AFRICA

Almost daily, citizens including school children are abducted for ransom in Nigeria. In the past two weeks alone, two high profile abductions of hundreds of school pupils have generated global media attention. The murderous Boko Haram insurgency also continues to ravage Nigeria’s north-eastern region. In the north west, bandits invade villages killing and maiming, and displacing the original inhabitants.  More …

GIZ and Orange launch an Orange Digital Center in Ethiopia, the 3rd in the Africa and Middle East region, to train young people in digital technology and boost their employability. Following launches in Tunisia and Senegal, Ethiopia will be home to the third Orange Digital Center in Africa and the Middle East ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 25, 2021/ — Today, …

The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered its first Covid-19 doses to Ghana under a programme to ensure low-income countries do not wait for years to start inoculating their populations. Ghana became the first country to receive the vaccines through the COVAX program on Wednesday, a joint statement issued by UNICEF Ghana and WHO Ghana said. An aircraft carrying 600,000 …

In order to strengthen political dialogue and promote economic relations, Professor Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Togolese Abroad, held diplomatic talks on February 16, 2021 with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in St. Petersburg. According to reports, Professor Dussey’s visit was on the invitation by Moscow, and came on exactly one year after their …

A look into the ban on cryptocurrency in Nigeria by Ibrahim Moshood and Oneyka Cindy Ojogbo, Associate and Senior Associate respectively of the international law firm Centurion Law Group In a letter dated 5 February 2021[1], the Nigerian government through its apex bank – the Central Bank of Nigeria (“CBN”) – clamped down on cryptocurrencies in Nigeria. The letter specifically …

The global pandemic has accelerated the need for true digitisation as African customers demand a more seamless digital customer experience from their communications service providers (CSPs), writes Pikie Monaheng, CEO at Amdocs South Africa JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 17, 2021/ —  It’s no secret that CSPs need to transform their businesses to compete in the continent’s highly competitive communications landscape …

The security situation in Nigeria is worsening by the day as marauding bandits, camouflaging as herdsmen, roam across the country kidnapping for ransom, waylaying travellers, killing farmers and generally making the country unsafe. Added to the security troubles of the country is the possibility of inter-ethnic clashes flaring in different parts of the country caused by worsening inter-communal relationship. Members …

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first vaccine for its COVAX program, aimed at ensuring equitable access to vaccines in Low- and middle-income countries. On Monday, the UN health agency issued emergency approval for the AstraZeneca vaccine, with deliveries expected to commence by March. The approval comes after a study in South Africa indicates that the AstraZeneca vaccine …

The World Trade Organisation has confirmed Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General. She is the first woman and the first African to lead the international trade body. According to a statement by the organisation on Monday, her term is scheduled to start on 1 March 2021. The term, which is renewable, will expire on 31 August 2025. …

The immediate past chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE), Hon Kenneth Gbandi, has called on the body to withdraw the award it once conferred on the current governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, if he does not deny a recent statement credited to him on security in Nigeria. Mohammed had last week said that herdsmen were …

Lagos, Nigeria: Following the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel to allow the Lekki Concession Company to reopen the Lekki tollgate where soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters, killing many in cold blood on 20 October 2020, Nigerian youths protested on Saturday to show their dissatisfaction of the decision. Despite the presence of heavy security operatives on ground, youths …

A new airline begins commercial operations in Nigeria on Friday, 12 February. The Enugu-based United Nigeria recently received approval to commence operation and was handed an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), having fulfilled all mandatory regulatory requirements.  The airline will conduct its inaugural flight on Friday, taking off from the domestic wing of Murtala …

Moussa Faki Mahamat was re-elected the chairperson of the African Union Commission on Saturday during the two-day virtual summit of the organisation. The Chadian diplomat won the support of 51 of 55 member states in a secret ballot to win a second term as AU executive head at the 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and …

The Central Bank of Nigeria has reacted to criticisms trailing its declaration that  the use of cryptocurrencies in Nigeria contravenes existing laws. The apex bank had issued a statement on Friday warning banks and other financial institutions to desist from transacting cryptocurrencies and dealing with entities who do same. According to the CBN in a new statement on Sunday, cryptocurrencies …

President Joe Biden’s first foreign policy speech on 4 February was high on ideals but low on priorities for Africa and the developing world. It reminded me of the idealistic vision of Jimmy Carter when he came to power in 1976. Carter’s rhetoric was loaded with idealism of a world cooperating for global peace, without appreciating the limits of American …

Following a directive banning cryptocurrency trading by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerians have expressed strong displeasure of the decision of the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. In a circular dated 5th February 2021, the CBN notified banks and other financial institutions against doing business in Crypto and other digital assets. According to Wikipedia, a …

Former Nigeria’s minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is set to become the first African, woman to lead the seat of 164-member World Trade Organisation. Coast is clear for her to emerge for the top job as the United States government under the administration of President Joe Biden endorsed her on Friday, in what was expressed as a ‘strong support’, according …

The international business magazine Forbes has released its annual list of Africa’s most wealthy individuals. According to the report, the continent has 18 billionaires this year, down from 20 in 2020. Together, they are worth $73.8 billion, slightly more than the $73.4 billion aggregate worth of the 20 billionaires last year. Aliko Dangote of Nigeria is the richest person in …

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday urged the world’s wealthiest countries to stop “hoarding” vaccines and called for an end to “vaccine nationalism.” In remarks delivered at the World Economic Forum’s virtual Davos Agenda event, Ramaphosa cautioned that some countries had ordered more supplies of vaccines than they needed, and that this was counterproductive to the global recovery effort. …

According to a new report of the global news agency Reuters, Africa’s coronavirus case fatality rate stands at 2.5%, higher than the global level of 2.2%, a trend that is alarming experts. Earlier in the pandemic, Africa’s death rate had been below the global average, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) head John Nkengasong is quoted as …