New data by the apex bank shows that over 90 percent of currency in circulation is held outside the banking system. The pattern reflects a growing lack of confidence in the banking system and also seriously limits access to liquid cash. The cash hoarding could threaten Nigeria's financial stability and economic growth.
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In Nigeria, soaring inhaler costs pose a significant challenge for asthma patients, especially as the world marked Asthma Day this week.
The departure of multinational firms like GSK, coupled with inflation, has driven prices skyward, rendering essential medications unaffordable. As a result, patients are turning to alternative treatments.
World Asthma Day 2024 finds Nigeria facing a mounting health crisis with asthma medication costs soaring more than 500% in less than a year.
That has led many like Khalida Jihad, an asthma sufferer for nearly 30 years, to cut down on their medical supplies.
"I hardly buy and stock up any more...but I definitely have to have inhaler no matter the cost I definitely have to have it but then what about people who can't afford to have it?" she said.
Some, like Rita Joseph, a college student, unable to afford inhalers, turn to untested alternatives.
"For four months now, I can't afford inhaler because of the high price so, I now use ginger, garlic, cloves, lemon and other natural ingredients because they are cheaper," she said.
Asthma is a chronic lung disease causing breathing difficulties. It affects millions globally, and results in more than 450,000 preventable deaths annually according to the World Health Organization.
While Nigeria lacks recent official data, a 2019 survey estimated the country has 13 million asthma sufferers, among the most in Africa.
Public health experts like Ejike Orji fear the rising cost of medication could lead to a crisis.
"If the drug to manage that is not handy when someone has an acute attack, it leads to loss of life," Orji said. "As one asthma is finishing attack, another one is starting and that is why affordability of those drugs is very important. Good example, Ventolin inhaler is a standard drug people buy, now Ventolin inhaler is not even in the market."
Asthma's burden falls heavily on low-income countries. More than 80% of deaths occur there due to lack of awareness, poor management of the disease, and limited healthcare access as disclosed by WHO.
Orji emphasizes the need for Nigeria’s government to promote asthma awareness.
"One area the government can do something is to increase the public education and community engagement to create comprehensive awareness of what to avoid if you are an asthmatic, what to do to prevent yourself getting into trouble and when you are having an attack, what to do immediately," Orji said.
By Gibson Emeka, VOA
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Nigerian authorities on Wednesday denied allegations from Binance's CEO of soliciting bribes, saying the claim was a "diversionary tactic" and an "act of blackmail" aimed at undermining ongoing criminal charges against the company.
Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, and two of its executives face separate trials on charges of tax evasion and laundering more than $35 million, which the company is challenging.
Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and Binance's head of financial crime compliance, remains in custody while British-Kenyan Nadeem Anjarwalla has fled the country.
CEO Richard Teng in a blog post accused unidentified Nigerian officials of demanding a $150 million cryptocurrency bribe to halt the investigations.
In a statement on Wednesday, Nigeria's Information Ministry spokesperson Rabiu Ibrahim said the claims "lack any iota of substance". He accused Binance of attempting to undermine the country's legal proceedings.
"It is nothing but a diversionary tactic and an attempted act of blackmail by a company desperate to obfuscate the grievous criminal charges it is facing in Nigeria," Ibrahim said.
"The facts of this matter remain that Binance is being investigated in Nigeria for allowing its platform to be used for money laundering, terrorism financing, and foreign exchange manipulation through illegal trading," he said.
Nigerian authorities claim the bribery allegations are part of a wider campaign by Binance to discredit investigations against the company, citing similar legal troubles in the United States.
Binance did not immediately comment, but in a statement on Tuesday accused Nigeria of setting a dangerous precedent after its executives were invited for talks and then detained as part of a crackdown on the crypto industry.
Teng's blog is the latest in a dispute that has already seen Binance close in Nigeria.
Nigeria blamed Binance for its currency problems after cryptocurrency websites emerged as platforms of choice for trading the Nigerian naira as the country grappled with chronic dollar shortages.
Binance said in early March it was stopping all transactions and trading in naira.
By Camillus Eboh, Reuters
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Microsoft may have taken a business decision to shut down its African Development Centre (ADC) located in Ikoyi, Lagos, a development that will affect over 500 jobs that are directly linked to the innovation centre.
Although no reason was given by Microsoft for the decision to close down the innovation centre in Lagos, but sources close to Microsoft Nigeria said Microsoft informed the staff on Monday of its decision to close down the innovation centre, which also houses the Microsoft Garage, where local solutions are developed and nurtured to maturity.
THISDAY spoke with a senior staff at Microsoft yesterday, who neither denied the information nor accept it as truth. The senior staff however said Microsoft would soon react to the media information.
Another source close to Microsoft, however said the decision to close down the Microsoft Innovation Centre could be linked to the tough business environment in Nigeria, coupled with the harsh economic realities of the Nigerian economy. The source said no investor would be ready to lose money from any investments and that when an investment is fast losing money, it would be in the best interest of the investors to shut down the business to avoid further loss of money.
Microsoft had in 2019, initiated the innovation centre, with the purpose to create centres where technology solutions would be developed from Africa to address the African challenges as well as global challenges. Pleased with the initiative, Microsoft went ahead to establish the $100 million African Development Centres in Nigeria and Kenya, but decided to shut down that of Nigeria, leaving Kenya’s centre to still operate in Kenya.
THISDAY, had last month, observed what appeared to look like a desolate area in the building housing the Microsoft Innovation Centre in Lagos. The entire seven floors of the building were without staff and the few staff members on duty were the front desk staff and security personnel that kept watch over the place. The absence of staff was an indication that Microsoft may have taken the decision earlier to shut down the innovation centre.
By Emma Okonji, This Day
Nigeria is planning to launch a new program to resolve its liquidity and foreign exchange woes. The Nigeria Diaspora Fund seeks to pool together billions of dollars remitted monthly by its citizens overseas for local investments, including infrastructure, healthcare, and education.
A Nigerian journalist's arrest last week has triggered criticism of worsening press freedoms in the West African country.
Daniel Ojukwu with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism went missing last Wednesday in the economic hub of Lagos. His family and employer found out on Friday that he was detained and held in a police station for allegedly violating the country's Cybercrime Act, often criticized as a tool for censorship.
The arrest of Ojukwu, who was later transferred to the Nigerian capital of Abuja, follows his report about alleged financial mismanagement of over 147 million naira ($104,600) involving a senior government official, according to his employer, the foundation.
Nigeria is ranked 112th out of 180 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders. It is known for the country's tough environment for journalists who face frequent abductions, arrests and prosecution, usually after reporting on chronic corruption and bad governance plaguing the oil-rich country.
At least 25 journalists have been prosecuted under the country's Cybercrime Act since it was introduced in 2015, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. They include eight detained under President Bola Tinubu whose government, in power since May last year, touts itself as one encouraging press freedoms — a claim it repeated last week during World Press Freedom Day events.
