Nigeria’s economic managers are concerned over the continued drop in global oil prices, warning of potential impacts on the oil-dependent economy. Finance minister Wale Edun says the government is monitoring the situation and will act if the trend continues.
Monday, May 12, 2025
Video - Nigeria on edge as falling oil prices raise economic fears
Nigeria’s economic managers are concerned over the continued drop in global oil prices, warning of potential impacts on the oil-dependent economy. Finance minister Wale Edun says the government is monitoring the situation and will act if the trend continues.
At least 23 killed in attacks by gunmen in central Nigeria
Gunmen killed 23 people in four separate attacks in central Nigeria's Benue state, a Red Cross official said Sunday, the latest flare-up of unrest in the region.
The attacks happened Saturday night in four villages.
Clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farmers over land use are common in central Nigeria.
"Reports from the field have confirmed the killings of at least 23 people from different attacks," Red Cross secretary in Benue state Anthony Abah told AFP.
Eight people were killed in Ukum, nine in nearby Logo, three each in Guma and Kwande, he said, citing data from the organisation's field disaster officers. Several others were wounded, he added.
A police spokeswoman said she was unaware of the attacks.
Cephas Kangeh, a retired general manager with a state electricity company who recently relocated to his home village near one of the affected areas told AFP he had heard of three killings, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle which "was taken away by the herdsmen".
Chinese operators are mining gold in the area, he said.
"The attacks did not take place near the mining sites," said Kangeh.
"However, one is puzzled as to why indigenous people are always attacked, maimed... yet there has never been a single case of attack on the Chinese miners who are operating in these areas."
Some of the latest attacks were staged in areas previously targeted by attacks slightly over a month ago, which left at least 56 dead.
With many herders belonging to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and many farmers Christian, the attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension.
Two attacks by unidentified gunmen earlier in April in neighbouring Plateau state left more than 100 people dead.
Across the wider Middle Belt, including in Benue, land used by farmers and herders is coming under stress from climate change and human expansion, sparking deadly competition for increasingly limited space.
The attacks happened Saturday night in four villages.
Clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farmers over land use are common in central Nigeria.
"Reports from the field have confirmed the killings of at least 23 people from different attacks," Red Cross secretary in Benue state Anthony Abah told AFP.
Eight people were killed in Ukum, nine in nearby Logo, three each in Guma and Kwande, he said, citing data from the organisation's field disaster officers. Several others were wounded, he added.
A police spokeswoman said she was unaware of the attacks.
Cephas Kangeh, a retired general manager with a state electricity company who recently relocated to his home village near one of the affected areas told AFP he had heard of three killings, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle which "was taken away by the herdsmen".
Chinese operators are mining gold in the area, he said.
"The attacks did not take place near the mining sites," said Kangeh.
"However, one is puzzled as to why indigenous people are always attacked, maimed... yet there has never been a single case of attack on the Chinese miners who are operating in these areas."
Some of the latest attacks were staged in areas previously targeted by attacks slightly over a month ago, which left at least 56 dead.
With many herders belonging to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and many farmers Christian, the attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension.
Two attacks by unidentified gunmen earlier in April in neighbouring Plateau state left more than 100 people dead.
Across the wider Middle Belt, including in Benue, land used by farmers and herders is coming under stress from climate change and human expansion, sparking deadly competition for increasingly limited space.
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Video - App-based drivers in Nigeria threaten to dump riding apps over poor working conditions
The drivers say ride-hailing platforms such as Uber, Bolt, inDrive, and Lagride charge excessively high commissions on their fares. The drivers want the commission cut down from about 35 percent to five percent and threaten to switch to local ride-hailing apps if their demands are not met.
Nigeria's multi-pronged malaria elimination approach gains momentum
Yenagoa, Four months ago, town criers and media in Bayelsa State, notified caregivers of the launch of the malaria vaccination campaign for children under 5-11 months.
The Ministry of Health's message through the Nigeria Primary Health Care Centre, World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and partners was clear: families with eligible children should take their young ones to health centres to bevaccinated against the deadly disease, malaria.
Sherifat Omoniyi, a mother of two, was thrilled that one of her children was eligible. She shared, “When I heard the news, I took my nine-month-old son to the clinic for the vaccine. Since he received it, he hasn't been sick. "
Mrs Omoniyi explained that despite her child receiving the vaccine, she ensures that her household still takes precautionary measures to keep malaria at bay because, during the campaign, the informants reiterated that even with the vaccine, the entire household still needs to ensure the use of other preventive measures to keep malaria at bay.
She said, “We still sleep under the insecticide-treated nets, and ensure we don’t leave our water storage places open. This has significantly reduced the frequency at which my household comes down with fever. We now spend less on malaria treatment”
The Ministry of Health's message through the Nigeria Primary Health Care Centre, World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and partners was clear: families with eligible children should take their young ones to health centres to bevaccinated against the deadly disease, malaria.
Sherifat Omoniyi, a mother of two, was thrilled that one of her children was eligible. She shared, “When I heard the news, I took my nine-month-old son to the clinic for the vaccine. Since he received it, he hasn't been sick. "
Mrs Omoniyi explained that despite her child receiving the vaccine, she ensures that her household still takes precautionary measures to keep malaria at bay because, during the campaign, the informants reiterated that even with the vaccine, the entire household still needs to ensure the use of other preventive measures to keep malaria at bay.
She said, “We still sleep under the insecticide-treated nets, and ensure we don’t leave our water storage places open. This has significantly reduced the frequency at which my household comes down with fever. We now spend less on malaria treatment”
A matter of urgency
Nigeria still faces a concerning malaria burden. Statistics from the 2024 World Malaria Report (WMR) reveal that the country accounts for 27% of the global malaria burden, with 31% of global malaria deaths.
The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 sets a vision for a malaria-free world by 2030, with specific targets for reducing malaria incidence and mortality and eliminating the disease in at least 35 countries.
The Nigerian government has implemented various strategies such promotion of ongoing use of insecticide-treated nets, seasonal malaria chemoprevention therapy for children under five, preventive care for pregnant women, indoor residual spraying, effective case management, and improved sanitation to reduce mosquito breeding sites in the communities.
Recently, the country commenced a phased rollout of the WHO-recommended (R21) malaria vaccine, targeting children in areas with the highest malaria burden—Bayelsa and Kebbi—to accelerate efforts to reduce malaria among children. More than 140,000 doses have been administered to eligible children from one million doses received from the Nigerian Government and Gavi.
Recently, during the commemoration of 2025 World Malaria Day, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, addressed journalists and malaria stakeholders, stating that eliminating malaria is a top government priority, strongly supported by President Tinubu.
Dr Salako appreciated health workers and partners and stressed that achieving a malaria-free Nigeria requires ongoing, united action including tailored actions such as treated nets, preventative medicines for children, larval management, and a phased rollout of the malaria vaccine.
“The government ensures consistent malaria treatment, addresses funding challenges, enhances health systems with improved data, collaborates with the private sector for resources, and encourages preventative measures,” he added.
The minister further encouraged all stakeholders to stay committed to fighting malaria, noting that it requires multisectoral, multi-ministerial, inter-organisational, and community effort.
With the innovative strategies adopted, the country is on the pathway to eradicating malaria by 2030, said Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria.
Dr Mulombo noted that the 20225 World Malaria Day, observed under the theme “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, is a rallying revitalised efforts at all levels, from global policy to community action, to renew commitment, rethink strategies and accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
“This year’s theme reminds us that everyone has a role to play. Reducing malaria by 90% by 2030 could boost the country’s GDP.
However, we are at a crossroads. Climate change, humanitarian crises, resistance to drugs and insecticides, and funding gaps are challenging our gains. But malaria elimination is within reach with strong leadership, innovation, and sustained investment,” he said.
Nigeria still faces a concerning malaria burden. Statistics from the 2024 World Malaria Report (WMR) reveal that the country accounts for 27% of the global malaria burden, with 31% of global malaria deaths.
The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 sets a vision for a malaria-free world by 2030, with specific targets for reducing malaria incidence and mortality and eliminating the disease in at least 35 countries.
The Nigerian government has implemented various strategies such promotion of ongoing use of insecticide-treated nets, seasonal malaria chemoprevention therapy for children under five, preventive care for pregnant women, indoor residual spraying, effective case management, and improved sanitation to reduce mosquito breeding sites in the communities.
Recently, the country commenced a phased rollout of the WHO-recommended (R21) malaria vaccine, targeting children in areas with the highest malaria burden—Bayelsa and Kebbi—to accelerate efforts to reduce malaria among children. More than 140,000 doses have been administered to eligible children from one million doses received from the Nigerian Government and Gavi.
Collective action
Recently, during the commemoration of 2025 World Malaria Day, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, addressed journalists and malaria stakeholders, stating that eliminating malaria is a top government priority, strongly supported by President Tinubu.
Dr Salako appreciated health workers and partners and stressed that achieving a malaria-free Nigeria requires ongoing, united action including tailored actions such as treated nets, preventative medicines for children, larval management, and a phased rollout of the malaria vaccine.
“The government ensures consistent malaria treatment, addresses funding challenges, enhances health systems with improved data, collaborates with the private sector for resources, and encourages preventative measures,” he added.
The minister further encouraged all stakeholders to stay committed to fighting malaria, noting that it requires multisectoral, multi-ministerial, inter-organisational, and community effort.
Pathway to success
With the innovative strategies adopted, the country is on the pathway to eradicating malaria by 2030, said Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria.
