to deliberate on regional security, governance, and development, ending the meeting with a unified stance on major national and regional issues.

In a joint communique, the leaders passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, acknowledging his efforts in stabilising the economy, improving governance, and advancing key infrastructure projects across the country.

They also reiterated their long-standing advocacy for a Southern presidency, stating that the region remains committed to equity, balance, and national cohesion.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on his X account on Wednesday, said, “We passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu and restated our support for a Southern presidency.

“We reaffirmed our commitment to a safer and more united South, expressed our condolences on recent national security losses, and acknowledged the President’s efforts in stabilising the economy and advancing major infrastructure projects.

“We agreed on key steps, including setting up a zonal security fund, improving intelligence sharing, strengthening community security outfits, involving traditional rulers more formally in security, and tackling illegal mining and land-related risks.

“Above all, we assured our citizens that the South remains united and committed to peace, cooperation, and progress.”

The forum expressed condolences to the families of security personnel and civilians who have lost their lives in recent security incidents and emphasised that the safety and stability of the region remain top priorities.

To strengthen regional security, the governors and traditional rulers agreed on several strategic steps, including the establishment of a zonal security fund to support coordinated efforts across the South.

They also endorsed enhanced intelligence sharing among states, stronger community-based security organizations, and a more formal role for traditional rulers in security management and early warning structures.

The leaders are committed to addressing emerging risks linked to illegal mining, land conflicts, and other activities that threaten peace and development in Southern communities.

They noted that traditional institutions and expanded inter-state collaboration will be key in detecting and responding to these challenges. (Punch)

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Implement Police withdrawal from VIPs with caution, retired AIG tells FG

A retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Abutu Yaro, has advised that President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the police to withdraw personnel from VIPs be implemented with serious caution.

Yaro, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, warned that if not handled carefully, the withdrawal of police officers from VIPs could trigger regrettable fallouts.

“We must emphasise strongly that we implement it (withdrawal of police from VIPs) with serious caution,” Yaro said. “If not, the fallout of a hasty implementation of this directive will be regrettable in many respects and we have historical antecedents to these mindsets.”

To emphasise his point, the retired AIG listed the late Bola Ige, Funsho Williams, and General Mohammad Shuwa as VIPs who lost their lives after being left vulnerable to attacks due to the absence of security attachment.

Tinubu had on Sunday ordered the withdrawal of police officers at a security meeting in Abuja attended by Service Chiefs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services.

The President directed the police authorities to deploy the officers to concentrate on their core policing duties, a situation that mandated the Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police Force to order all officers attached to VIPs and beats nationwide to return to their bases.

Under the new arrangement, Tinubu said VIPs requiring security protection will now need to request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), rather than relying on police officers.

The Presidency explained that the move aims to boost police presence in communities, especially in remote areas where police stations are often understaffed and citizens remain vulnerable to attacks.

However, Yaro argued that the Civil Defence Corps is not designed to protect VIPs or act as an alternative security outfit to the police.

“The fact that they said civil defence should come in does not really work in that way. Civil defence all over the world are designed to take care of civilians in terms of national emergencies.

“Civil defence all over the world, not only in Nigeria, are not designed to protect the VIP and act as an alternative security platform to the police.”

He likened it to asking a nurse to perform the duties of a doctor, reiterating that things must be done with caution.

Asked if he would have done something different from what the President directed, the retired AIG replied in the affirmative.

“I wouldn’t have ordered that the police should leave the VIPs because the VIPs are a very important segment of our nationhood,” he said.

Yaro stated that he would have preferred to increase the number of police officers in the country and give them more quality training.

“My advice is that we could have increased the number of police. Our mobile police, we have about 80 squadrons as we speak; we should have upgraded them to semi-military format as they were with the concept when they were introduced into our security system in 1962,” he added. (Channels)

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Two National Guard soldiers shot near White House, suspect in custody

Two US National Guard soldiers were shot and critically wounded Wednesday two blocks from the White House and police said a suspect had been taken into custody.

“Please join me in praying for the two National Guardsmen who were just shot moments ago in Washington DC,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on X.

An AFP reporter near the scene said she heard several loud pops that sounded like gunshots, and then saw people running away from Farragut Square, a popular and busy outdoor area near the White House and a subway station.

Donald Trump, who is in Florida, was quickly briefed on the “tragic” situation, a spokeswoman said.

“The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

Local authorities confirmed that emergency services responded to and transported three gunshot victims from the area.

Secret Service were seen behind yellow police tape, their guns drawn.

“We heard gunshots. We were waiting at the traffic light and there were several shots, Angela Perry, who was in her car with her two children, told AFP.

“You could see National Guard running toward the metro with their weapons drawn,” the 42-year-old said.

Trump has sent National Guard troops to Democratic-run Washington, Los Angeles and Memphis to combat crime and help enforce his crackdown on undocumented migrants.

Last Thursday a federal judge ruled that Trump’s deployment of thousands of National Guard troops in the US capital is unlawful.

His extraordinary domestic use of the Guard was also challenged by California earlier this year after the president sent troops to Los Angeles to quell protests sparked by the rounding up of undocumented migrants. (Channels)

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Sanwo-Olu presents N4.2tn 2026 budget to Lagos Assembly

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday presented a proposed N4.237 trillion budget for the 2026 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.

Security was heightened within and around the Assembly complex, with officers from the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps stationed at major entry points.

Members of the state executive council, local government officials, traditional rulers, and other guests attended the session, which was presided over by the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.

Sanwo-Olu began his presentation of the budget, tagged “Budget of Shared Prosperity,” at about 1.25 p.m.

During the address before the 40-member House, the governor emphasised that the 2026 proposal was designed to promote shared prosperity and build a Lagos that benefits all residents.

“Our mission remains clear, to eradicate poverty and build a Lagos that works for all,” the governor said.

He noted that the budget is anchored on four strategic pillars: a human-centred approach, modern infrastructure, a thriving economy, and good governance.

If approved, the N4.2tn proposal would represent a major leap in Lagos’ annual spending plan, reflecting growth of over N3tn in five years.

Budget records show that the state’s appropriation has risen from N1.1tn in 2021 to the N4.2tn now proposed for 2026 — an increase of N3.074tn under Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

The budget rose to N1.75tn in 2022, N1.76tn in 2023, and N2.26tn in 2024. By 2025, Lagos surpassed the N3tn mark with a N3.366tn budget ahead of the latest N4.237tn proposal.

According to the governor, the new budget “is reaffirming of our collective belief that Lagos can continue to rise.”

Sanwo-Olu added that the proposal builds on existing development foundations and restated his commitment to completing ongoing projects.

“We remain determined to complete all ongoing projects,” he said. (Punch)