The Cybercrime Act was amended this year to remove some harsh provisions but the police still use it to "silence journalists and critics," Amnesty International's Nigeria office said.
Nigeria's law requires a suspect to be charged or released within 48 hours following arrest. Ojukwu, however, was not allowed any means of communication or access to a lawyer until his third day in custody, said Oke Ridwan, a human rights lawyer who met with the journalist at the police station where he was held.
Nigeria's Minister of Information Mohammed Idris Malagi told The Associated Press that he is making efforts to resolve the case and is "on top of the issue." Local and international civil society groups have condemned the detention.
It is a "symptom of a larger problem within Nigeria's law enforcement agencies, and their relationship with politically exposed persons undermining democratic principles," a coalition of at least 30 civil society groups known as the Action Group on Protection of Civic Actors said in a statement on Monday.
"The Nigerian Police Force has veered off course from its duty to uphold law and order to become an oppressive tool in stifling dissent and independent journalism," it added.
Securities and Exchange Commission Director General Emomotimi Agama also told a meeting with fintech professionals on Monday that new rules would be rolled out “in the coming days” covering crypto exchanges, digital asset custodians and other corners of the sector.
“The thing that needs to be done is delisting the naira from the P2P space in order to avoid the level of manipulation that is currently happening,” Agama said. “Recent concerns regarding crypto P2P traders and their perceived impact on the exchange rate of the naira has underscored the need for collective action,” he said in a statement released by the Abuja-based SEC on Monday evening.
Peer-to-peer platforms allow crypto investors to trade directly with one another, rather than via a central intermediary. In such transactions, the traders themselves negotiate the price.
The warning follows Nigeria’s ban on Binance Holdings Ltd., the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, and the arrest of two of its executives when they visited the country in February.
One of them fled but the other, Tigran Gambaryan, has been jailed at the Kuje correctional center in Abuja and will go on trial this month where he faces charges of tax evasion, currency speculation and money laundering.
“Manipulations and all forms of activities that undermine our national interest would not be acceptable,” Agama said.
Africa’s most populous nation has seen residents flock into crypto assets as a hedge for weakness in the naira, which has lost 65% of its value against the dollar since the government eased currency rules in June to make the unit more attractive to foreign investors.
Central bank Governor Olayemi Cardoso in February accused Binance of allowing illicit transactions in the naira on its platform, which the authorities subsequently blocked.
“SEC will not hesitate to utilize all the powers within its mandate to handle issues that are negative and pose a threat to national interest,” Agama said. “We ask that those involved in sharp practices that undermine national interest should cease and desist.”
By Emele Onu, Bloomberg
Related story: Video - Detained Binance executive appears in court in Nigeria for tax, money laundry charges
42 have died in Nigeria in just over a week following a measles outbreak in the northeastern state of Adamawa. About 200 cases of the disease have been recorded in two local government areas so far.
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Unions made their demand as the nation marked Labour Day on Wednesday amidst increased economic hardship and stalled negotiations between the workers and the government. The dispute comes even as the country's salaries commission raised the pay of government workers by between 25 percent and 35 percent, backdated to January.
Related story: Civil servants in Nigeria get pay rises up to 35% due to inflation
Five months after admitting to killing 85 civilians in an airstrike, the Nigerian army has brought those it holds accountable to book.
The Director of Defence Media Operations announced on Thursday (May 2nd) that two military personnel were facing a court martial.
An army drone strike accidentally hit Tudun Biri village, in northwestern Nigeria on December 3rd, last year.
Civilians celebrated a Muslim festival at the time.
Major General Edward Buba told reporters in Abuja that the victims had been mistaken for terrorists.
He added the army initiated disciplinary action against those culpable following what he called a painstaking investigation.
The accused are to face a court martial for acts of ommission or commission.
Major General Buba did not provide further information.
Nigeria's armed forces often rely on air strikes in their battle against so-called bandit militias in the northwest and northeast of the country where jihadists have been waging a 14-year conflict.
Related news: Accidental Military drone strikes kill dozens in Nigeria
Nigeria has raised salaries for civil servants by between 25% and 35% amid to help them cope with the rising cost of living.
The lowest-paid government employee will now earn $324 (£258) a year, Reuters news agency reports.
Police and military officers are among state workers who are set to benefit from the pay rises, which will be backdated to January.
The announcement came on the eve of Wednesday's Workers' Day holiday.
However, the rate of inflation is currently more than 30% - the highest figure in nearly three decades.
The cost of food has risen even more - by 35%, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, so the pay rises mean that salaries for civil servants stay roughly the same in real terms - what it can buy in the shops and markets.
Pensions for those workers who benefit were also increased by between 20% and 28%, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) said.
The hikes come after the government recently raised the salaries of academic staff members and healthcare workers.
However, the monthly minimum wage, set by the government and which all employers are supposed to observe, has not changed since 2019, when it was put at 30,000 naira - this is now worth just $19 (£15) after a sharp fall in the value of the naira over recent months.
The government also recently increased electricity tariffs for consumers who use the most power as it seeks to wean the economy off subsidies that have weighed heavily on public finances.
The trade union umbrella group, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), welcomed the latest pay increase but urged the government to ensure that it was reflective of the harsh economic situation in the country.
"These categories of workers are already in the privileged sector but we expect it to be extended also to other categories of civil servants who are in lower cadre and are vulnerable," NLC spokesman Comrade Benson Upah told local media.
Negotiations are ongoing between the government and the main labour unions about an increase in the minimum wage.
Food prices as well as the prices of goods and services have doubled in many parts of the country since the removal of a fuel subsidy last year.
Petrol shortages have worsened in Nigeria's major cities, with long queues observed since last week, as Africa's biggest oil producer struggled with a fuel scarcity.
Authorities blamed the shortage on supply disruptions due to logistical challenges.
Most of Nigeria's oil is exported, while the fuel which is used locally is mostly imported due to a lack of refining capacity.
By Wycliffe Muia, BBC
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Mr Banu was arraigned before the judge, Evelyn Anyadike, on Monday, a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Tuesday said.
The defendant was alleged to have, among other sundry offences, conspired to divert the said sum during the administration of then-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed between May 2011 and May 2019 when he served as the Commissioner for Finance.
Mr Banu was to be arraigned alongside his principal, former Governor Abdulfatah, on 23 February 2024, but the scheduled hearing was stalled because he was not in court, prompting the judge to issue a warrant of arrest against Mr Banu.
The court, on the said date, took the plea of Mr Abdulfatah on the 12-count charge preferred against him and Mr Banu.
At the resumed hearing on Monday, the two defendants – Messrs Abdulfatah and Banu – listed as the first and second defendants in the charge, were present in court.
When the case was called, A. A. Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), announced the appearance for Mr Abdulfatah, while Gboyega Oyewole, a SAN, for Mr Banu, and the prosecution team was led by Rotimi Jacobs, also a SAN.