Dr Mulombo noted that the 20225 World Malaria Day, observed under the theme “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, is a rallying revitalised efforts at all levels, from global policy to community action, to renew commitment, rethink strategies and accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
“This year’s theme reminds us that everyone has a role to play. Reducing malaria by 90% by 2030 could boost the country’s GDP.
However, we are at a crossroads. Climate change, humanitarian crises, resistance to drugs and insecticides, and funding gaps are challenging our gains. But malaria elimination is within reach with strong leadership, innovation, and sustained investment,” he said.
Related story: Flying Malaria Vaccines Arrive in Nigeria
Nigeria Nabs Trafficking, Robbery Syndicate Leaders
Authorities in Nigeria have arrested two internationally wanted fugitives—a convicted human trafficking ringleader sought by Belgium and a suspected leader of a Dubai-based armed robbery syndicate.
Felix Omoregie, and Okwudili Ezeje were captured in separate operations, according to a statement from the Nigeria Police Force announced Wednesday.
Omoregie had been on the run since 2021, when a Belgian court convicted him in absentia on multiple counts of aggravated human trafficking and leading a criminal organization. After the conviction, he fled to Nigeria. On December 19, 2023, Belgian authorities issued an Interpol Red Notice describing him as the "mastermind of a large-scale human trafficking operation." He was arrested in Benin City and is expected to appear before the Federal High Court there.
Omoregie is accused of trafficking Nigerian women and minors to Italy, where victims were allegedly sold across Europe for sexual exploitation. Authorities said his network used "voodoo-based oaths" to coerce victims and trap them in fabricated debts ranging from 20,000 euros to 50,000 euros ($22,720 to $56,794).
In a separate operation, Nigeria’s Interpol National Central Bureau arrested Ezeje, at his hiding place in Enugu, in south-central Nigeria. Authorities said he was allegedly running criminal operations remotely from within the country.
Ezeje is wanted by the United Arab Emirates for charges including armed robbery, cult-related activities, drug trafficking, and other organized crimes. He has been directly linked to a series of high-profile robberies in Dubai and Sharjah, including an armed robbery at a grocery store in Dubai Mall and several thefts at currency exchanges. Police said his trial is scheduled to “take place shortly.”
By Mariam Shenawy, OCCRP
Felix Omoregie, and Okwudili Ezeje were captured in separate operations, according to a statement from the Nigeria Police Force announced Wednesday.
Omoregie had been on the run since 2021, when a Belgian court convicted him in absentia on multiple counts of aggravated human trafficking and leading a criminal organization. After the conviction, he fled to Nigeria. On December 19, 2023, Belgian authorities issued an Interpol Red Notice describing him as the "mastermind of a large-scale human trafficking operation." He was arrested in Benin City and is expected to appear before the Federal High Court there.
Omoregie is accused of trafficking Nigerian women and minors to Italy, where victims were allegedly sold across Europe for sexual exploitation. Authorities said his network used "voodoo-based oaths" to coerce victims and trap them in fabricated debts ranging from 20,000 euros to 50,000 euros ($22,720 to $56,794).
In a separate operation, Nigeria’s Interpol National Central Bureau arrested Ezeje, at his hiding place in Enugu, in south-central Nigeria. Authorities said he was allegedly running criminal operations remotely from within the country.
Ezeje is wanted by the United Arab Emirates for charges including armed robbery, cult-related activities, drug trafficking, and other organized crimes. He has been directly linked to a series of high-profile robberies in Dubai and Sharjah, including an armed robbery at a grocery store in Dubai Mall and several thefts at currency exchanges. Police said his trial is scheduled to “take place shortly.”
By Mariam Shenawy, OCCRP
Nigerian film-makers pivot to YouTube as streaming firms pull back
For an entire weekend this March, romcom fever gripped Nigerian social media. Thousands of Nigerians, even in the diaspora, debated fervently about Love in Every Word, in which an affair takes off after a smooth-talking, free-spending businessman hires a dance troupe to get an advertising executive’s phone number.
Critics poked holes in the plot but the movie’s melodrama appealed to many. Clips and memes were shared online as viewers spun fantasies about their own odogwu, an Igbo word used to refer to an influential or well-to-do man.
The film clocked up 1m views on YouTube within 24 hours and hit the 5m mark within three days. “God did it and I don’t have anything but a grateful heart,” said Omoni Oboli, the film’s director.
In recent years, creatives in Nollywood, the world’s second-largest film industry by volume, have pivoted en masse to YouTube as the global streaming companies have taken flight from a market where they struggled to make money.
“I didn’t think it would be a movie on a YouTube channel that would break out like this, challenging everything we know in Nollywood on any platform,” Oboli said. “God has a way of using the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.”
In January 2024, Amazon Prime, the third-biggest streaming platform in Nigeria after Netflix and Showmax, laid off all its employees in Africa as part of a scaling back on original content acquisitions. Netflix has noticeably reduced its take-up of originals.
Why? “Profitability is the very short answer,” said Jessica Abaga, a former Amazon Prime Studios executive who helped commission originals for Nigeria. “It almost feels like as far as the African market is concerned, the business model still isn’t working in their favour.”
The issue unlikely to be helped by film industry worries over Donald Trump’s recent threat of 100% tariffs on films made abroad. Shares in Netflix, Amazon, Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount fell on Monday as studios reeled from the US president’s announcement on Sunday.
Industry insiders say other factors have also driven the YouTube boom, including a dearth of cinema infrastructure in west Africa. According to the 2024 Nigerian box office yearbook by the major distributor Film One, Nigeria’s estimated 200 million people are served by only 102 cinemas. And some of those do not fill up due to a cost-of-living crisis that has made paying for films an unaffordable luxury.
Abaga said that as ticket prices went up, people realised that the same money could be used to subscribe to a streaming service. Or they could just watch content on YouTube for free.
Another factor, according to some industry observers, is that streaming companies and traditional distributors have returned repeatedly to the same high-profile directors with proven viewing numbers, freezing out newer talent.
YouTube’s zero cost of entry and the vast potential audience act as pull factors. “The biggest appeal YouTube has is the ease of putting your stuff there,” Abaga said. “Streamers are particular about production value, production quality, story quality, all-around storytelling integrity. On YouTube, nobody cares. It’s your prerogative as a producer … no red tape, no restrictions, nobody’s stifling your creativity. But that also means there’s no quality control per se.”
Oboli agreed. “The audience is left to reward us or punish us for our efforts based on what we choose to produce. Failure and success are solely dictated by market forces, whereby the audience (customers) are again king,” she said.
The result has been a ruthless, relentless market, with new titles appearing constantly. Oboli has two production units that help meet her goal of turning out one movie a week, and Love in Every Word is one of more than 60 titles on a YouTube channel launched just a year ago.
Hundreds of actors have turned directors. Some scriptwriters get as little as 150,000 naira (£70) to deliver feature-length films shot in four to five days. To save costs, some producers now rent an Airbnb for a week to shoot more than one movie, with the only major change being outfits for the cast.
Afterwards, cast and crew do dance videos on TikTok to promote the films. Given the short timeframe for post-production, shots of crew members on duty are sometimes still visible in movie frames.
In January, Oboli removed a movie from her channel after it emerged that her scriptwriter had reportedly sold the same script to another producer for a 2022 film.
Nora Awolowo, a 26-year-old film-maker, has raised funding from angel investors for her first full-length film, Red Circle, which begins showing in Nigerian cinemas from 6 June. But she is supportive of colleagues who are focusing on YouTube, saying they get direct access to audiences and are giving new faces a chance to rise. Her challenge, she said, “is to reconnect to this audience by giving them quality”.
One longstanding problem has not gone away with the YouTube revolution: pirates republishing content.
“Some [pirates] even went as far as putting their watermark [and] their own soundtrack on the movie, claiming it to be theirs,” Bimbo Ademoye, an actor and producer, claimed recently on Instagram after finding her new movie on more than 50 other channels. “Some had as much as 200k views … and it’s painful because we thought the days of piracy were over.”
Awolowo is worried that YouTube could change the criteria for entry or payment, like X did in 2024, and many of her colleagues will have to “go back to square one”. She hopes a new model emerges to secure the industry’s future.
“We have a structural problem,” she said. “Nobody wants to take risks. We are not addressing our problem in this industry, which is a distribution problem. How do we get to the grassroots? How do we engage the government? What are the policies?”
Chris Ihidero has worked in Nollywood for decades, including directing one of Nigeria’s most beloved series, Fuji House of Commotion, in the early 2000s. He believes the solution is hiding in plain sight – a revamp of the state-owned Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Previously, it was a hub for original programming, like its British and South African counterparts BBC and SABC respectively. Since the return of democracy in 1999, however, NTA has progressively become known primarily as a mouthpiece for state propaganda.
“There are no substitutes for investment in quality content on free-to-air platforms,” Ihidero wrote in March. “This is the NTA’s statutory obligation and it has failed at it for decades.”
Critics poked holes in the plot but the movie’s melodrama appealed to many. Clips and memes were shared online as viewers spun fantasies about their own odogwu, an Igbo word used to refer to an influential or well-to-do man.
The film clocked up 1m views on YouTube within 24 hours and hit the 5m mark within three days. “God did it and I don’t have anything but a grateful heart,” said Omoni Oboli, the film’s director.
In recent years, creatives in Nollywood, the world’s second-largest film industry by volume, have pivoted en masse to YouTube as the global streaming companies have taken flight from a market where they struggled to make money.
“I didn’t think it would be a movie on a YouTube channel that would break out like this, challenging everything we know in Nollywood on any platform,” Oboli said. “God has a way of using the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.”
