Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs following the conclusion of the qualifying group stage on Tuesday.

The Eagles secured their place in the play-offs with a convincing 4–0 victory over Benin Republic earlier in the day. Gabon clinched the second spot in Group F after defeating Burundi 2–0, while Ivory Coast topped the group with a win against Kenya.

Elsewhere, DR Congo advanced after a narrow 1–0 victory over Sudan to finish second in Group B behind Senegal, while Cameroon joined the line-up as runners-up in Group D behind Cape Verde.

The play-offs, which feature the four best runners-up from Africa’s nine qualifying groups, will be staged in Morocco from November 13 to 16.

Nigeria, expected to remain the highest-ranked team among the four sides when FIFA releases its updated rankings on October 23, will take on the lowest-ranked opponent — Gabon. Cameroon and DR Congo will contest the other semi-final fixture.

Both semi-final matches are scheduled for November 13, with the winners meeting three days later in a one-leg final. The overall winner will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026 for a chance to secure a place at the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

All matches will be decided in single-leg format, and in the event of a draw after 90 minutes, extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out will determine the winner.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will announce the specific venue for the mini-tournament later. The play-offs give Africa an additional route to qualification in the expanded 48-team World Cup format.

So far, all nine African group winners have qualified directly for next year’s tournament, while the upcoming play-offs will determine whether the continent secures one more spot via the inter-continental route.

The national assembly is considering major amendments to the Electoral Act 2022 ahead of the 2027 general election, with proposals that could transform how Nigerians vote.

The suggested changes include compulsory electronic voting, mandatory electronic transmission of results, early voting for security and essential workers, and the option to replace the permanent voter card (PVC) with other forms of identification such as the national identification number (NIN) or international passport.

These proposals were presented during a public hearing organised by the joint committee on electoral matters on Monday. Lawmakers are also proposing that the 2027 general elections be moved to November 2026 — six months before the May 29 handover date — to ensure that all election petitions are resolved before inauguration.

According to legislators, the goal of the reform is to modernise Nigeria’s electoral process, enhance transparency, and eliminate irregularities that have long undermined public confidence in elections.

PVC may no longer be compulsory

The amendment seeks to revise Sections 18 and 47 of the current law to make the use of PVCs optional. The proposed change argues that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) does not utilise the microchip embedded in the PVC, and therefore the card should not remain the only recognised form of voter identification.

“The use of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) will not be compulsory, since the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) does not recognise the microchip in the PVC,” the document reads.

“Every registered voter will be able to download and print their voter’s card whenever needed. This totally eradicates the issue of buying and selling PVCs, likewise all related offences.”

Under the new proposal, eligible identification for voters will include the National Identification Number (NIN), international passport, or birth certificate.

BVAS, PVC challenges

Since its introduction, the BVAS system has faced issues such as biometric authentication failures, weak battery capacity, and poor internet connectivity — particularly in rural areas.

The 2023 general elections were characterised by complaints over delayed result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) and widespread disenfranchisement due to missing PVCs or malfunctioning devices.

Opposition parties and observers also accused the electoral umpire of result manipulation, pointing to discrepancies between results announced at polling units and those uploaded online.

Push for electronic transmission of results

To address these concerns, lawmakers are proposing to amend Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act to make electronic transmission of results mandatory.

“The presiding officer shall transmit the results, including the total number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation both electronically and manually,” the amendment states.

Proponents believe this reform will strengthen transparency and minimise post-election disputes.

Akin Akingbolu, who represented Yiaga Africa on behalf of civil society organisations, urged lawmakers to extend the provision to include compulsory electronic voting.

“Strengthening the Electoral Act to make electronic transmission of results mandatory, including the upload of polling unit-level results and results sheets, will deepen the credibility of electoral outcomes and ensure votes count,” he said.

Early voting for essential workers

A new clause under Section 2 of the bill introduces early voting for specific categories of voters — including security operatives, INEC officials, accredited observers, journalists, and ad hoc staff — who are typically deployed on election duty.

These groups will be allowed to vote up to 14 days before the main election day to ensure they are not disenfranchised while performing official responsibilities.

Stiffer penalties for electoral offences

The bill also proposes stricter punishment for electoral misconduct, recommending a one-year jail term or a fine of ₦1 million — or both — for any presiding or collation officer who issues unstamped or unsigned ballot papers or result sheets.

“A presiding officer or collation officer who distributes or causes to be distributed any ballot paper or results sheet not duly stamped and signed commits an offence liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine not less than ₦1,000,000 or both,” the amendment reads.

A comprehensive electoral overhaul

The proposals are part of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025 (SB. 903), which seeks to repeal and replace the existing law.

It also introduces provisions for diaspora voting, the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission, and enhanced independence for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Lawmakers say the overall aim is to rebuild public trust, modernise the electoral process, and ensure that every vote counts in future elections.

Earlier this month, Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia South, noted that Nigeria’s judiciary had failed to keep pace with the technological advancements introduced by the electoral commission.

Abaribe argued that the challenge with Nigeria’s elections lies not in technology, but in the interpretation of laws by the courts.

The United States Department of State says it has revoked the visas of several foreign nationals who publicly celebrated the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, a close ally of former President Donald Trump and co-founder of the youth-focused advocacy group Turning Point USA, was shot dead last month during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

He was responding to a student’s question on mass shootings when a bullet struck his neck. The 31-year-old’s killing sent shockwaves across the United States and drew widespread condemnation of political violence.

Reactions to his death were sharply divided, with some expressions of sympathy overshadowed by a wave of celebratory comments on social media.

In a post on X late Tuesday, the State Department said it had “no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans.”

> “The State Department continues to identify visa holders who celebrated the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk,” the statement read.

The post included screenshots of six accounts belonging to individuals from South Africa, Germany, Mexico, Brazil and Paraguay who had made inflammatory remarks about the killing.

One South African user reportedly mocked Americans for “hurt that the racist rally ended in attempted martyrdom,” claiming Kirk had been “used to astroturf a movement of white nationalist trailer trash.”

All of the individuals’ U.S. visas have now been revoked.

The move came on the same day former President Trump posthumously awarded Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his activism.

It also follows Washington’s tightening of visa scrutiny for foreign nationals. In August, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria announced a new rule requiring non-immigrant visa applicants to submit details of their social-media handles from the past five years.

The measure, officials said, was part of efforts to enhance background checks and maintain security integrity in visa processing.