Mr Jacobs informed the court that the second defendant, who was unavailable at the last sitting when his co-defendant, Mr Abdulfatah, was arraigned, was finally in court to take his plea.
In response, Mr Banu’s lawyer, Mr Oyewole, prayed the court to discharge the bench warrant earlier issued against his client, which Mr Jacobs did not oppose.
In a bench ruling, the judge vacated the bench warrant on the second defendant, setting the stage for his arraignment.
Thereafter, Mr Banu pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
Following his plea, Mr Oyewole applied for his client’s bail. He prayed the court to grant the application on liberal terms, citing Mr Banu’s medical conditions.
But, the prosecution lawyer did not oppose the bail request given the earlier ruling.
Bail conditions
The judge granted the second defendant bail of N20 million with two sureties in like sum.
Ms Anyadike said the sureties must have landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
She added that the sureties must deposit three passport photographs with the court’s registrar.
The sureties must also produce evidence of payment of electricity bills for the last three months.
Furthermore, the judge ordered that the sum of N5 million must be paid as a bond into the litigation account of the Federal High Court by the defendant, which will be returned to him after the final determination of the case but forfeited to the federal government in the event the defendant jumps bail.
The judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his passport with the court.
She said Mr Banu must not travel without the court’s permission but may apply for it on medical grounds.
Thereafter, the judge ordered the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the EFCC, pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
The case has been adjourned to 25 and 26 June for trial.
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Sixteen occupants of a Toyota Hummer Bus were, on Tuesday, burnt beyond recognition when the bus burst into flames after plunging into a fence along Enugu/Opi/Nsukka Road in Ekwegbe in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday night.
Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the accident occurred at about 5:20 p.m.
The police spokesperson said the sixteen yet-to-be-identified passengers who died in the crash comprised 14 males and two females.
He said the 18-seater bus, said to have been driven at high speed, lost control and plunged into the fence of Maduka University along the road.
“A preliminary investigation reveals that the vehicle unfortunately burst into flames burning beyond recognition, the 16 deceased individuals, who were taken to the hospital and confirmed dead,” he said.
“However, two other passengers were rescued alive and taken to the hospital for medical attention by police officers, soldiers and public-spirited citizens, who immediately responded to the incident,” Mr Ndukwe stated.
He said the vehicle was loaded with edible vegetables and other food items during the crash, adding that police operatives have since recovered the items from the Igbo-Etiti Police Division.
The police spokesperson said a preliminary investigation showed that the vehicle was heading towards Nsukka from the Enugu Axis of the road, but the actual point of take-off and final destination of the vehicle have not been ascertained.
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has visited the scene of the accident in the company of the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Ndukwe said.
Mr Uzuegbu, he said, visited the scene alongside the FRSC officials to assess the situation.
The police commissioner, during the visit, described the accident and burning of the victims as “sad.”
He commiserated with the yet-to-be-traced family members, friends, and associates of the deceased victims.
By Chinagorom Ugwu, Premium Times
Over 200 children are suspected of having contracted the disease in the Mubi North local government area. Official reports indicate that the deaths were caused by complications from the infection.
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The 53-year-old was placed in interim charge of the Super Eagles after the departure of the Portuguese following Nigeria's defeat by Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in February.
George, also coach of club side Enyimba, oversaw two friendly matches last month, beating Ghana 2-1 before a 2-0 loss against Mali.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed his appointment on Monday after approving a recommendation from its technical and development committee.
Former Ajax and Real Betis winger George spent 20 months as an assistant to Peseiro and is expected to remain in charge of Enyimba, whom he led to the Nigerian title last year, until the end of the season.
George scored six goals in 62 international appearances for Nigeria and was part of the 'Golden Generation' which won the Nations Cup in 1994, the same year in which the Super Eagles appeared at the Fifa World Cup for the first time in the USA.
He will be expected to produce immediate results as Nigeria's next fixtures in June are two potentially crucial qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which will also be held in North America.
The Super Eagles' campaign needs reviving after the three-time continental champions drew their first two games in Group C.
The NFF has labelled the home match against South Africa and the game against Benin on neutral ground as "must-win encounters".
George is thought to have beaten off competition from a host of contenders for one of the most high-profile roles in African football, including former Super Eagles team-mate Emmanuel Amuneke and Spaniard Domenec Torrent, a former analyst and coach for Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola
The NFF has not announced the length of his contract.
Success on the pitch and in the dugout
One of Nigeria's best wingers of all time, George had a glittering career at club and international level.
He won three league titles with Ajax, who he joined in 1993, and also lifted the Uefa Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup with the Dutch giants in 1995.
Spells at Betis, where he was a runner-up in the Copa del Rey in 1997, Mallorca and in England with Ipswich Town followed.
But he also registered several achievements with the Super Eagles after scoring on his international debut against Burkina Faso in 1991.
George netted the goal which secured Nigeria's qualification for the 1994 World Cup, going on to set up his country's first ever goal at the finals against Bulgaria.
He was also part of the squad which featured at the 1998 tournament in France.
George helped Nigeria beat Zambia 2-1 to lift the Nations Cup trophy in 1994 and was part of the squads which finished as runners-up in 2000 and as bronze medallists in 1992 and 2002.
He took over at Nigeria's most successful club Enyimba in 2021, leading them to their first title in four years by winning the league two years later.
The NFF's decision to choose Finidi George is not much of a surprise, although Emmanuel Amuneke was a fan favourite and a leading candidate to replace Jose Peseiro.
The recent friendlies against West African rivals Ghana and Mali were an audition which the new coach passed despite mixed results and George must now meet some high demands.
First up are 2026 World Cup qualifiers which take on even more importance after the Super Eagles missed out on the last edition of the finals in Qatar.
George will be tasked with putting together a team capable of delivering a fourth Nations Cup title, improving on the second place finish in Ivory Coast this year.
As an exciting winger in his playing days, he is expected to bring a new style of play - utilising and effectively managing the talented squad at his disposal as well as nurturing players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
George will continue to combine his roles as coach of the national team and defending NPFL champions Enyimba, who sit second in the table with six games remaining.
Meanwhile, the fact the NFF has overlooked Amuneke again will spark debate among fans of the Super Eagles
The 1994 African player of the year masterminded Nigeria's Under-17 World Cup triumph in 2015 with players like Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze, who are now an integral part of the senior squad.
The former Barcelona forward also led Tanzania to qualification for the 2019 Nations Cup.
Related story: Portuguese Peseiro quits as Nigeria coach
Prince Harry will return to Britain to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games in May, before joining his wife Meghan on a visit to Nigeria, his spokesperson said on Sunday.
Harry, the youngest son of King Charles, lives in the United States with Meghan and their two children after he gave up working as a member of the royal family in 2020.
He has only returned to Britain on a few occasions since his departure from royal life, arriving for major events such as the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in 2022 and his father's coronation in May 2023.