In January 2024, Amazon Prime, the third-biggest streaming platform in Nigeria after Netflix and Showmax, laid off all its employees in Africa as part of a scaling back on original content acquisitions. Netflix has noticeably reduced its take-up of originals.
Why? “Profitability is the very short answer,” said Jessica Abaga, a former Amazon Prime Studios executive who helped commission originals for Nigeria. “It almost feels like as far as the African market is concerned, the business model still isn’t working in their favour.”
The issue unlikely to be helped by film industry worries over Donald Trump’s recent threat of 100% tariffs on films made abroad. Shares in Netflix, Amazon, Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount fell on Monday as studios reeled from the US president’s announcement on Sunday.
Industry insiders say other factors have also driven the YouTube boom, including a dearth of cinema infrastructure in west Africa. According to the 2024 Nigerian box office yearbook by the major distributor Film One, Nigeria’s estimated 200 million people are served by only 102 cinemas. And some of those do not fill up due to a cost-of-living crisis that has made paying for films an unaffordable luxury.
Abaga said that as ticket prices went up, people realised that the same money could be used to subscribe to a streaming service. Or they could just watch content on YouTube for free.
Another factor, according to some industry observers, is that streaming companies and traditional distributors have returned repeatedly to the same high-profile directors with proven viewing numbers, freezing out newer talent.
YouTube’s zero cost of entry and the vast potential audience act as pull factors. “The biggest appeal YouTube has is the ease of putting your stuff there,” Abaga said. “Streamers are particular about production value, production quality, story quality, all-around storytelling integrity. On YouTube, nobody cares. It’s your prerogative as a producer … no red tape, no restrictions, nobody’s stifling your creativity. But that also means there’s no quality control per se.”
Oboli agreed. “The audience is left to reward us or punish us for our efforts based on what we choose to produce. Failure and success are solely dictated by market forces, whereby the audience (customers) are again king,” she said.
The result has been a ruthless, relentless market, with new titles appearing constantly. Oboli has two production units that help meet her goal of turning out one movie a week, and Love in Every Word is one of more than 60 titles on a YouTube channel launched just a year ago.
Hundreds of actors have turned directors. Some scriptwriters get as little as 150,000 naira (£70) to deliver feature-length films shot in four to five days. To save costs, some producers now rent an Airbnb for a week to shoot more than one movie, with the only major change being outfits for the cast.
Afterwards, cast and crew do dance videos on TikTok to promote the films. Given the short timeframe for post-production, shots of crew members on duty are sometimes still visible in movie frames.
In January, Oboli removed a movie from her channel after it emerged that her scriptwriter had reportedly sold the same script to another producer for a 2022 film.
Nora Awolowo, a 26-year-old film-maker, has raised funding from angel investors for her first full-length film, Red Circle, which begins showing in Nigerian cinemas from 6 June. But she is supportive of colleagues who are focusing on YouTube, saying they get direct access to audiences and are giving new faces a chance to rise. Her challenge, she said, “is to reconnect to this audience by giving them quality”.
One longstanding problem has not gone away with the YouTube revolution: pirates republishing content.
“Some [pirates] even went as far as putting their watermark [and] their own soundtrack on the movie, claiming it to be theirs,” Bimbo Ademoye, an actor and producer, claimed recently on Instagram after finding her new movie on more than 50 other channels. “Some had as much as 200k views … and it’s painful because we thought the days of piracy were over.”
Awolowo is worried that YouTube could change the criteria for entry or payment, like X did in 2024, and many of her colleagues will have to “go back to square one”. She hopes a new model emerges to secure the industry’s future.
“We have a structural problem,” she said. “Nobody wants to take risks. We are not addressing our problem in this industry, which is a distribution problem. How do we get to the grassroots? How do we engage the government? What are the policies?”
Chris Ihidero has worked in Nollywood for decades, including directing one of Nigeria’s most beloved series, Fuji House of Commotion, in the early 2000s. He believes the solution is hiding in plain sight – a revamp of the state-owned Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Previously, it was a hub for original programming, like its British and South African counterparts BBC and SABC respectively. Since the return of democracy in 1999, however, NTA has progressively become known primarily as a mouthpiece for state propaganda.
“There are no substitutes for investment in quality content on free-to-air platforms,” Ihidero wrote in March. “This is the NTA’s statutory obligation and it has failed at it for decades.”
By Eromo Egbejule, The Guardian
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
China expands military supply pact in Africa with new Nigeria deal
Nigeria is set to begin local production of military-grade ammunition under a new partnership with a leading Chinese defense company.
The agreement, announced by Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle during an official visit to China, includes the construction of production lines for various types of ammunition and servicing of military equipment, marking a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria’s defense capabilities.
The meeting follows a March visit by a senior delegation from China’s North Industries Corporation (Norinco) to Abuja, marking a significant step in strengthening defense ties between China and Nigeria.
According to a statement issued by the Office of the Director of Information and Public Relations, the Minister said the main objective of the engagement was to formalize a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Chinese firm and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
He noted that under the MoU, the Chinese company has agreed to facilitate the transfer of cutting-edge defence technology to Nigeria, establish local manufacturing facilities for advanced military equipment, and support technical knowledge exchange to enhance the skills of Nigerian personnel.
Other key areas of collaboration include the maintenance and upgrading of existing military hardware, servicing of battle tanks, and offering military engineering services.
Under the MoU, new production lines will be constructed for various ammunition types, including 7.62×51mm ball cartridges, 7.62×51mm blank cartridges, 9×19mm pistol cartridges, and machine gun ammunition.
Additionally, manufacturing workshops and facilities will be established in Kaduna and Kachia, Kaduna State, for the production of brass casings, bullet jackets, and other essential defense components.
Apart from securing the military training and hardware production deal, Nigeria is strengthening its defense ties with China to enhance its air defense systems.
A recent high-level visit by a Nigerian delegation led by Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, Chief of the Air Staff, to China resulted in discussions with key defense contractors, including China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO).
The talks focused on advanced technologies to support Nigeria's Military Total Radar Coverage (MTRACON) initiative.
The Chinese side showcased defense systems such as high-energy laser counter-drone technologies and the Sky Dragon air defense system.
The agreement, announced by Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle during an official visit to China, includes the construction of production lines for various types of ammunition and servicing of military equipment, marking a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria’s defense capabilities.
The meeting follows a March visit by a senior delegation from China’s North Industries Corporation (Norinco) to Abuja, marking a significant step in strengthening defense ties between China and Nigeria.
According to a statement issued by the Office of the Director of Information and Public Relations, the Minister said the main objective of the engagement was to formalize a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Chinese firm and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
He noted that under the MoU, the Chinese company has agreed to facilitate the transfer of cutting-edge defence technology to Nigeria, establish local manufacturing facilities for advanced military equipment, and support technical knowledge exchange to enhance the skills of Nigerian personnel.
Other key areas of collaboration include the maintenance and upgrading of existing military hardware, servicing of battle tanks, and offering military engineering services.
Under the MoU, new production lines will be constructed for various ammunition types, including 7.62×51mm ball cartridges, 7.62×51mm blank cartridges, 9×19mm pistol cartridges, and machine gun ammunition.
Additionally, manufacturing workshops and facilities will be established in Kaduna and Kachia, Kaduna State, for the production of brass casings, bullet jackets, and other essential defense components.
Nigeria eyes Chinese air defence systems
Apart from securing the military training and hardware production deal, Nigeria is strengthening its defense ties with China to enhance its air defense systems.
A recent high-level visit by a Nigerian delegation led by Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, Chief of the Air Staff, to China resulted in discussions with key defense contractors, including China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO).
The talks focused on advanced technologies to support Nigeria's Military Total Radar Coverage (MTRACON) initiative.
The Chinese side showcased defense systems such as high-energy laser counter-drone technologies and the Sky Dragon air defense system.
China’s military in Africa
China has continued to exert its influence in Africa through infrastructure financing and military training, particularly through its Peace Unity-2024 project.
The Peace Unity-2024 project focuses on enhancing the capacity of African nations to address regional security challenges.
By offering military training, joint exercises, and defense equipment, China has positioned itself as a significant partner in helping African countries build self-reliant security frameworks.
This project also emphasizes the sharing of military expertise and technology, aimed at improving the operational effectiveness of African armed forces.
The recent deal between China and Nigeria to produce military ammunition locally is an example of China's expanding role in Africa’s defense sector showing China's commitment to solidifying its relationships with key African countries, while also increasing its influence in regional security matters.
China has continued to exert its influence in Africa through infrastructure financing and military training, particularly through its Peace Unity-2024 project.
The Peace Unity-2024 project focuses on enhancing the capacity of African nations to address regional security challenges.
By offering military training, joint exercises, and defense equipment, China has positioned itself as a significant partner in helping African countries build self-reliant security frameworks.
This project also emphasizes the sharing of military expertise and technology, aimed at improving the operational effectiveness of African armed forces.
The recent deal between China and Nigeria to produce military ammunition locally is an example of China's expanding role in Africa’s defense sector showing China's commitment to solidifying its relationships with key African countries, while also increasing its influence in regional security matters.
Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Restoring trust in Polio Vaccination in Nigeria
Kebbi, April 2025 – In the modest community of Kambaza in Nigeria’s northwestern State of Kebbi, Malan Attahiru Aliyu was once a strong supporter of immunisation.
He actively ensured his children received all routine vaccines and participated fully in every polio vaccination campaign. His trust in the health system stayed resolute right until 2022, when his family for some odd reason was not given treated mosquito nets that help prevent malaria.
