AFRICA

Military coups are becoming fashionable in Africa again. In the past five years, elected governments have been toppled by the army in four countries in West Africa alone. Citizens openly call for the military to take over these days out of frustration with the politicians. A Nigerian writer and poet Lola Shoneyin pleads with Africans to give democracy a chance. …

Lagos has been ranked as the 19th best city to visit in the world, according to Time Out, a global magazine that publishes travel guides and magazines. Apart from Lagos, South Africa’s Cape Town (ranked second) and Ghana’s Accra (44th) were the only African cities that featured on the list, issued by the London-based publication. Time Out, which tags itself …

The unexpected withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has stoked fears of an uncertain future for the regional bloc. In a joint statement on Sunday, the leaders of the three countries declared that they had made the “sovereign decision” to quit the organisation of 15 member countries. For months now, …

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has finalised plans to launch a self-service application system next month. The commission said the new system would allow Nigerians in the diaspora to seamlessly enrol for their National Identity Number (NIN), a set of eleven digits assigned to Nigerians of all ages and legal residents by the Nigerian government and issued and managed …

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana has officially launched a policy on how the country would engage its citizens living across the globe in national development efforts in their homeland. The Diaspora Engagement Policy was unveiled at a ceremony on Wednesday in Accra. Highlighting the significance of the Ghanaian diaspora, estimated to be between 1.5 and 3 million citizens …

An EU observer mission witnessed the recent presidential election in Liberia. Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Member of the European Parliament who was a member of the mission, writes about what they witnessed in Liberia and her views on the future of the country ____________________ The change of government took place in accordance with democratic principles and the laws in force in …

German Africa Prize 2023 goes to the Cameroonian women’s peace platform “1st National Women’s Convention for Peace in Cameroon”. The Deutsche Afrika Stiftung e.V. (German Africa Foundation), organisers of the award, has announced. The Prize will be presented to the organisation by the Vice President of the German Bundestag Katrin Göring-Eckhardt at a ceremony on 30 November at the Allianz …

Liberian President George Weah has conceded defeat to opposition leader Joseph Boakai after a tight presidential run-off, saying it was time to put national interest above personal interest President George Weah of Liberia has congratulated Joseph Nyumah Boakai of the opposition Unity Party as winner of the 2023 presidential runoff election, held on Tuesday. Weah called Mr Boakai, a former …

Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that his ministry would soon establish new passport processing and collection centres, especially for Nigerians in the diaspora, to decongest the influx of people at the already established centres as well as fast track service operations. The Minister made the policy statement at the just-concluded 6th Edition of the Nigeria Diaspora …

Nigeria has commenced the opening of enhanced e-passport facilities at select Nigerian Embassies in Europe. Unveiling the facilities in Rome, Italy, on Monday, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the new passport processing centres are part of efforts “to streamline passport processing and acquisition for Nigerians residing in the diaspora.” The minister, who was represented at the event …

Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, has assured that he would soon come up with a comprehensive review of migration and visa policies of the country. The aim of the review, he explained, is to make the processes of obtaining passport and travelling easier for Nigerians both at home and abroad. Dr Tunji-Ojo made the promise on Tuesday in …

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is visiting Africa for three days; first Nigeria, then Ghana. Scholz arrives Abuja on Sunday for a two-day working visit to Africa’s most populous country. While in Nigeria, the German leader will hold meetings with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and ECOWAS Commission President, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, according to his itinerary published by the German Embassy …

Dr Julius Garvey, son of the legendary Jamaican-born Pan-African activist Marcus Garvey, attended this year’s Badagry Door of Return Festival, which took place from 19 to 21 October. The annual event, which holds in the town of Badagry, remembers the slave trade that led to the forcible migration of millions of Africans and seeks to reconnect the Black diaspora with …

Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa/Photo: NIDCOM The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, recently clocked 61. Rosemary Moribirin pays tribute to a woman who through her work has significantly raised the profile of Nigerians living in the diaspora in their homeland ——- In the grand tapestry of life, we gather to celebrate a luminous figure in Nigeria’s …

Mohammed Idris* writes on the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who assumed office on 29 May, to reposition Nigeria on the global stage as he seeks international partners in his efforts to revamp his country’s economy. He says the country’s citizens “stand on the threshold of a Nigeria that is a true global giant”. Having hit the ground running …

The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Nigeria in October to further strengthen economic ties between both nations, Nigerian presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, has announced. Ngelale explained that the visit was agreed on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting in New Delhi, India, where President Bola Tinubu and the German leader met. “Thank you for this important discussion, Mr. President. …

Nigeria’s new Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, has criticized the delays experienced by Nigerians to obtain their passports. According to him, Nigerians should not be made to wait endlessly before getting their passports. He has therefore directed the acting Comptroller General of the Immigration, Caroline Wuraola Adepoju, to ensure the reasons for the delays were addressed. Tunji-Ojo said this on …

The immediate past Nigerian ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has been sworn in as the country’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs. Alhaji Tuggar was one of the 45 ministers sworn into their various offices on Monday in Abuja, marking an end to the long wait of Nigerians for a new federal cabinet to be constituted since President Bola Ahmed …

Nigeria to establish a research centre on diaspora issues in its quest to more actively engage its citizens living outside their homeland The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has allocated N1billion for the establishment of a diaspora research centre at the University of Ibadan (UI). Sonny Echono, TETFund executive secretary, in a statement signed by Abdulmumin Oniyangi, said the centre …

During a recent trip to the DRC, on the invitation of His Greatness Dominique Khonde Mpolo, Universal Minister for Peace of Nations and Continents (CULPAC), members of the European Parliament’s Development Committee also had a meeting with Denis Kadima, President of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), in Kinshasa. Dr Pierrette Herzberger Fofana, German member of the European Parliament representing …