His spokesperson said Harry would attend a service at St Paul's Cathedral in London on May 8 to celebrate the Invictus Games, the international sporting event that he founded for military personnel wounded in action.
Harry served as a military helicopter pilot in Afghanistan and Invictus organisers said the service was designed to mark "a decade of changing lives and saving lives through sport".
It will include readings by Harry and the British actor Damian Lewis. Wounded veterans and members of the Invictus community will also attend.
Harry will then be joined in Nigeria by Meghan, a former American actress who is known as the Duchess of Sussex. Harry's spokesperson said the couple had been invited by the country's chief of defence staff, its highest ranking military official.No further details were given about the trip.
Harry was last seen in Britain in February this year for a brief meeting with his father after the monarch announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer.
The palace said on Friday that Charles would return to public duties after he made good progress following treatment and a period of recuperation.
At least 23 members of Nigeria’s civilian joint task force were killed on Saturday in separate attacks by militants and an armed kidnapping gang in the north, two officials from the force said on Sunday.
In northeast Borno state, the heartland of an Islamist insurgency, suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters used an improvised explosive device (IED) to blow up a vehicle carrying the Civilian Joint Tast Force (CJTF) team, a local force chairman said.
The CJTF was first formed in 2013 to protect communities in the northeast and help the military fight Boko Haram and later its offshoot ISWAP. The force has since been extended to other northern states that are grappling with armed kidnapping gangs.
Tijjanima Umar, CJTF chairman for Gamboru Ngala area near the border with Cameroon, said his team was travelling to Borno state capital Maiduguri when they drove over the IED.
“As the mine blew up, nine of them died instantly … while two other people had severe injuries and were immediately taken to hospital for treatment,” Umar told Reuters by phone.
The Nigerian military was not immediately available to comment.
Although severely curtailed by Nigerian security forces, Boko Haram and ISWAP still carry out deadly attacks against civilians and the military.
In northwestern Soko state, 14 CJTF members were killed and several were missing following an ambush by gunmen on Saturday, task force sector commandant Ismail Haruna told Reuters.
Haruna said the CJTF members were killed in Sokoto’s Isa local government area, where they had raided and destroyed a bush camp belonging to a known armed kidnapping gang leader.
The gang quickly regrouped and ambushed the CJTF as they drove back to Sokoto state capital, he added.
By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has diverted all flight operations from the E wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) following a fire outbreak at the terminal.
According to a statement by FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs, Obiageli Orah, the smoke was noticed on Thursday morning at about 05:29.
“At 05:29 hrs, smoke was detected billowing from the T54 Bridge, leading electrical engineers to immediately cut off power to the entire E Wing.
“The Airport Rescue and Firefighting Services (ARFFS) team was quick to respond, arriving at the scene by 5:30 hrs,” the statement read.
Mrs Orah stated that initial suspicions pointed to sparks from an electrical unit as the cause, but that a thorough investigation was ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire.
She disclosed that the incident, which escalated into a fire, was later brought under control by 06:41 hrs.
Mrs Orah said efforts to ventilate the smoke from the building were in progress, adding that all flight operations in Terminal 1 of MMA had been diverted to the D Wing in the meantime.
By Oluwakemi Adelagun, Premium Times
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The Nigerian government has launched the country’s first multilingual large language model (LLM) that will reflect its diversity and play a major role in its national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy.
Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Minister Bosun Tijani announced the new LLM at the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Workshop.
The new LLM will be trained in five “low-resource local languages and accented English to ensure stronger language representation in existing datasets for the development of artificial intelligence solutions.”
The language model is the product of a partnership between the government and the private sector. Awarritech, a local AI firm, and Data.org, a global data democratization initiative by Mastercard (NASDAQ: MA) and the Rockefeller Foundation, represent the private sector. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) represented Nigeria’s government in the development of LLM.
Additionally, the government relied on over 7,000 fellows from its 3MTT Nigeria program, which targets 3 million graduates who are fully proficient in technical courses, from AI and cybersecurity to cloud computing and machine learning.
One of the greatest challenges facing AI is bias. While policies can help reshape AI to be more inclusive, diversity in AI input will have a greater impact. One key solution is to develop localized LLMs that incorporate language and cultural nuances, resulting in AI that promotes connections globally.
In addition to the new LLM, Tijani announced the launch of the Nigeria AI Collective, a community of industry players pushing for AI development.
“We are inviting AI researchers, practitioners, academia, government, civil society organisations, startups, entrepreneurs, students and AI enthusiasts in general to join the collective to harness the power of artificial intelligence,” the minister said.
Tijani further relaunched the NCAIR, a subsidiary of NITDA focused on developing the two sectors.
By Steve Kaaru, CoinGeek
According to local news reports, Sirika was detained on April 23 and remained in custody while being questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, which was preparing charges against him.
As first reported by the newspaper The Punch, the investigation focuses on contracts Sirika allegedly approved during his tenure as aviation minister for Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his brother Abubakar Sirika, also a deputy director at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
The contracts included the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport in August 2022 for NGN1.35 billion (USD1.1 million); a fire-truck maintenance centre at the same airport in November 2022 for NGN3.8 billion (USD3.1 million); the procurement of lifts and other equipment for the Abuja office of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in February 2023 for NGN615 million (USD498,000); and procurement of Magnus Aircraft for pilot training and a simulator for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in the city of Zaria in May 2023 for NGN2.2 billion (USD1.8 million).
It is alleged that at least NGN3.2 billion (USD2.6 million) was paid to Engirios Nigeria Limited, which then transferred the funds to various entities.
The EFCC started investigating Sirika in February 2024 concerning allegations of conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and contract inflation during his time in office between August 22, 2019 and May 29, 2023. The Punch revealed that Abubakar Sirika was arrested on February 4 and has been assisting the commission in its probe.
An unnamed source close to the investigation told the newspaper that Hadi Sirika was also being questioned about the controversial Nigeria Air project but gave no further insight. The EFCC is probing the proposed joint venture between a consortium led by Ethiopian Airlines and the previous government of Muhammadu Buhari. The consortium won a tender process run by the state-owned Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). However, Nigeria Air's certification process was suspended in November 2022 after private airlines under the mantle of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) lobby group won an interim court interdict against its further establishment, followed by legal to-and-fros about the jurisdiction of the case.
Sirika in particular came under public fire after he approved a publicity charter flight operated by Ethiopian Airlines bearing Nigeria Air branding shortly before the government left office. After taking office in August 2023, new Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo suspended the Nigeria Air venture pending the outcome of the EFCC investigation.
By Hilka Birns, chi-aviation
Chinese state energy major PetroChina has been waiting to unload a cargo of U.S. crude at Nigeria's giant new refinery for nearly a month due to payment issues, according to four trading sources and shipping data.
The impasse highlights difficulties the $20 billion plant funded by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote faces in its aim to be the biggest refinery on the continent and in Europe when it reaches full capacity this or next year.