That single moment of exclusion planted a deep resentment towards the system. He felt that certain Gwandu Local Government Area (district) officials had deliberately avoided giving him treated mosquito nets that were meant for him and his family.
Feeling abandoned and unvalued, Malan’s frustration turned into a firm decision. He would no longer allow any of his children to receive the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), which prevents the highly contagious, crippling, and potentially killer polio disease.
What began as disappointment quietly escalated into dangerous resistance.
The consequences came swiftly and painfully. In December 2023, Malan’s youngest daughter, Maryam, just two years old, contracted a variant form of poliovirus. The diagnosis shook the community, but Malan remained resistant to logic. He stood firm in his decision to reject immunisation for his children. His household became a high-risk pocket of transmission, given that the poliovirus spreads through the oral-fecal route and the household was in neighbourhood with poor sanitation facilities.
Malan became a symbol of how vaccine refusal can threaten entire communities and put the lives of children at risk. Moreover, his refusal was seen across the state, and indeed nationally, as a threat to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GEPI).
Launched with the coming together of Heads of State of all United Nations member states in 1988, the Initiative has been working with Governments, partners, and the people themselves to successfully reduce the incidence of polio cases across the globe by 99.9 percent.
Between 1988 and 2021, the Initiative has helped prevent 24 million cases of childhood paralysis due to the poliovirus by vaccinating millions of children with the easy-to-administer Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). But given how contagious the virus is, even one incidence of polio-affected children anywhere in the world is a danger everywhere.
Malan’s refusal was seen as a major challenge for the State of Kebbi and, indeed, for the whole of Nigeria.
Scores of influential persons visited Malan at this residence to placate him. Prominent personalities, including traditional leaders, tried to convince him to allow his children to take the OPV. Despite all efforts, he barely agreed to allow his youngest polio-affected daughter to take the vaccine so that she would stop shedding the poliovirus through her stool. But for his other children, below the age of five, who were clearly carrying the virus even though not affected by it, he refused to submit to logic.
At one point, all officials had given up on convincing Malan. Instead, a new resolve was made to increase the vaccination dosage of all other children in the community as a booster, protecting them from the crippling virus which Malan’s children were carrying.
But where others might have walked away, Hauwa’u Ubale, a passionate and tireless Volunteer Community Mobilizer (VCM), leaned in. Hauwa’u was one of the over 18,000 VCMs that UNICEF has trained to interact with parents and caregivers of children below the age of five. She is tasked with convincing parents to allow their children to receive OPV during each polio vaccination round.
In a year when there is an active poliovirus outbreak, the number of rounds per year can go up to almost once every month because OPV can only be effective in producing immunity in a child against the poliovirus if it is given to 95 per cent of all children below the age of five in at least three consecutive polio vaccination rounds.
Understanding the complexity of Malan's emotions—hurt, mistrust, and fear—Hauwa'u approached him with empathy and persistence. She did not confront or build pressure. Instead, she listened. She gave space for his anger. And she responded with compassion, facts, and a firm belief that no child should suffer the consequences of misinformation or disillusionment.
With each visit, Hauwa'u gently challenged his beliefs, reminding him that while he could buy mosquito nets, he could not buy immunity from polio. Only vaccines could protect his children from paralysis. Her patience was unwavering, and her conviction unshakeable.
Over time, a breakthrough emerged. Malan saw in Hauwa'u not just a health worker but a voice of truth and a protector of children. He finally agreed to fully vaccinate his two children who were still under the age of five. But the transformation did not end there.
Malan went beyond and became an advocate. Deeply affected by Maryam's illness and moved by Hauwa'u's dedication, he now shares his family's experience as a powerful cautionary tale. He goes door to door in his community, speaking to other hesitant parents—not with blame, but with urgency and empathy: "Don't wait for a diagnosis like mine. Protect your child before it's too late."
Now, he is a public advocate and part of teams that speak individually to parents and caregivers who prevent their eligible children from taking the polio vaccine during campaigns.
Malan and Hauwa’u are the foot soldiers of the Initiative, which is a public-private partnership led by the national governments of all United Nations member states with countless national partners and six global agencies: the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Malan and Hauwa’u are local heroes, and thousands of community workers like them are empowering a social movement in Nigeria to root out all forms of poliovirus and help the world eradicate this punishing disease.
He actively ensured his children received all routine vaccines and participated fully in every polio vaccination campaign. His trust in the health system stayed resolute right until 2022, when his family for some odd reason was not given treated mosquito nets that help prevent malaria.
That single moment of exclusion planted a deep resentment towards the system. He felt that certain Gwandu Local Government Area (district) officials had deliberately avoided giving him treated mosquito nets that were meant for him and his family.
Feeling abandoned and unvalued, Malan’s frustration turned into a firm decision. He would no longer allow any of his children to receive the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), which prevents the highly contagious, crippling, and potentially killer polio disease.
What began as disappointment quietly escalated into dangerous resistance.
The consequences came swiftly and painfully. In December 2023, Malan’s youngest daughter, Maryam, just two years old, contracted a variant form of poliovirus. The diagnosis shook the community, but Malan remained resistant to logic. He stood firm in his decision to reject immunisation for his children. His household became a high-risk pocket of transmission, given that the poliovirus spreads through the oral-fecal route and the household was in neighbourhood with poor sanitation facilities.
Malan became a symbol of how vaccine refusal can threaten entire communities and put the lives of children at risk. Moreover, his refusal was seen across the state, and indeed nationally, as a threat to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GEPI).
Launched with the coming together of Heads of State of all United Nations member states in 1988, the Initiative has been working with Governments, partners, and the people themselves to successfully reduce the incidence of polio cases across the globe by 99.9 percent.
Between 1988 and 2021, the Initiative has helped prevent 24 million cases of childhood paralysis due to the poliovirus by vaccinating millions of children with the easy-to-administer Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). But given how contagious the virus is, even one incidence of polio-affected children anywhere in the world is a danger everywhere.
Malan’s refusal was seen as a major challenge for the State of Kebbi and, indeed, for the whole of Nigeria.
Scores of influential persons visited Malan at this residence to placate him. Prominent personalities, including traditional leaders, tried to convince him to allow his children to take the OPV. Despite all efforts, he barely agreed to allow his youngest polio-affected daughter to take the vaccine so that she would stop shedding the poliovirus through her stool. But for his other children, below the age of five, who were clearly carrying the virus even though not affected by it, he refused to submit to logic.
At one point, all officials had given up on convincing Malan. Instead, a new resolve was made to increase the vaccination dosage of all other children in the community as a booster, protecting them from the crippling virus which Malan’s children were carrying.
But where others might have walked away, Hauwa’u Ubale, a passionate and tireless Volunteer Community Mobilizer (VCM), leaned in. Hauwa’u was one of the over 18,000 VCMs that UNICEF has trained to interact with parents and caregivers of children below the age of five. She is tasked with convincing parents to allow their children to receive OPV during each polio vaccination round.
In a year when there is an active poliovirus outbreak, the number of rounds per year can go up to almost once every month because OPV can only be effective in producing immunity in a child against the poliovirus if it is given to 95 per cent of all children below the age of five in at least three consecutive polio vaccination rounds.
Understanding the complexity of Malan's emotions—hurt, mistrust, and fear—Hauwa'u approached him with empathy and persistence. She did not confront or build pressure. Instead, she listened. She gave space for his anger. And she responded with compassion, facts, and a firm belief that no child should suffer the consequences of misinformation or disillusionment.
With each visit, Hauwa'u gently challenged his beliefs, reminding him that while he could buy mosquito nets, he could not buy immunity from polio. Only vaccines could protect his children from paralysis. Her patience was unwavering, and her conviction unshakeable.
Over time, a breakthrough emerged. Malan saw in Hauwa'u not just a health worker but a voice of truth and a protector of children. He finally agreed to fully vaccinate his two children who were still under the age of five. But the transformation did not end there.
Malan went beyond and became an advocate. Deeply affected by Maryam's illness and moved by Hauwa'u's dedication, he now shares his family's experience as a powerful cautionary tale. He goes door to door in his community, speaking to other hesitant parents—not with blame, but with urgency and empathy: "Don't wait for a diagnosis like mine. Protect your child before it's too late."
Now, he is a public advocate and part of teams that speak individually to parents and caregivers who prevent their eligible children from taking the polio vaccine during campaigns.
Malan and Hauwa’u are the foot soldiers of the Initiative, which is a public-private partnership led by the national governments of all United Nations member states with countless national partners and six global agencies: the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Malan and Hauwa’u are local heroes, and thousands of community workers like them are empowering a social movement in Nigeria to root out all forms of poliovirus and help the world eradicate this punishing disease.
Nigeria accuses Meta of pressure campaign over threat to cut off apps
Nigeria accused Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, of launching a “negative” public relations campaign to put pressure on authorities by threatening to withdraw its apps from the country over a $220 million fine.
Meta has contested the fine, imposed last year by Nigeria’s consumer protection agency for an alleged breach of competition rules, but a court in Nigeria’s capital Abuja dismissed its appeal. The company was also slapped with other penalties by the country’s data protection commission and an advertising regulator.
The tech giant has accused the agencies of unfair interpretations of statutes that led to the fines, and said it “may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures,” but made no mention of WhatsApp, also owned by Meta. In response, the consumer agency said the threat “does not absolve Meta of liabilities for the outcome of a judicial process.”
Meta’s platforms, especially WhatsApp and Facebook, are among the most used apps in Nigeria, with an estimated 51 million users on WhatsApp. The apps have proven to be particularly useful for small business owners to sell to customers.
