Special

Speech delivered by Femi Awoniyi, Co-Director of Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN), at the 12th Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award 2018 at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, on Sunday, 23 September 2018. Too many Nigerians are dying daily in the course of irregularly migrating to Europe. Too many are stranded in Europe, unable to obtain legal residency and obliged to return home. Too …

Despite an economic slowdown, most African countries are reported to have a positive economic outlook. This is according to ICAEW’s (the institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) latest report, In Economic Insight: Africa Q3 2018. The report, commissioned by ICAEW and produced by partner and forecaster Oxford Economics, provides a snapshot of the region’s economic performance. The regions …

The refrain at the Stakeholders’ Roundtable Dialogue on Migration, organised by the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN), last weekend was an appeal to Nigerian youths to acquire vocational skills. Addressing the event, a series of consultation with civil society on issues deriving from irregular migration, Engr. Deremi Elebute called on youths to realize that the nation’s job market had changed …

The Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) has warned would-be migrants to avoid irregular routes as the security situation in Libya worsens and death rates in the Mediterranean soar. In a statement released Tuesday in Lagos and jointly signed by the co-directors of the initiative, Kenneth Gbandi and Femi Awoniyi, the MEPN pointed to the declaration of a state of emergency …

Leading international money transfer company WorldRemit has launched a new digital service within Africa, making it easier to send and receive money across the continent. The new digital service will reduce the cost of sending money across borders. The prohibitive charges that individuals and businesses pay to transfer money within Africa are recognised as a major obstacle to the growing …

The UK Government has announced a new £70-million programme to create 100,000 jobs in Nigeria, says the Minister of State for Africa, Harriett Baldwin. Baldwin said this during a business event as part of the activities for Prime Minister Theresa May’s visit to Nigeria on Wednesday. Baldwin, who led a business delegation to the event, said that the programme would …

While the focus of awareness campaigns have been on the travails of those journeying north to Europe through Libya, Nigerians travelling by land irregularly towards South Africa are also suffering hell. That was the revelation made by Dr Kingsman Chikelu, Chairman of the Africa chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Enugu on Saturday at the Stakeholders’ Roundtable …

“For people wishing to study in Germany, it is not difficult to get a visa. It is easier than you think. It requires filing the details or you can just go to our website,” – Mr Bernhard Schlagheck, German Ambassador to Nigeria,  July 2017 ————————————————– One of the legal ways to migrate to Europe is to go there to study. …

The series of consultation with civil society on irregular migration, organised by the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN), kicked off in Abuja on Saturday [18 August]. The Stakeholders’ Roundtable Dialogue on Migration brought together youths, parents and multipliers, such as journalists, artists, educationists and religious leaders, among others, to exchange ideas and experiences on the issues deriving from irregular migration. …

At the recent Nigerian Diaspora Global Development Conference in London, government officials and business people from Nigeria exchanged ideas and experiences with the country’s nationals living abroad on how the Diaspora can better contribute to national development. Under the theme “Supporting the Development Roadmap for Nigeria”, the 3-day (26-28 July) event looked at the challenges confronting the country and identified …

With its sponsorship of and active participation in the recently-concluded Nigeria-Austria Business Forum and the Nigerian Cultural Festival 2018 in Vienna, Austria, Ecobank Nigeria Plc seek to consolidate its leadership position in Diaspora banking services. A member of Ecobank, the leading independent pan-African bank, headquartered in Lomé, Togo, Ecobank Nigeria has been active in Diaspora banking activities in the West African region for …

A new phase of the campaign to raise public awareness on the dangers and risks of irregular migration in Nigeria by the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) has commenced. Round of dialogue with multipliers such as journalists, youth groups, women associations, students, artists and religious and traditional leaders, to hold in Abuja, Enugu, Lagos and Benin-City. Despite last October’s CNN …

Nigerians across the globe gathered in London on 26-28 July to deliberate on the state of affairs in their home country and how to better contribute to its development. The Nigerian Diaspora Global Development Conference 2018, the first of its kind, brought together government officials and business leaders from Nigeria and the country’s nationals living abroad. Under the theme “Supporting …

The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have a series of ambitious plans as South Africa hosts the 10th summit of the BRICS bloc in Johannesburg. Martina Schwikowski reports. South Africa’s government is hosting the tenth BRICS annual summit in Johannesburg on July 25-27, 2018. The Summit will be held under the theme: “BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for conclusive Growth …

Social media giant, Twitter Inc., has announced the appointment of Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to its board of directors. Also appointed is former World Bank chief, Robert Zoellick, as the microblogging site reshuffled its board, Twitter said Thursday. According to the Executive Chairman of Twitter, Omid Kordestani, Okonjo-Iweala would be an incredible asset for the company as …

Nigeria-Austria Business Forum 2018 took place recently in Vienna and was attended by businesspeople from countries and Nigerian government officials, including Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State. The second Nigeria-Austria Business Forum took place on 28 June 2018 in Vienna, Austria, and it was dedicated to deepening trade ties between both countries. The event was jointly organised by the Embassy …

The French team were not the only winners of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia as the curtains were drawn on Sunday in Moscow. Prior to seeing France lift the Trophy, the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) came together to decide where the Russia 2018 awards should go. Luka Modric named adidas Golden Ball Award winner despite Final defeat …

France have won the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ after defeating Croatia 4-2 in a thoroughly entertaining Final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Sunday in what was a fitting end to an outstanding tournament. Despite Croatia having the majority of possession in the opening stages, France took the lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances. Antoine Griezmann’s lofted free kick …

France seal second World Cup triumph with a convincing 4-2 win over Croatia in a thrilling final. As exciting as Russia 2018, it’s a miserable World Cup for Africa’s representatives, with none of its flagbearers making it out of the group stages.  What went wrong for them at the 2018 World Cup? Our Contributing Editor, Michael Nnaji examines their shortcomings …

French President Emmanuel Macron offered a bold and new vision of France’s relationship with Africa, speaking at an exclusive session hosted by the Tony Elumelu Foundation in Lagos during his visit to Lagos last week. He passionately advocated a new partnership, prioritizing the role of entrepreneurship in driving Africa’s renaissance, highlighting the importance of the private sector and most importantly …