Dangote aims to reverse the trend by which the oil-rich country exports its crude but almost totally relies on imports of fuel and other refined products.
The 2-million-barrel West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude cargo shipped by PetroChina onboard supertanker Maran Mira has, however, been floating off Nigeria since March 28, shipping data on LSEG and Kpler showed.
The completion of the oil sale from PetroChina to Dangote has been delayed as the refinery has yet to issue a letter of credit to the Chinese trader, one source familiar with the matter said.
A letter of credit is the most common form of trade finance. A buyer's bank sends a letter to the seller's bank guaranteeing payment to the seller once goods arrive.
PetroChina was also not keen to receive oil products as payment, one of the ways that Dangote has been paying for its crude, the source said.
Two of the sources also told Reuters that the refinery has had difficulty accessing dollars through the Nigerian government, with the naira's slide against the U.S. dollar as global oil prices have risen straining Nigeria's finances.
The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment and a Dangote executive did not directly address the issue in comments to Reuters.
PetroChina has another 2 million barrels of WTI crude onboard supertanker Kondor that is making its way to Nigeria, according to another source and LSEG shiptracking data.
Potential sellers of U.S. WTI crude to Dangote have been confronted with difficult payment terms: either a 60 to 90 credit or an exchange of refined products for the crude oil, three of the sources said. Credit terms for oil deals are typically 30 days.
PetroChina did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
A shipbroker estimated that the ship is incurring demurrage costs of around $65,000 a day.
Dangote group executive Edwin Devakumar told Reuters that seeking favourable sale prices and credit terms were normal business practices.
"If someone gives me one year credit, I'll grab it and if not, I'll negotiate the best possible deal," he said. "When you go to a shop to buy something ... You'll try the best possible deal and I do the same".
"We are not delayed. If someone's business is delayed, he is not giving us a good deal," Devakumar said, without specifically addressing the issue with PetroChina.
RAMPING UP
The refinery started operations in January and has reached half its capacity in recent weeks but a further increase is being slowed by its need to borrow billions of dollars in working capital to be able to buy large volumes of crude, trading sources said.
Devakumar declined to comment on the current run rates at the refinery.
The facility is importing around 10 crude oil cargoes a month, two traders said, roughly half the capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) it seeks to reach this year or next, which would make it the largest refinery in Africa and Europe.
The amount of Nigerian and U.S. crude discharged at Dangote totalled 8.4 million barrels in March and 5.4 million barrels so far in April, Kpler data showed. Another 1 million barrels of Nigerian crude is expected to arrive on April 27.
Trafigura, Mercuria, Vitol, Shell and NNPC were among Dangote's suppliers of crude last month, according to Kpler.
By Florence Tan, Reuters
Related stories: Video - Nigeria government directs crude oil be sold to domestic refineries first
Dangote refinery supplies petroleum products to local market in Nigeria
As climate change wreaks havoc around the world, the need for sustainable solutions grows more urgent. In Nigeria, a private company recently introduced an Uber-style taxi system made of approximately 200 electric vehicles. The company says the fleet is a step toward a greener future. Gibson Emeka reports from Abuja, Nigeria. Amy Reifenrath narrates.
By Gibson Emeka, VOA
Related story: The eco-entrepreneur sparking the electric vehicle revolution in Nigeria
The woman was allowed a break of 5 minutes after each hour of interview and it was only at that time she was allowed to use the toilet, change her clothes and take a nap, the GWR said. Though I felt sleepy during the course, I had a battery recharge each time I interviewed a new guest as I was eager to know their success story, said Clara Chizoba. Clara Chizoba interviews various people in her YouTube channel named, 'Women's World Show TV' and she describes her channel as a representative and mirror to women. The record was previously held by Rob Oliver of the USA and his interview marathon was for 37 hour, 44 minutes, the Guinness world records informed.
By Anudeep Sharma, Deccan Chronicle
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Some inmates have escaped from the old Suleja Correctional Centre in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State after a rainstorm destroyed parts of the facility Wednesday night.
Sources in Suleja said the storm during heavy rainfall destroyed parts of the custodial centre around 9 p.m., allowing many inmates to escape from the facility.
The rainstorm destroyed parts of the prison building and exposed the inner fence protecting one of the cells where inmates were kept.
A resident of Suleja town confirming the incident said: “We helped to arrest two of the inmates and handed them over to the prison authorities.”
It was learnt that security agents have been deployed to blackspots in Suleja in search of the fleeing inmates.
Meanwhile, it was observed that security had been beefed up on the Minna-Suleja and Suleja-Kaduna roads, including the Madalla axis of the Minna-Abuja road.
The state’s Comptroller of Prisons could not be immediately reached for his reaction, but a senior officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to journalists, confirmed the development.
By Maimuna Raji Egigogo, Premium Times
Relates story: Set them free! The judge who liberates Nigerians forgotten in jail
The supermarket in Abuja allegedly "exclusively permits individuals of Chinese descent to enter", Nigeria's consumer protection watchdog said on X.
It has summoned the supermarket's owner.
The Chinese chamber of commerce in Nigeria has denied the racism allegations.
The supermarket is a tenant in a building run by the China General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC).
Boladale Adeyinka, an official at Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), said that the watchdog had launched an investigation into the allegations.
This follows widespread outrage on social media after some Nigerians shared their experiences of allegedly being turned away by security when they attempted to go to the supermarket.
In one of the videos, a man said he had discovered the supermarket online but was blocked from entering the complex where it is located.
"At the gate, the security people told me that the supermarket is strictly for Chinese people. If you are a Nigerian, you can't go inside or buy anything," he said in the clip posted on X, formerly Twitter.
In another video on X, a group of Nigerians are seen visiting a building to verify the reports that non-Chinese shoppers were being turned away.
A security guard outside the entrance appears to tell them that the supermarket had cut off access to Nigerians since January.
Several Nigerians have demanded the closure of the supermarket, including former senator Shehu Sani, who said that any store in Nigeria that was not accessible to citizens "should be forcibly opened or be pulled down".
In a statement quoted by local media, the CGCC said it stood for "equality and inclusiveness".
"Our principles are to enhance friendship between the people of both countries and promote economic development," it added.
The FCCPC quoted an administrator at the building, Sanusi Shuabiu, as saying that the supermarket mainly sold Chinese groceries and that while it was initially opened to serve the building's tenants, it permitted entry to outside shoppers, including non-Chinese visitors.
The supermarket's owner has not yet commented.
She has been summoned to appear before the consumer protection agency by Wednesday.
The watchdog says that the supermarket will remain closed until she complies with the summons.
Nigeria has a Chinese population of less than 10,000, according to the Statista website.
By Mansur Abubakar & Gloria Aradi, BBC
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Amidst concerns over the adoption of Genetically Modified Crops in Nigeria, the federal government, in January, approved the commercial release of four “Tela maize” varieties for commercial planting in the country.