Meta has contested the fine, imposed last year by Nigeria’s consumer protection agency for an alleged breach of competition rules, but a court in Nigeria’s capital Abuja dismissed its appeal. The company was also slapped with other penalties by the country’s data protection commission and an advertising regulator.
The tech giant has accused the agencies of unfair interpretations of statutes that led to the fines, and said it “may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures,” but made no mention of WhatsApp, also owned by Meta. In response, the consumer agency said the threat “does not absolve Meta of liabilities for the outcome of a judicial process.”
Meta’s platforms, especially WhatsApp and Facebook, are among the most used apps in Nigeria, with an estimated 51 million users on WhatsApp. The apps have proven to be particularly useful for small business owners to sell to customers.
By Alexander Onukwue, Semafor
Top officials barred from travel amid Nigeria's $2.9 billion oil refinery fraud
In a recent development, the Nigerian Immigration Service confiscated the passports of multiple officials accused of mismanaging funds set aside for the reconstruction of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Companies.
“We received 16 names some days ago with instructions to flag them. This means they should not be allowed to travel out of the country,” an anonymous source within the Nigerian Immigration Service revealed.
The repair of these facilities drew widespread attention last year after news surfaced that the government had made significant progress in restoring facilities that had been inoperable for decades.
However, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently made arrests in connection with the mismanagement of $2,956,872,622.36, which was intended to be used to restore the refineries to full operation.
As per a report by the Punch, the EFCC was looking into the distribution of $656,963,938 to the Warri refinery, $740,669,600 to the Kaduna refinery, and $1,559,239,084.36 to the Port Harcourt refinery.
“Some have been arrested already, and we are still on the lookout for others. Nigerians are interested in seeing our refineries work. We are asking: where is the money, and what has happened to the refineries?” an anonymous EFCC official stated.
Rehabilitation plans for Nigeria’s oil refineries in recent years
In August 2023, the Nigerian government disclosed that it planned to have all four of its oil refineries operational after being out of order for decades.
Many assessed that the move was in response to the Dangote refinery, which at the time threatened to control a monopoly of all locally refined fuel.
Prior to the inauguration of the Dangote Refinery, Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, imported almost all of its refined petroleum needs, owing to limited capacity and poor maintenance of its refineries.
The 110,000-barrel Kaduna plant in the north, as well as three facilities in the oil-rich Niger delta, including the 125,000-barrel Warri refinery, are among four dilapidated state-owned refineries that used to produce 4450,000 barrels per day in total.
The Port Harcourt refinery in 2023 was said to be undergoing a $1.5 billion makeover after Italy's Tecnimont was awarded the contract for the work.
The oil ministry estimated that the renovation would take 44 months to complete.
Fast forward to a year later, and the conversations had pivoted from rehabilitation to operational.
Several headlines, late last year, showed that the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries were fully operational and producing gasoline.
However, the operation of these refineries has been marred by poor output, constant shutdown for repairs, and dissatisfaction among workers.
Additionally, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited revealed that N80bn was found in the account of one of the sacked MDs.
“We received 16 names some days ago with instructions to flag them. This means they should not be allowed to travel out of the country,” an anonymous source within the Nigerian Immigration Service revealed.
The repair of these facilities drew widespread attention last year after news surfaced that the government had made significant progress in restoring facilities that had been inoperable for decades.
However, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently made arrests in connection with the mismanagement of $2,956,872,622.36, which was intended to be used to restore the refineries to full operation.
As per a report by the Punch, the EFCC was looking into the distribution of $656,963,938 to the Warri refinery, $740,669,600 to the Kaduna refinery, and $1,559,239,084.36 to the Port Harcourt refinery.
“Some have been arrested already, and we are still on the lookout for others. Nigerians are interested in seeing our refineries work. We are asking: where is the money, and what has happened to the refineries?” an anonymous EFCC official stated.
Rehabilitation plans for Nigeria’s oil refineries in recent years
In August 2023, the Nigerian government disclosed that it planned to have all four of its oil refineries operational after being out of order for decades.
Many assessed that the move was in response to the Dangote refinery, which at the time threatened to control a monopoly of all locally refined fuel.
Prior to the inauguration of the Dangote Refinery, Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, imported almost all of its refined petroleum needs, owing to limited capacity and poor maintenance of its refineries.
The 110,000-barrel Kaduna plant in the north, as well as three facilities in the oil-rich Niger delta, including the 125,000-barrel Warri refinery, are among four dilapidated state-owned refineries that used to produce 4450,000 barrels per day in total.
The Port Harcourt refinery in 2023 was said to be undergoing a $1.5 billion makeover after Italy's Tecnimont was awarded the contract for the work.
The oil ministry estimated that the renovation would take 44 months to complete.
Fast forward to a year later, and the conversations had pivoted from rehabilitation to operational.
Several headlines, late last year, showed that the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries were fully operational and producing gasoline.
However, the operation of these refineries has been marred by poor output, constant shutdown for repairs, and dissatisfaction among workers.
Additionally, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited revealed that N80bn was found in the account of one of the sacked MDs.
By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa
Monday, May 5, 2025
Video - Nigeria’s Berom people celebrate the start of the farming season
The Berom tribe in Nigeria’s Plateau State celebrated Nzem Berom, a festival marking the start of the crop farming season in the country. Organisers say the day is marked to salute the resilience of the local community in farming their land despite the difficulties they sometimes face growing crops, among other things.
Video - Nigerian President Tinubu concerned by escalating violence in country
Rising incidents of violence in Nigeria’s north-east and north-central regions has caught the attention of President Bola Tinubu. On Wednesday, the head of state summoned the country's security chiefs and ordered them to immediately arrest the situation. Dozens of people were killed in militant attacks in Nigeria in April.
Threat to exit Nigeria does not absolve you of liabilities, FG tells Facebook, Instagram
THE Federal Government, through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), on Saturday told Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, that threatening to leave Nigeria does not absolve it of liabilities for the outcome of a judicial process.
The FCCPC disclosed this in a statement on Saturday evening following reports that Meta may be forced to shut down its services in Nigeria over escalating tension with government regulators.
The company is currently facing fines totalling approximately $290 million (N223 billion) imposed by three Nigerian regulatory bodies for alleged violations of competition, advertising and data privacy laws.
Meta unsuccessfully challenged the penalties at the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered it to pay the fines before the end of June 2025.
However, while reacting to the threat of leaving Nigeria, FCCPC on Saturday said the threat by Meta to leave Nigeria does not absolve it of liabilities regarding the judicial process.
The FCCPC in a statement by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the claim appears to be a calculated move aimed at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.
It wrote: “The FCCPC investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (jointly referred to as “Meta Parties”) for allegedly violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
“The commission found that Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA (2018) and the NDPR.
“These infringements included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorisation, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies.
“Interestingly, Meta had been fined for similar breaches in Texas ($1.5 billion) and only recently was asked to pay $1.3 billion for violating EU Data Privacy Rules. Elsewhere in India, South Korea, France and Australia, Meta had faced varying penalties for similar breaches. But Meta never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries. They obeyed.
“The recent affirmation of FCCPC’s final order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights, consistent with international best practices.”
The FCCPC disclosed this in a statement on Saturday evening following reports that Meta may be forced to shut down its services in Nigeria over escalating tension with government regulators.
The company is currently facing fines totalling approximately $290 million (N223 billion) imposed by three Nigerian regulatory bodies for alleged violations of competition, advertising and data privacy laws.
Meta unsuccessfully challenged the penalties at the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered it to pay the fines before the end of June 2025.
However, while reacting to the threat of leaving Nigeria, FCCPC on Saturday said the threat by Meta to leave Nigeria does not absolve it of liabilities regarding the judicial process.
The FCCPC in a statement by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the claim appears to be a calculated move aimed at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.
It wrote: “The FCCPC investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (jointly referred to as “Meta Parties”) for allegedly violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
“The commission found that Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA (2018) and the NDPR.
“These infringements included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorisation, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies.
“Interestingly, Meta had been fined for similar breaches in Texas ($1.5 billion) and only recently was asked to pay $1.3 billion for violating EU Data Privacy Rules. Elsewhere in India, South Korea, France and Australia, Meta had faced varying penalties for similar breaches. But Meta never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries. They obeyed.
“The recent affirmation of FCCPC’s final order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights, consistent with international best practices.”
Dangote’s fight for Nigeria’s oil future continues as he vows to defeat the cabal
The Nigerian billionaire, alluded to again, his a fight against some individuals in Nigeria's long-standing oil importation system, who have reaped enormous benefits from government subsidies on imported petroleum.
He noted that they are still deliberately attempting to destroy his oil refinery, as he stated, “those groups have funded resistance to the Bola Tinubu government’s removal of petrol subsidies and are opposed to the refinery operating easily in the country.”
He, nonetheless, like he did a few months back, noted that he would eventually win.
“We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am ready and 100 per cent sure I will win at the end of the day,” Dangote added.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest individual, has a history of taking large-scale risks, but even he admits that his $23 billion oil refinery project is the most daring and difficult enterprise of his life.
While the Dangote Refinery has been hailed as a game-changing project for Nigeria's energy sector, its journey from concept to reality has shown the country's oil industry's profound intricacies and vested interests, notably in refining.
The Dangote Refinery, located on a 6,200-acre site in the Lekki Free Zone, is the world’s largest single-train refinery.
The plant officially began operations in 2023, after more than a decade of construction and investment. However, the refinery's real challenge began after its launch.
Dangote's current remarks coincided with Nigeria's efforts to expand its capacity to store petroleum products in anticipation of shocks to the world oil market after US President Donald Trump disrupted international commerce by threatening to impose tariffs, as reported by the Punch newspaper.
