Burundi’s outgoing president, Pierre Nkurunziza, died unexpectedly on Monday after suffering a heart attack, the government says. He was admitted to hospital on Saturday after feeling unwell, his condition improved but on Monday he had a cardiac arrest and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, officials say. The death of 55-year-old Nkurunziza, who was due to stand down in August …

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group advocating for a separate state for the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, has been accused of working to discredit the Nigerian government internationally. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, made the allegation in a statement on Sunday. According to him, the group is leading a …

Africa against all predictions of international organisations has until now been the least affected region by the new coronavirus pandemic. Mabingue Ngom, Director of the West and Central African Regional Office of the United Nations Population Fund, explains how the lessons learnt from earlier outbreaks of the Ebola epidemic have largely helped the continent avoid the worst predicted for it …

The African Network of Germany (TANG) is currently carrying out a campaign against anti-Black racism on social media. The organisation explains in this press statement why Germany must act decisively now against discrimination against people of African descent in the country —- Following the death of the African-American George Floyd after a brutal police operation in Minneapolis on 25 May, …

The city-state’s new law explicitly bars public authorities, including police, from discriminating based on skin colour, gender and other factors. Lawmakers say the new rules help to address systemic racism in Germany. Rebecca Staudenmaier reports Berlin became the first German state to pass its own anti-discrimination law on Thursday, with a majority of state lawmakers approving the law. The law …

Tens of thousands of people joined Black Lives Matter protests across Germany on Saturday despite coronavirus containment measures that discourage such large gatherings. Even though many wore masks, but social distancing rules were impossible to observe as protesters rally across 26 towns and cities in Germany to protest racial discrimination and police brutality. The passion of participants about racism was …

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated the country’s former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for the position of director-general of the World Trade Organisation. NAN reported on Thursday that Buhari withdrew the candidacy of Yonov Agah, Nigeria’s permanent representative to WTO, for the same position. The election is scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2021 for a four-year term that …

The Zentralrat der afrikanischen Gemeinde in Deutschland (Central Council of the African Community in Germany or ZAGD) has moved its office to Berlin. The organisation, an umbrella body for African associations in Germany, has been operating from Hanover since its founding in 2012. The chairman of Zentralrat, Abayomi Bankole, said moving to the federal capital would enable the organisation to …

The Zentralrat der afrikanischen Gemeinde in Deutschland (Central Council of the African Community in Germany or ZAGD) is currently running a digital training programme for individuals and associations in the African community. The initiative, tagged ‘Setting the future right through digital empowerment’, especially seeks to equip associations with digital skills to enhance their administrative capacity. Akinola Famson, a member of …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says governing parties have agreed on a €130 billion stimulus package to help revive the virus-hit economy. Under the wide-ranging measures, value-added tax will be temporarily slashed. Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that Germany was set to plow 130 billion euros ($146 billion) into rebooting an economy severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The measures include …

The controversy surrounding accusations of malpractices against the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, seems to have been resolved for now on Thursday. Some officials of the Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire-based Bank had accused Dr Adesina of lack of respect of internal rules and regulations in recruitment, citing numerous cases of nepotism and favouritism. The AfDB’s Ethics …

The Federal Government has approved the draft of a law to strengthen the security of passport, ID and immigration documents. Citizens can decide whether they can be photographed by the issuing authority for a fee of six euros or have their photograph taken in a photo shop. If they choose to have their photograph taken in a photo shop, the …

Since George Floyd was killed by a policeman on 25 May in the city of Minneapolis, people across the United States have been protesting anti-Black racism and police violence. In solidarity, members of the Black community in Germany will rally nationwide on Saturday to register their protest against racism not only in the US, but also in Germany and globally.

Nigeria has announced a reopening date for its airports as part of government’s relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown measures in the country. According to a circular issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Monday, five airports will resume domestic operations on Saturday, 21 June. The airports are Omagwa International Airport Port Harcourt, Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja, Murtala Muhammed …

The Bank’s investments have benefited millions of Africans through its 10-year strategy which it began implementing from 2013 ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, June 3, 2020/ — For the past five decades, the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has been at the forefront of driving Africa’s economic transformation, leveraging its diverse resources and unique know-how as an indigenous development finance institution. The …

Young professionals from developing countries can apply for a scholarship to study in Germany. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD, in German) supports postgraduate studies and training in a variety of subjects, including media studies. Institutions that offer media studies include Leipzig University, Bauhaus University Weimar and Cologne University of Applied Sciences. Candidates must have completed their college degree in …

As Germany grapples with the coronavirus crisis, Chuks Lewis Ehiwario,  migrant rights activist and Vice Chairman, Foreigners Advisory Council of the city of Kassel, makes a case for refugees and asylum-seekers whose situation seems to be forgotten in the public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 epidemic: —– Today, our way of life has changed because of COVID-19 and the …

Below is the statement of Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Member of the European Parliament (representing the Green Party of Germany), on the police killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, on Monday, 25 May 2020, in Minneapolis. “I can’t breathe,” he protested as a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for 9 minutes whilst 3 other officers …

Nigerian reggae singer Majek Fashek has died aged 71. His manager, Omenka Uzoma Day, confirmed the news on Monday via a short video on Instagram, saying the “the legend has gone to be with the Lord, but this time we should all celebrate him”. By loading the post, you agree to Instagram’s privacy policy.Learn more Load post Always unblock Instagram …

Leading migrant organisations launched a campaign tagged Aktion #beiunsauch (Action #samehere) against anti-Black racism in Germany on Monday (1 June). The campaign, an initiative of The African Network of Germany (TANG), in collaboration with the Turkish Community in Germany (TGD), Each One Teach One (EOTO), German Dream, BAGIV and more than 100 other migrant organisations, was inspired by the ongoing …