The move placed Nigeria second in the list of African countries that have adopted and commercialised the “T maize” varieties after South Africa, a report published in February, by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) noted.
“In addition to South Africa, Nigeria has become the second country in Africa to approve the commercialization of genetically engineered corn,” the report said.
Tela maize is a maize variety that has been genetically engineered for improved insect resistance and drought tolerance, to boost farmers’ yield per hectare and also complement existing demand gaps.
GMO debate in Nigeria
Over the past decade, the adoption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), commonly referred to as GM seeds by crop farmers has been a subject of intense debate among scientists, environmentalists and even food activists in Nigeria and globally.
The question of what role, if any, GMOs should play in helping to address a range of agriculture, nutrition, and climatic challenges in developing countries like Nigeria has been at the centre of discussions.
Also, concerns have emerged over the environmental and health impacts of GMOs, their impact on traditional farming methods, and issues around seed patents.
Governments in developing nations are responding to those concerns in a variety of ways with some banning GMOs outright, some embracing the technology, and others attempting to find a balance between the concerns and needs of all sides.
According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), at least 33 major food crops have been genetically modified globally. Of these, four (maize, cowpea, cotton and soybean) have been officially approved for commercialisation by the Nigerian authorities, with Nigeria listed among the six African countries leading in biotech crop adoption across the continent.
Tela maize is the latest GM variety approved for commercial planting in Nigeria.
Some experts have argued that planting GM seeds will help to produce enough food for the global population, hence achieving food security at a fast pace. Others have also argued that food productivity can be improved through natural methods.
A PREMIUM TIMES investigation in 2022 revealed that, while promoters of GMOs are working to counter criticisms and ensure safety, concerns are not the only challenge hindering the adoption of GMOs in Nigeria. It was discovered that across several communities in Nigeria, farmers growing GM crop varieties know too little to make informed decisions.
Tela maize potentials
According to the report by the USDA, in the marketing year 2022/2023, Nigeria produced an estimated 12.7 million metric tons (MMT) of corn, with an average yield of 2.2 tons per hectare. However, it noted that the adoption of the new maize varieties could increase the country’s production capacity significantly.
According to the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF), yields of Tela maize could reach up to 10 tons per hectare if grown under good agronomic practices, the report said.
Reports indicated that the Nigerian authorities officially commercialised Tela maize varieties on 11 January, following an announcement by the Nigeria National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries.
At the time, the group approved twenty-three new GM varieties for commercial planting, including four biotech Tela maize varieties. This implies that seed companies can license rights to produce and commercialise the new Tela maize hybrids under their private brand from AATF.
The AATF also noted that the approved varieties are owned by the respective institutions that developed them including the national government research organisations, and that they will be licensed to local seed companies royalty-free through the AATF.
Background
According to the report, the Tela Maize Project was originally known as the Water Efficient Maize for Africa Project. Nigeria first joined the Tela Maize Project in 2019.
The project is perceived to have been driven by the move to develop a high-yielding maize variety that would be drought tolerant amidst lingering climate change effects, and at the same time be resistant to the highly virulent Fall ArmyWorm pest (FAW) that ravaged several corn fields across the country in 2016.
Some studies have posited that FAW can reduce corn production in affected areas by 20 to 50 per cent if not properly controlled, eventually leading to higher production costs through increased labour and pesticide applications.
However, the process towards the adoption of Tela maize in Nigeria began in 2021 after the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) approved the environmental release and field trials of the maize varieties categorised as SAMMAZ 72T, SAMMAZ 73T, SAMMAZ 74T, and SAMMAZ 75T.
Nigeria’s Institute for Agricultural Research carried out national performance trials of the four varieties across ten states with varied agroecological conditions.
According to reports, the trials showed average yields achieving 3 tons per hectare.
Controversies
The adoption of Tela maize generated controversies among anti-GMO groups in Nigeria, particularly the environmental think-tank Health of Mother Earth Foundation ( HOMEF) and several other groups, who issued a joint statement at the time condemning GMO adoption in the country.
While commending the intention of the Nigerian authorities to address food insufficiency in the country, HOMEF expressed disappointment over the release of the genetically modified varieties.
The group noted that there is no evidence of a risk assessment conducted before the release of the Tela maize on either the website of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), the agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating the uses of GMOs or the Biosafety Clearing House of the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity, where parties are expected to upload updates on their decisions/use of GMOs/LMOs.
In his reaction, HOMEF’s Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, said, “It is totally unacceptable that in the name of food sufficiency, the country is exposing its citizens to products of risky technologies without adequate, independent and/or long-term assessment on their impacts on human and environmental health.”
The environmentalist said there are many challenges associated with genetic modification crops that cannot be denied.
So far, he claimed that GMOs have been linked to cancers, diseases, allergies, and all sorts of health challenges due to environmental implications because of their dependency on toxic pesticides and the destruction of biodiversity and nutritional diversity.
“We are also concerned that there is no way to label or inform our farmers that they are planting GMO maize. To deny Nigerians the right of choice is highly objectionable and wicked,” Mr Bassey noted.
He said it is expedient that the government conduct independent long-term feeding tests and environmental/biodiversity assessments before any GM crop is approved for use and not merely testing to confirm productivity or performance.
Mr Bassey charged the Nigerian government to understand the difficulties of recalling genetically modified living organisms and to quickly withdraw the Tela maize.
Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by the NBMA last week, the Director-general of the agency, Agnes Asagbra, claimed that Tela maize has not been launched in the country.
“It’s crucial to note that though it has been commercialised, Tela maize has not yet been launched; it is not available in the market. This demonstrates our commitment to thorough scrutiny and due diligence,” she said in a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES.
Mrs Asagbra described Tela maize as a variety that has been rigorously evaluated through risk assessments and regulatory processes before its approval.
She noted that the GM crops that have been approved were critically evaluated by Nigerian scientists who are professionals with vast experience and expertise in their fields.
“Their assessments are meticulous, ensuring that only safe and beneficial technologies reach our farmers and consumers,” she said.
She emphasised that the country’s biosafety law is critical in the quest for Nigeria to achieve food security.
“Biosafety is not just a policy; it’s a commitment to safeguarding our nation’s health, biodiversity, and environment. In regulating the activities of modern biotechnology, biosafety ensures that any technological advancements, particularly in agriculture, are beneficial and pose no harm to our people or our land, “ the agency said.
Mrs Asagbra urged Nigerians to embrace the advancements in safe modern biotechnology with an informed perspective.
“Let us trust in the rigorous processes that have been established to protect us all. Together, we can move towards a future where food security, environmental sustainability, and economic growth go hand in hand,” she said.
Experts react
In his reaction, the Executive Director of Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), Lateef Sanni, said Nigeria is blessed with land and water resources to produce a wide range of agricultural products with high yield if research is taken seriously.
Mr Sanni, a Professor of Food Science and Technology, emphasised that Nigeria cannot continue to rely on breeders from other parts of the world for hybrid seeds.