He noted that they are still deliberately attempting to destroy his oil refinery, as he stated, “those groups have funded resistance to the Bola Tinubu government’s removal of petrol subsidies and are opposed to the refinery operating easily in the country.”
He, nonetheless, like he did a few months back, noted that he would eventually win.
“We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am ready and 100 per cent sure I will win at the end of the day,” Dangote added.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest individual, has a history of taking large-scale risks, but even he admits that his $23 billion oil refinery project is the most daring and difficult enterprise of his life.
While the Dangote Refinery has been hailed as a game-changing project for Nigeria's energy sector, its journey from concept to reality has shown the country's oil industry's profound intricacies and vested interests, notably in refining.
The Dangote Refinery, located on a 6,200-acre site in the Lekki Free Zone, is the world’s largest single-train refinery.
The plant officially began operations in 2023, after more than a decade of construction and investment. However, the refinery's real challenge began after its launch.
Dangote's current remarks coincided with Nigeria's efforts to expand its capacity to store petroleum products in anticipation of shocks to the world oil market after US President Donald Trump disrupted international commerce by threatening to impose tariffs, as reported by the Punch newspaper.
Dangote refinery vs players in the oil market
One of Dangote's most notable conflicts has been with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The NNPC initially offered to invest $1 billion for a 20% ownership interest in the refinery.
That offer was eventually reduced to 7%, with requests to reclaim a portion of the funds previously deposited.
Outside of this, the group had also complicated the process of the refinery sourcing crude as it initially mandated that the refinery purchase crude oil in dollars.
This was later mitigated by the Naira-for-Crude initiative, which allowed the refinery to purchase crude in the country’s local currency for six months, thereby reducing the cost of operation.
After six months, the initiative was halted again before being reintroduced, highlighting the complex market structure of the Nigerian oil sector.
Dangote is unreserved in his condemnation of the group, as he, in February, in an interview with Forbes, accused the group of being a part of the country's "oil mafia."
“The oil mafia is more deadly than the one in drugs because, with the oil mafia, there are so many people that are involved,” Dangote had said at the time.
“I’ve been fighting battles all my life, and I have not lost one yet.
You might be wining and dining with them, but these are the guys that are the masters of moving things around.”
Support from IPMAN
As Dangote stays ongoing fighting the 'cabal', the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria declared their support for him.
“Well, this is business. Competition abounds. There is no businessman whom people will not fight if he is doing well, especially when it is only your goods that are being produced, and the others are not being patronised because of the price.
So, it is evident that every businessman wants to survive. It’s not an issue. What we can do is encourage him,” IPMAN Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Udadike, stated.
“We independent marketers are happy with him for his price slashes, although sometimes it’s against our own business strategy and projections. But that is part of the business, it is profit and loss.
So, if he’s talking about how people want to sabotage him, he has told us that he’s ready to fight the oil cabals, and he is in this business to ensure that Nigerians don’t suffer.
So, we encourage him not to lose hope, and we independent marketers support him in all ramifications,” Ukadike added.
One of Dangote's most notable conflicts has been with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The NNPC initially offered to invest $1 billion for a 20% ownership interest in the refinery.
That offer was eventually reduced to 7%, with requests to reclaim a portion of the funds previously deposited.
Outside of this, the group had also complicated the process of the refinery sourcing crude as it initially mandated that the refinery purchase crude oil in dollars.
This was later mitigated by the Naira-for-Crude initiative, which allowed the refinery to purchase crude in the country’s local currency for six months, thereby reducing the cost of operation.
After six months, the initiative was halted again before being reintroduced, highlighting the complex market structure of the Nigerian oil sector.
Dangote is unreserved in his condemnation of the group, as he, in February, in an interview with Forbes, accused the group of being a part of the country's "oil mafia."
“The oil mafia is more deadly than the one in drugs because, with the oil mafia, there are so many people that are involved,” Dangote had said at the time.
“I’ve been fighting battles all my life, and I have not lost one yet.
You might be wining and dining with them, but these are the guys that are the masters of moving things around.”
Support from IPMAN
As Dangote stays ongoing fighting the 'cabal', the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria declared their support for him.
“Well, this is business. Competition abounds. There is no businessman whom people will not fight if he is doing well, especially when it is only your goods that are being produced, and the others are not being patronised because of the price.
So, it is evident that every businessman wants to survive. It’s not an issue. What we can do is encourage him,” IPMAN Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Udadike, stated.
“We independent marketers are happy with him for his price slashes, although sometimes it’s against our own business strategy and projections. But that is part of the business, it is profit and loss.
So, if he’s talking about how people want to sabotage him, he has told us that he’s ready to fight the oil cabals, and he is in this business to ensure that Nigerians don’t suffer.
So, we encourage him not to lose hope, and we independent marketers support him in all ramifications,” Ukadike added.
By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa
Related story: Nigeria's richest man Aliko Dangote takes on the 'oil mafia'
Friday, May 2, 2025
Nigerian court upholds $220M penalty on Meta for privacy breach
Meta Platforms has lost its appeal against a $220 million fine imposed by Nigeria’s competition watchdog for breaching local consumer protection, data privacy, and related laws.
The investigation began in May 2021 when the FCCPC launched an inquiry into WhatsApp’s updated privacy policy. According to the agency, Meta was later notified of the findings, but the “remedy package” the company proposed did not adequately address the concerns raised.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) issued a fine in July 2024, accusing Meta of engaging in discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian users, practices that, according to the FCCPC, differ from how the tech giant operates in other countries with similar regulatory standards.
Meta appealed the decision, contending that the fine was excessive and that the FCCPC’s directives were unclear and technically unfeasible to carry out under Nigerian law.
However, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upheld the penalty, dismissing Meta’s appeal and ordering compliance within 60 days.
The tribunal has ordered Meta and WhatsApp to immediately stop the unauthorized sharing of Nigerian users’ data with third parties, including Facebook.
They must also restore consent mechanisms that give users control over how their data is shared and revert to their 2016 data-sharing policy.
In addition, Meta is required to submit a compliance report to both the FCCPC and the NDPC by July 1, 2025, and reimburse the FCCPC $35,000 to cover investigation expenses.
The investigation began in May 2021 when the FCCPC launched an inquiry into WhatsApp’s updated privacy policy. According to the agency, Meta was later notified of the findings, but the “remedy package” the company proposed did not adequately address the concerns raised.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) issued a fine in July 2024, accusing Meta of engaging in discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian users, practices that, according to the FCCPC, differ from how the tech giant operates in other countries with similar regulatory standards.
Meta appealed the decision, contending that the fine was excessive and that the FCCPC’s directives were unclear and technically unfeasible to carry out under Nigerian law.
However, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upheld the penalty, dismissing Meta’s appeal and ordering compliance within 60 days.
The tribunal has ordered Meta and WhatsApp to immediately stop the unauthorized sharing of Nigerian users’ data with third parties, including Facebook.
They must also restore consent mechanisms that give users control over how their data is shared and revert to their 2016 data-sharing policy.
In addition, Meta is required to submit a compliance report to both the FCCPC and the NDPC by July 1, 2025, and reimburse the FCCPC $35,000 to cover investigation expenses.
Nigeria Governors Urge Army to Rethink Anti-Jihadist Strategy
State governors in northeast Nigeria on Thursday called on government security forces to rethink their counter-insurgency strategy, after more than 100 people were killed last month in jihadist attacks.
The region has seen an upsurge in Islamist militant attacks in recent weeks, reigniting a grinding conflict over the last 16 years that has left more than 40,000 dead and displaced two million.
Governors from the states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba and Bauchi met in the Yobe state capital Damaturu for the 11th North-East Governors Forum.
Taraba state governor Agbu Kefas said in a closing speech that he and colleagues were alarmed at the increase in insurgent activity.
“The forum… calls for the armed forces, other security agencies and community leaders to reappraise their strategy in the counter-insurgency onslaught in the region,” he added.
Kefas said a “multidimensional approach” was needed to address the “root causes” of the unrest, with work on youth employment and training, better roads and education and poverty reduction.
Boko Haram, which originated in Borno, and its splinter group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have lost ground to the Nigerian army but have recently become more active.
The pair have notably resolved disputes between them to focus on fighting outside forces.
They have also adapted their combat tactics, especially through the use of drones, improvised explosive devices and coordinated raids.
The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) tasked with fighting extremists in the Lake Chad region since 2013 has meanwhile been weakened after Niger’s withdrawal in March, affecting cross-border patrols and intelligence sharing.
Another member, Chad, has likewise threatened to pull out.
The region has seen an upsurge in Islamist militant attacks in recent weeks, reigniting a grinding conflict over the last 16 years that has left more than 40,000 dead and displaced two million.
Governors from the states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba and Bauchi met in the Yobe state capital Damaturu for the 11th North-East Governors Forum.
Taraba state governor Agbu Kefas said in a closing speech that he and colleagues were alarmed at the increase in insurgent activity.
“The forum… calls for the armed forces, other security agencies and community leaders to reappraise their strategy in the counter-insurgency onslaught in the region,” he added.
Kefas said a “multidimensional approach” was needed to address the “root causes” of the unrest, with work on youth employment and training, better roads and education and poverty reduction.
Boko Haram, which originated in Borno, and its splinter group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have lost ground to the Nigerian army but have recently become more active.
The pair have notably resolved disputes between them to focus on fighting outside forces.
They have also adapted their combat tactics, especially through the use of drones, improvised explosive devices and coordinated raids.
