Youth Voice in Lawmaking
The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, urges the National Assembly to strengthen its engagement with young Nigerians at the 2026 National Assembly Open Week held in Abuja. He says an open, transparent legislature boosts public trust and participation in policy making, and calls for ongoing opportunities for youths to contribute to laws and budget oversight. Gbajabiamila insists citizens should understand how laws are made and how public funds are allocated, to safeguard national interests.
Otu Wins NYCN Endorsement
Cross River State Governor Otu has secured the National Youth Council of Nigeria’s full endorsement as the NYCN launches its nationwide engagement tour, starting in Cross River. The council’s national president led a courtesy visit to Barr. Gilbert Agbor in Calabar, highlighting ongoing youth development efforts and the tour aimed at strengthening state-government partnerships ahead of the 2027 elections. The delegation emphasized peaceful youth participation and collaboration with security agencies for future governance.
FG launches digital public service tools
The Federal Government unveils three digital platforms—Reform Tracker, Knowledge Repository, and the NSPSR Dashboard—to monitor reform implementation across MDAs. The initiative strengthens transparency and performance monitoring nationwide, with Cross River State residents set to benefit as agencies adopt the tools and align services with the National Strategy for Public Service Reform. MDAs will report progress in real time, enabling better oversight, resource use, and service delivery for Nigerians, including those in Cross River.
Experts renew preterm birth call
Health experts in Nigeria have renewed calls to strengthen family planning and maternal care to reduce preterm births nationwide, including Cross River residents who rely on national health services. The discussions, highlighted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on July 11, 2026, emphasize improving access to contraception, teenage pregnancy prevention, and timely antenatal care. Officials say targeted funding and youth-friendly services are essential to lower hospital overcrowding and improve outcomes for mothers and newborns across the country, including Cross River State.
Calabar Lafarge Truck Crash
Two people survive after a Lafarge cement truck loses control on Murtala Muhammed Highway, Calabar, Cross River State, in the early hours of Tuesday. The truck, reportedly speeding near the Calabar International Conference Centre roundabout, veers off the road, climbs the pavement, and crashes into a tree. FRSC officials say two others are injured, with no fatalities recorded, and the state environment team assists in clearing debris to restore traffic while Lafarge management is notified. The incident underscores ongoing road-safety concerns in the Cross River capital.
Mid-Year Budget Review
The Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation meets with the Ministry of Information at the Calabar Assembly Complex on July 14, 2026 to review the ministry’s 2026 budget performance from January to date and align with the State’s Budget of Inclusive Growth ahead of the 2027 budget defence. The session, led by Hon. Cyril James Omini, aims to tighten governance, improve revenue, and ensure MDAs print through the Government Printing Press to boost information management and public messaging in Cross River.
Cross River refugee agriculture initiative
The Cross River State Government signs an agreement with UNHCR and the Oban Community on July 14, 2026 to donate 1,000 hectares of land for refugee livelihoods and agricultural activities. The move aims to give refugees access to productive land, boost self-reliance, and strengthen host-community relations. CR-SEMA Director General Efa Nyong leads the initiative with UNHCR’s Alpha Oumar Barry, signaling durable solutions and shared prosperity for refugees and Cross River residents alike.
CRGIA powers Cross River
The Cross River Geographic Information Agency (CRGIA) confirms the deployment of its Cross River Geographic Information System (CRGIS) to drive the Agricultural Traceability System across Cross River State. On July 14, 2026, a high-level government engagement highlighted how GIS, satellite imagery, and digital mapping geo-reference farms, map production sites, and trace agricultural commodities along the value chain. This move aims to strengthen food security, improve market access, and ensure sustainable land use while transitioning operational control to the state government for long-term governance.
Child online abuse declared emergency
Health experts, child rights advocates and civil society groups in Abuja on July 14, 2026, described child online abuse as a growing public health emergency and urged stronger laws and parental supervision. The roundtable, organized by Gatefield and partners, highlighted how online harm affects Nigerian children’s mental health and development, and called for faster passage of the Child Online Access Protection Bill. Cross River residents, schools, and institutions could feel the impact through tighter safeguards and platform accountability nationwide.
NCC zero-rated education access
The Nigerian Communications Commission has unveiled a framework to provide zero-rated data access for educational websites, including Coursera and Google Classroom, nationwide. The initiative seeks to expand digital learning for students, with Cross River learners set to benefit as the program is considered. A public consultation in Abuja on July 14, 2026 invites comments from schools, telecoms, and content providers to shape whitelisting of educational platforms. If approved, Cross River institutions and students could access vital online resources without data charges to support teaching and learning.
UNICAL tightens hostel security
The University of Calabar (UNICAL) reassures students and parents that campus safety remains a priority as it tightens security in hostels across the campus in Calabar, Cross River State. In a statement by the Public Relations Unit, management directed the Chief Security Officer and the Dean of Students’ Affairs to intensify day and night patrols, strengthen access control at hostel gates, and upgrade surveillance around female hostels. The move follows concerns raised about hostel safety, with UNICAL collaborating with security agencies to protect residents and deter threats.
CRS denies UNICROSS relocation
Cross River State Government has dismissed unfounded reports about relocating the Okuku Campus of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS). In a press statement issued by the Commissioner for Education, Senator Professor Stephen Odey Adi Odey, the administration says there is no plan to move the campus from its Okuku location, and instead highlights continued investments, including recently approved renovations at the campus to boost facilities and academic activity for students and staff in Yala and surrounding communities. The government calls on residents to disregard the rumours and notes its commitment to UNICROSS growth.
NYSC Partnership Boosts Service Delivery
The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General O.O. Nafiu, urges Cross River State employers to deepen ties with corps members to improve service delivery. At the 2026 Corps Employers Workshop in Calabar, Nafiu highlighted mentoring and providing meaningful workplace experiences. Cross River officials, including the Youth Development Commissioner Barr. Ijom Ukam, attended, with emphasis on regular monitoring and collaborative problem‑solving to boost corps members’ welfare and employability in today’s job market.
Martha Agba at Abuja Retreat
Cross River indigene Hon Dr Martha Agba joins the City Boy Movement’s maiden National Retreat in Abuja, as the group convenes from July 13 to July 15, 2026. The event brings together national directors and state coordinators to review grassroots mobilization and civic engagement in support of the Renewed Hope Agenda. The participation signals Cross River’s involvement in national youth-driven policy discourse, with discussions focused on leadership, youth empowerment, and coordinated outreach across Nigerian communities.