He argued that the food situation in the country, the global acceptance of genetically modified foods, and the need for environmental sustainability, suggest that Nigerian farmers should accept Tela Maize for planting.
However, Mr Sanni said, this should not be taken as a permanent solution to getting the right breed of maize with good yield for farmers.
“Our breeders need to wake up to the task, and they need the support of government, private sectors, and farmers to be able to come up with quality seeds that will guarantee bountiful harvest,” he noted.
On his part, Qrisstuberg Amua, Executive Director, Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research, noted that citizens have every reason to be worried about Tela maize adoption in the country.
“Not only citizens, our political and economic leaders also have a lot to be worried about this development,” he told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview on Monday.
He said citizens should be worried about the new maize varieties for reasons ranging from its health implications and lack of sufficient details about the maize, adding that the health implications of GMOs are motley and that they are negative, coming in the forms of cancers resulting from hormonal or endocrine and immune system disruptions.
Mr Amua listed other possible health implications of GMOs to include fertility sterilisations, metabolic derangements, cardiovascular health disruptions, children obesity and attendant issues thereto, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders in children, mental health derangements and early memory decay (dementia) in individuals above 40 years of age and so much more.
He emphasised that the adverse health implications could emanate from both the genetic modifications of the organism which often involve recombinant splicing or stitching of DNA either through manipulations of specialised proteins that make the Messenger RNA (MRNA) or through what looks more like cut and join using the CRISPR (an acronym for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) technology.
Also, Mr Amua said from the many pesticides like glyphosate (the primary active ingredient in the commercially ubiquitous ‘Roundup’) and irks, that are used in the biotechnological engineering that ensures these GMOs are pest resistant, the varieties can tolerate the application of higher concentrations of phytotoxic pesticides as herbicides.
Based on this, the professor of bioinorganic chemistry said some of the GMOs are labelled as “Roundup Ready’ or RR” such as the RR Corn or RR Soy.
“Also, there are adverse health implications to the environment due to unregulated applications of these carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic arrays of pesticides, as a result of higher tolerance of these GMOs to pesticides, generally,” Mr Amua said.
These environmental toxins, he said, tend to persist in the environment and weave their way up the food chain and ultimately into humans through menu choices.
“This is one other reason for the burgeoning cases of otherwise not so rampant non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, cancer, hypertension, dyslipidemia, arthritis, etc. nowadays even in younger populations of our communities,” he said.
He stressed that the adoption of GMOs has adverse implications for the food production system and biodiversity, as their promotion encourages monocropping and eventual extermination of rather organic and even indigenous seed types.
“Lastly, they pose adverse economic implications and even strategic food and general security implications; as when a foreign multinational controls your food supply system (as these GMOs are patented products of non-national conglomerates), your economy and even strategic security can easily be compromised from outside of your shores,” he said.
He urged the Nigerians to reject all GMOs and also engage in various levels of personal and community education, sensitisation, and advocacy to demand the withdrawal/repeal of policies and legislation that allow licensing and indeed permit the cultivation, distribution and public consumption of GMOs.
“We should also rethink our consumption patterns to return to wholesome organic and indigenous foods that are not genetically modified,” he said.
By Abdulkareem Mojeed, Premium Times
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With increasing global demand for chocolate and cocoa prices soaring due to the worst supply shortage in four decades, Nigeria is looking to boost local cocoa production to capitalize on this opportunity.
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The meeting aims to increase cooperation between governments in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts across Africa and find ways to combat militant groups and their proxies more effectively. It comes as many countries on the continent are stepping up security operations against terror groups.
Africa Mobile Networks (AMN) has deployed the company’s first base station in Nigeria that has connectivity via SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, AMN announced last week.
AMN has deployed over 4,000 base stations for cellular backhaul via satellite across Africa and Latin America since 2018. Last year, the company signed a commercial agreement to use the Starlink Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation to connect its mobile network base stations with high-speed, low-latency broadband services.
The company said that with Starlink terminals providing low-latency satellite backhaul, the company was able to deliver the full capability of its multi-carrier radio access node (the ARN) with 3G and 4G as well as 2G. AMN said LEO backhaul also paves the way for AMN to deliver 5G services, targeted before the end of the year.
Installation of new sites continues throughout 2024 in Nigeria, DRC, Cameroon, Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Benin and Rwanda.
By Rachel Jewett, Via Satellite
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Detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan will remain in prison in Nigeria until at least May 17, following an Abuja court’s ruling to postpone a scheduled bail hearing until after he is tried on money laundering charges.
Gambaryan, an American citizen and former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent, is Binance’s head of financial crime compliance. He and a colleague, Binance’s regional manager for Africa Nadeem Anjarwalla, a dual U.K.-Kenyan national, were arrested and detained on Feb. 26 after flying to Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja to meet with the Nigerian government at the government’s request.
The Nigerian government had previously accused Binance of enabling currency speculation that crashed its currency, the naira. At first, Nigerian officials denied that Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were under arrest, but the pair were put under house arrest upon arrival and, along with Binance, charged with money laundering and tax evasion a month later.
Gambaryan was moved to the notorious Kuje prison – which also houses suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorist group – after Anjarwalla escaped and fled the country under mysterious circumstances. In a cell phone video filmed after Anjarwalla’s escape on March 23, a distressed Gambaryan said he had no knowledge of his colleague’s escape plans and asked the U.S. government for help.
The government’s response to Gambaryan’s imprisonment has been tepid. According to his family, Gambaryan has received only one visit from the U.S. embassy staff since being moved to Kuje prison and has limited access to his legal team.
“There is no justice in what is being done to my husband. I am in a constant state of grief and anxiety, not knowing what other injustice he is going to be put through,” Gambaryan’s wife Yuki Gambaryan said in a statement. “It is outrageous that Tigran, an innocent man, continues to be kept in a prison cell and the ruling on his bail will not be made until after the trial starts…This is just pure cruelty.”
Both Gambaryan and Anjarwalla have filed suit against Nigeria’s National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission for violating their human rights.
Gambaryan has pleaded “not guilty” to all of the charges against him, which his family has called “bogus.”
The money laundering trial against Gambaryan and Binance will begin on May 2. The tax evasion charges will be tried separately beginning on May 17.
According to Gambaryan’s family, he will spend his 40th birthday in prison.
By Cheyenne Ligon, CoinDesk
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Union leaders say the adjustment is necessary to help workers cope with the rising cost of living in the country.
Nigerian authorities introduced new regulations to enable domestic refineries to pay for crude supply from oil producers in the country in the local currency. The government also introduced a new directive requiring producers to first sell crude oil to local refineries. The actions will hopefully reduce Nigeria's dependence on imported petrol products.
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Nigeria is seeking up to $2.25 billion in World Bank loans and expects the bank's board to approve the request in June, the government said in a statement following the IMF/World Bank spring meetings in Washington, D.C.