The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) tasked with fighting extremists in the Lake Chad region since 2013 has meanwhile been weakened after Niger’s withdrawal in March, affecting cross-border patrols and intelligence sharing.
Another member, Chad, has likewise threatened to pull out.
Why some Nigerians are leaving Christianity for African spiritual beliefs
Nsukka, Nigeria — Since early childhood, Chidi Nwaohia’s life has swung like a pendulum between two spiritual paths: Christianity and African traditional religion.
His life was always marked by mystery, says the 59-year-old who was raised a devout nondenominational Christian in Amachi Nsulu, near Aba in southeast Nigeria.
Before he had turned a year old, he strayed overnight and went missing. “I was found the next morning in the same trench they searched the previous day,” he said.
Three days later, he had a sudden fit and fell gravely ill. His parents took him to a hospital, but when his condition did not improve, they approached a traditional healer for answers. The dibia (priest and medicine man) attributed his illness to the gods, saying it was a sign of Nwaohia’s inescapable destiny to lead his people in the ancient traditions of the Igbo people.
“The dibia said I was the reincarnation of my grandfather,” Nwaohia said. “His return to the earth as a powerful traditional priest was foretold [before he died].”
Such doctrine is not uncommon in cultures and spiritual practices across West Africa. But Nwaohia’s mother, due to her deep Christian faith, received the prophecy with doubt and kept it from her son.
When Nwaohia turned 17 in 1983, he was baptised. But on the day of the baptism, he had an accident. “While riding my motorbike home with the man who baptised me, I suddenly veered into the bush and sustained fleshly injuries, but my co-rider was unscathed,” he said, later coming to the conclusion that it was a sign he was on the wrong path.
But back then, Nwaohia was still ignorant of the prophecy, so at age 18, he became a Bible teacher at a church in his hometown.
After another road accident – a car crash in 1987 – left him with a limp and leg injuries he said would not heal despite years of hospital care, he took a friend’s advice and went to a medicine man for help. The wounds, the dibia told him, were signs that Nwaohia’s calling to the priesthood in the African traditional faith was due.
Nwaohia, then 23, told his mother what the dibia said. She finally revealed the prophecy she received about him many years ago. Although she was hesitant about it, he felt his path was now clearer, and gradually, he accepted his new spiritual role.
“People who identify and follow their true path will thrive, while those who stray will face difficulties until they find their way back,” said Nwaohia, who claims his leg injury healed on its own after he embraced his calling.
He was officially ordained a dibia in 1993, in an elaborate ceremony that included prayers, rituals of purification and vision, as well as frenzied dances, drumming and initiations. Other spiritualists offered Igbo prayers to Chukwu (the supreme being), Ndi Ichie (the ancestors), and the gods and spirits that control the physical and spiritual worlds, asking for acceptance, guidance, protection and blessings.
Christianity is the number one religion in Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people. But in the years since Nwaohia changed his spiritual path, a growing number of young people have been moving away from monotheistic faiths towards Indigenous African beliefs, according to religious leaders and observers Al Jazeera spoke to.
There is a dearth of data and research on the issue, observers said, but they started noticing the trend in the early 2000s. Many attribute it to growing apathy towards Christianity, but some say pastors focusing on material wealth over spiritual wellbeing – something contrary to the Bible’s teachings – leads people to consider alternative religious options.
By Chibuike Nwachukwu, Al Jazeera
His life was always marked by mystery, says the 59-year-old who was raised a devout nondenominational Christian in Amachi Nsulu, near Aba in southeast Nigeria.
Before he had turned a year old, he strayed overnight and went missing. “I was found the next morning in the same trench they searched the previous day,” he said.
Three days later, he had a sudden fit and fell gravely ill. His parents took him to a hospital, but when his condition did not improve, they approached a traditional healer for answers. The dibia (priest and medicine man) attributed his illness to the gods, saying it was a sign of Nwaohia’s inescapable destiny to lead his people in the ancient traditions of the Igbo people.
“The dibia said I was the reincarnation of my grandfather,” Nwaohia said. “His return to the earth as a powerful traditional priest was foretold [before he died].”
Such doctrine is not uncommon in cultures and spiritual practices across West Africa. But Nwaohia’s mother, due to her deep Christian faith, received the prophecy with doubt and kept it from her son.
When Nwaohia turned 17 in 1983, he was baptised. But on the day of the baptism, he had an accident. “While riding my motorbike home with the man who baptised me, I suddenly veered into the bush and sustained fleshly injuries, but my co-rider was unscathed,” he said, later coming to the conclusion that it was a sign he was on the wrong path.
But back then, Nwaohia was still ignorant of the prophecy, so at age 18, he became a Bible teacher at a church in his hometown.
After another road accident – a car crash in 1987 – left him with a limp and leg injuries he said would not heal despite years of hospital care, he took a friend’s advice and went to a medicine man for help. The wounds, the dibia told him, were signs that Nwaohia’s calling to the priesthood in the African traditional faith was due.
Nwaohia, then 23, told his mother what the dibia said. She finally revealed the prophecy she received about him many years ago. Although she was hesitant about it, he felt his path was now clearer, and gradually, he accepted his new spiritual role.
“People who identify and follow their true path will thrive, while those who stray will face difficulties until they find their way back,” said Nwaohia, who claims his leg injury healed on its own after he embraced his calling.
He was officially ordained a dibia in 1993, in an elaborate ceremony that included prayers, rituals of purification and vision, as well as frenzied dances, drumming and initiations. Other spiritualists offered Igbo prayers to Chukwu (the supreme being), Ndi Ichie (the ancestors), and the gods and spirits that control the physical and spiritual worlds, asking for acceptance, guidance, protection and blessings.
Christianity is the number one religion in Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people. But in the years since Nwaohia changed his spiritual path, a growing number of young people have been moving away from monotheistic faiths towards Indigenous African beliefs, according to religious leaders and observers Al Jazeera spoke to.
There is a dearth of data and research on the issue, observers said, but they started noticing the trend in the early 2000s. Many attribute it to growing apathy towards Christianity, but some say pastors focusing on material wealth over spiritual wellbeing – something contrary to the Bible’s teachings – leads people to consider alternative religious options.
Coexistence or irreconcilable differences?
Christianity was first brought to Nigeria by Portuguese traders and slavers in the 15th century. However, the faith was restricted to the coastal areas of the country where they were based. It remained so until the arrival of British colonialists in the 19th century. The Christian faith then spread to various parts of Nigeria through the efforts of missionaries and some emancipated slaves.
But before the introduction of Christianity and other monotheistic faiths like Islam, Nigerians had a religious belief system focused on deep connections with the ancestors, the physical and spiritual worlds, and community-specific deities.
Today, many converts leaving Christianity face opposition at home. Nwaohia’s mother, for one, was initially unhappy about his decision to become a dibia, seeing his conversion as an affront to her beliefs.
Families of converts also fear the social stigma associated with traditional beliefs. Many communities view ancestors, divination and other spiritual rites with mistrust. Worshippers can face severe discrimination, with beliefs branded “pagan”, “demonic” or “witchcraft”. This reflects colonial missionaries’ influence, which portrayed Indigenous faith as archaic and spiritually perilous, observers say.
However, for adherents of African traditional religion, both beliefs often coexist.
Some people attend church on Sundays while seeking advice from a dibia at other times, all the while participating in both Christian and traditional rituals like naming ceremonies or funerals.
The adherents of traditional faith interviewed by Al Jazeera say all religious divinity is captured in their pantheon, including the Christian God. As a result, many blend Christian and Indigenous practices.
This approach to religion has become attractive in a society where religious zealotry has caused division and violence, including conflict between Christians and Muslims.
Echezona Obiagbaosogu, 49, a former Catholic priest who now practises both Christian and traditional faiths, recounted the story of a man who remained both a devoted Christian and a rainmaker, even serving on the parish council until his death. However, despite such examples of harmonious coexistence, he noted that some zealous preachers say the faiths are incompatible.
The search for personal conviction is inspiring a return to the kind of faith many Africans link to their roots. Obiagbaosogu, at one point in his journey as a priest, found himself questioning whether his spiritual path was truly in sync with his inner convictions.
“I felt that maybe my personal relationship with God needed something more from me,” he said, without elaborating on what he felt was missing. After seven years of internal struggle and finding no relief in Christianity, he embraced traditional religion in 2022, his 16th year as a priest.
He had also faced similar challenges in the seminary where he studied, leading him to start a society for African culture with his colleagues to explore African religious concepts or practices and their place in Christianity.
Obiagbaosogu believes both traditional and Christian religious practices offer different perspectives on understanding the supernatural.
“Humans crown realities and create concepts, and we become slaves to the concepts we create. Nothing happens when you decide to recuse yourself from the concepts,” he said.
Christianity was first brought to Nigeria by Portuguese traders and slavers in the 15th century. However, the faith was restricted to the coastal areas of the country where they were based. It remained so until the arrival of British colonialists in the 19th century. The Christian faith then spread to various parts of Nigeria through the efforts of missionaries and some emancipated slaves.
But before the introduction of Christianity and other monotheistic faiths like Islam, Nigerians had a religious belief system focused on deep connections with the ancestors, the physical and spiritual worlds, and community-specific deities.
Today, many converts leaving Christianity face opposition at home. Nwaohia’s mother, for one, was initially unhappy about his decision to become a dibia, seeing his conversion as an affront to her beliefs.
Families of converts also fear the social stigma associated with traditional beliefs. Many communities view ancestors, divination and other spiritual rites with mistrust. Worshippers can face severe discrimination, with beliefs branded “pagan”, “demonic” or “witchcraft”. This reflects colonial missionaries’ influence, which portrayed Indigenous faith as archaic and spiritually perilous, observers say.
