Nigeria Labour Congress served the federal government with a fresh ultimatum, raising temperatures between the two sides again. The labour body set a deadline for its demands and left little appetite for another round of drawn-out talks. President Bola Tinubu, meanwhile, defended the removal of the fuel subsidy, casting the measure as a painful but necessary step to rescue the economy. The policy has been blamed for rising transport and food costs since 2023, and his remarks did little to quieten the criticism. The recap also picked up Nigeria's slide in the global passport ranking, which tracks how many destinations Nigerians can enter visa-free. The drop lands as another irritant for travellers who already struggle to secure appointment slots. Taken together, the stories show an administration juggling labour unrest, economic hardship and an unflattering international comparison.