Nigeria also aims to issue diaspora bonds later this year to attract much-need foreign exchange into the country, Finance Minister Wale Edun said in the statement.
The World Bank loans would comprise $1.5 billion in development policy financing and $750 million in programme-for-results financing, the statement said, adding the bank would meet in June to consider final approval of the package.
The World Bank did not immediately comment on the statement.
Nigeria, typically Africa's largest oil exporter, has faced a shortage of foreign exchange that pushed its naira currency to record lows versus the U.S. dollar this year, though it has since rebounded.
President Bola Tinubu also inherited an economy saddled with record debt, high unemployment and large central bank financing, though Edun, in an interview with Reuters last week, said the government had halved federal borrowing from the central bank.
Tunde Onakoya, 29, hopes to raise $1 million for children's education across Africa through the record attempt that began on Wednesday.
He had set out to play the royal game for 58 hours but continued until he reached 60 hours at about 12:40 a.m. Saturday, surpassing the current chess marathon record of 56 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds, achieved in 2018 by Norwegians Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad.
The Guinness World Record organization has yet to publicly comment about Onakoya’s attempt. It sometimes takes weeks for the organization to confirm any new record.
Onakoya played against Shawn Martinez, an American chess champion, in line with Guinness World Record guidelines that any attempt to break the record must be made by two players who would play continuously for the entire duration.
Support had been growing online and at the scene, where a blend of African music kept onlookers and supporters entertained amid cheers and applause. Among the dozens who cheered Onakoya on at the scene was Nigerian music star Davido.
The record attempt is “for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education,” said Onakoya, who founded Chess in Slums Africa in 2018. The organization wants to support the education of at least 1 million children in slums across the continent.
“My energy is at 100% right now because my people are here supporting me with music,” Onakoya said Thursday evening after the players crossed the 24-hour mark.
On Onakoya's menu: Lots of water and jollof rice, one of West Africa’s best-known dishes.
For every hour of game played, Onakoya and his opponent got only five minutes' break. The breaks were sometimes grouped together, and Onakoya used them to catch up with Nigerians and New Yorkers cheering him on. He even joined in with their dancing sometimes.
A total of $22,000 was raised within the first 20 hours of the attempt, said Taiwo Adeyemi, Onakoya's manager.
“The support has been overwhelming from Nigerians in the U.S., global leaders, celebrities and hundreds of passersby," he said.
Onakoya’s attempt was closely followed in Nigeria, where he regularly organizes chess competitions for young people living on the streets.
More than 10 million school-age children are not in school in the West African country — one of the world’s highest rates.
Among those who have publicly supported him are celebrities and public office holders, including Nigeria’s former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who wrote to Onakoya on the social media platform X, “Remember your own powerful words: 'It is possible to do great things from a small place.’"
By Chinedu Asadu, AP
Related story: Tunde Onakoya attempts to break chess marathon record
According to industry research, aviation fuel constitutes nearly 60 percent of operational costs for domestic airlines. The price has soared by 109 percent over the past two years, jeopardizing the survival of many of Nigeria's domestic air carriers.
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Nigerian President Tinubu says ransoms will no longer be paid to kidnappers who have made the crime a business in the West African nation. He made the declaration during the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the kidnapping of 276 school girls from the town of Chibok in the country's northern region.
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The officers treated journalist Saint Mienpamo Onitsha as if he was violent and dangerous. Guns drawn, they arrested him at the home of a friend, drove him to the local police station in Nigeria’s southern Bayelsa State, and then flew him to the national capital, Abuja.
A week later, they charged Onitsha under the country’s 2015 Cybercrimes Act and detained him over his reporting about tensions in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. This was in October 2023. He was released on bail in early February and is due to appear before a court on June 4.
The Cybercrimes Act is tragically familiar to Nigeria’s media community. Since its enactment, at least 25 journalists have faced prosecution under the law, including four arrested earlier this year. Anande Terungwa, a lawyer for Onitsha, described the law to me as a tool misused to “hunt journalists”.
For years, media and human rights groups had been calling for the act to be amended to prevent its misuse as a tool for censorship and intimidation. Then, in November last year, Nigeria’s Senate proposed amendments and held a public hearing to help shape changes. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), alongside other civil society and press groups, submitted recommended reforms.
On February 28, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu signed amendments to the act, including revisions to a section criminalising expression online, according to a copy of the law shared with me by Yahaya Danzaria, the clerk of Nigeria’s House of Representatives. The changes, which have yet to be published in the government gazette, have buoyed hopes for improved press freedom, but the law continues to leave journalists at risk of arrest and surveillance.
“It’s better, but it’s definitely not where we want it to be,” Khadijah El-Usman, senior programs officer with the Nigeria-based digital rights group Paradigm Initiative, told me in a phone interview about the amended law. “There are still provisions that can be taken advantage of, especially by those in power.”
One of the primary concerns has been Section 24 of the law, which defines the crime of “cyberstalking”. It is this section that authorities repeatedly used to charge journalists, and it is one of the sections that was amended.
Under the previous version of the law, Section 24 criminalised the use of a computer to send messages deemed “grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character”, and punished such offences with up to three years in prison and a fine. The same punishment applied for sending knowingly false messages “for the purpose of causing annoyance” or “needless anxiety”. In practice, this meant journalists risked jail time based on highly subjective interpretations of online reporting.
The amended version maintains the heavy penalty, but refines the offence as computer messages that are pornographic or knowingly false, “for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order, posing a threat to life, or causing such messages to be sent”. While the narrower language is welcome, the possibility for abuse remains.
“It could have been more specific in wording,” Solomon Okedara, a Lagos-based digital rights lawyer, told me after reviewing the amended section. He said it was an improvement because the burden of proof to bring charges is higher, but still leaves room for authorities to make arrests on claims that certain reporting has caused a “breakdown of law and order”.
It remains to be seen exactly how these changes will affect the cases of journalists and others previously charged under now-amended sections. “It is now for the lawyers to use,” Danzaria explained. “You cannot use an old law to prosecute somebody…if [the case] is ongoing, the new law supersedes whatever was in place.”
For Onitsha’s case, Terungwa said he would seek to incorporate the amendments into his defence in court. CPJ continues to call for authorities to drop all criminal prosecutions of journalists in connection with their work.
Another issue with the law – even after the recent amendments – is how it may permit surveillance abuses. Section 38 of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act fails to explicitly require law enforcement to obtain a court-issued warrant before accessing “traffic data” and “subscriber information” from service providers. This oversight gap is particularly concerning given how Nigeria’s police have used journalists’ call data to track and arrest them.
“I’m looking towards a future cybercrimes act that respects human rights,” El-Usman emphasised, noting the need for laws that guard against abuses, not just in Nigeria, but across the region. From Mali to Benin to Zimbabwe, authorities have used cybercrime laws and digital codes to arrest reporters for their work. Journalists’ privacy is also broadly under threat.
Jonathan Rozen, Al Jazeera
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