However, for adherents of African traditional religion, both beliefs often coexist.
Some people attend church on Sundays while seeking advice from a dibia at other times, all the while participating in both Christian and traditional rituals like naming ceremonies or funerals.
The adherents of traditional faith interviewed by Al Jazeera say all religious divinity is captured in their pantheon, including the Christian God. As a result, many blend Christian and Indigenous practices.
This approach to religion has become attractive in a society where religious zealotry has caused division and violence, including conflict between Christians and Muslims.
Echezona Obiagbaosogu, 49, a former Catholic priest who now practises both Christian and traditional faiths, recounted the story of a man who remained both a devoted Christian and a rainmaker, even serving on the parish council until his death. However, despite such examples of harmonious coexistence, he noted that some zealous preachers say the faiths are incompatible.
The search for personal conviction is inspiring a return to the kind of faith many Africans link to their roots. Obiagbaosogu, at one point in his journey as a priest, found himself questioning whether his spiritual path was truly in sync with his inner convictions.
“I felt that maybe my personal relationship with God needed something more from me,” he said, without elaborating on what he felt was missing. After seven years of internal struggle and finding no relief in Christianity, he embraced traditional religion in 2022, his 16th year as a priest.
He had also faced similar challenges in the seminary where he studied, leading him to start a society for African culture with his colleagues to explore African religious concepts or practices and their place in Christianity.
Obiagbaosogu believes both traditional and Christian religious practices offer different perspectives on understanding the supernatural.
“Humans crown realities and create concepts, and we become slaves to the concepts we create. Nothing happens when you decide to recuse yourself from the concepts,” he said.
‘Easy money’
Beyond the spiritual aspects, some say flawed perceptions and the search for easy wealth have also contributed to the growing trend of young people moving from Christianity to African traditional religion.
Many young people embrace traditional beliefs thinking it will lead to wealth, some clergy say, due to the belief that alignment with the deities and spirits can grant blessings, financial breakthroughs or supernatural aid in personal and economic endeavours.
“They are very interested in money, and the African traditional religion offers them an easy way to make some,” said Anthony Oluba, a Catholic priest.
But some argue that it is in fact Christian churches’ emphasis on material wealth that has caused them to want to leave the religion.
Kingsley Akunwafor, 31, a tailor and former Catholic, said the commercialisation of some Christian churches and their preference for wealthy individuals undermines religious credibility and has led to growing apathy towards Christianity.
Clerics demand offerings for miracles and blessings, distracting the Christian church from core responsibilities, including the spiritual welfare of members, said Akunwafor, who requested a pseudonym as he now practises traditional beliefs in secret.
Some clergy are also accused of wanting to make money off the church for personal gain.
Joel Ugwoke, an Anglican priest, told Al Jazeera he knows a businessman who lost confidence in the institution after he sold a Pentecostal pastor a power generator for the church. The pastor asked the businessman to inflate the price on invoices to the church so that he could pocket the difference without arousing suspicion.
Chinedu Oshaba, 37, another former Catholic, embraced traditional faith more than a decade ago after witnessing the Church prioritising money over empathy.
A devoted member was denied a church burial because of unpaid levies. With no one to settle her debt, another church of a different denomination eventually conducted her funeral. “They stripped her of her membership, throwing away all her years of dedication,” Oshaba said.
Many orthodox churches collect monthly or annual levies from members, including to feed priests and bishops, maintain church buildings, and help bury members. However, in Indigenous faith, burial rites are granted to all members regardless of financial status. Oshaba sees this as an advantage over Christian churches, where the bereaved are charged for funeral services, including fees for officiating clerics and church facilities.
Some Christian clerics have observed the trend of more people seemingly moving towards African spirituality. There are ongoing reforms and conversations across diverse denominations on how to appeal to worshippers, religious leaders said.
Oluba’s Catholic congregation, for instance, appeals to people by providing support with agriculture, through training opportunities and grants, while Anglican priest Ugwoke says he is careful about his approach to church doctrine and how he teaches it.
“I practise what I preach because they [the congregation] focus more on me than what I preach,” Ugwoke told Al Jazeera.
Beyond the spiritual aspects, some say flawed perceptions and the search for easy wealth have also contributed to the growing trend of young people moving from Christianity to African traditional religion.
Many young people embrace traditional beliefs thinking it will lead to wealth, some clergy say, due to the belief that alignment with the deities and spirits can grant blessings, financial breakthroughs or supernatural aid in personal and economic endeavours.
“They are very interested in money, and the African traditional religion offers them an easy way to make some,” said Anthony Oluba, a Catholic priest.
But some argue that it is in fact Christian churches’ emphasis on material wealth that has caused them to want to leave the religion.
Kingsley Akunwafor, 31, a tailor and former Catholic, said the commercialisation of some Christian churches and their preference for wealthy individuals undermines religious credibility and has led to growing apathy towards Christianity.
Clerics demand offerings for miracles and blessings, distracting the Christian church from core responsibilities, including the spiritual welfare of members, said Akunwafor, who requested a pseudonym as he now practises traditional beliefs in secret.
Some clergy are also accused of wanting to make money off the church for personal gain.
Joel Ugwoke, an Anglican priest, told Al Jazeera he knows a businessman who lost confidence in the institution after he sold a Pentecostal pastor a power generator for the church. The pastor asked the businessman to inflate the price on invoices to the church so that he could pocket the difference without arousing suspicion.
Chinedu Oshaba, 37, another former Catholic, embraced traditional faith more than a decade ago after witnessing the Church prioritising money over empathy.
A devoted member was denied a church burial because of unpaid levies. With no one to settle her debt, another church of a different denomination eventually conducted her funeral. “They stripped her of her membership, throwing away all her years of dedication,” Oshaba said.
Many orthodox churches collect monthly or annual levies from members, including to feed priests and bishops, maintain church buildings, and help bury members. However, in Indigenous faith, burial rites are granted to all members regardless of financial status. Oshaba sees this as an advantage over Christian churches, where the bereaved are charged for funeral services, including fees for officiating clerics and church facilities.
Some Christian clerics have observed the trend of more people seemingly moving towards African spirituality. There are ongoing reforms and conversations across diverse denominations on how to appeal to worshippers, religious leaders said.
Oluba’s Catholic congregation, for instance, appeals to people by providing support with agriculture, through training opportunities and grants, while Anglican priest Ugwoke says he is careful about his approach to church doctrine and how he teaches it.
“I practise what I preach because they [the congregation] focus more on me than what I preach,” Ugwoke told Al Jazeera.
‘Christianity may be dislodged’
Christianity through colonialism became prominent in Nigeria in the 20th century, quickly being introduced in schools in the southern part of the country. The spread was sometimes marked by violence, which killed people and displaced the Indigenous peoples who survived.
“When you deceive or conquer one, two, or three generations of a people, there’ll always be the descendant generations that will defy you, having known the truth by themselves and for themselves,” said Chijioke Ngobili, a historian.
Now, as social media empowers free speech, more young people are speaking up about the colonial atrocities in Nigeria. This, some observers say, is creating a threat to the dominance of Christianity.
“With young adherents of Indigenous spirituality potentially becoming future intellectuals, politicians, capitalists and policymakers, Christianity may be dislodged,” said Ngobili, who is also an adherent of traditional faith.
Some churches have reported a scarcity of young members, who are often the ones to lead music and singing during church sessions. “One church even stopped using musical instruments because its young male members left for Indigenous faith,” said Oluba, the Catholic priest.
With more young people leaving, Oluba worries about the church losing its role as a beacon of morality and conscience in society. Meanwhile, other clerics worry about the young people embracing traditional faith to use it to gain wealth and power through black magic.
However, historian Ngobili argues that dark forces are not inherent to traditional faith, but rather brought in by those with negative intentions.
“The bad ones take their vices – such as greed, desire for wealth without work, instant gratification, violence, among others – into the practice of Indigenous faiths,” he said.
The misuse of certain powerful practices and processes is what tarnishes the image of traditional faith, he said, leading to societal mistrust and reinforcing negative stereotypes.
Christianity through colonialism became prominent in Nigeria in the 20th century, quickly being introduced in schools in the southern part of the country. The spread was sometimes marked by violence, which killed people and displaced the Indigenous peoples who survived.
“When you deceive or conquer one, two, or three generations of a people, there’ll always be the descendant generations that will defy you, having known the truth by themselves and for themselves,” said Chijioke Ngobili, a historian.
Now, as social media empowers free speech, more young people are speaking up about the colonial atrocities in Nigeria. This, some observers say, is creating a threat to the dominance of Christianity.
“With young adherents of Indigenous spirituality potentially becoming future intellectuals, politicians, capitalists and policymakers, Christianity may be dislodged,” said Ngobili, who is also an adherent of traditional faith.
Some churches have reported a scarcity of young members, who are often the ones to lead music and singing during church sessions. “One church even stopped using musical instruments because its young male members left for Indigenous faith,” said Oluba, the Catholic priest.
With more young people leaving, Oluba worries about the church losing its role as a beacon of morality and conscience in society. Meanwhile, other clerics worry about the young people embracing traditional faith to use it to gain wealth and power through black magic.
However, historian Ngobili argues that dark forces are not inherent to traditional faith, but rather brought in by those with negative intentions.
“The bad ones take their vices – such as greed, desire for wealth without work, instant gratification, violence, among others – into the practice of Indigenous faiths,” he said.
The misuse of certain powerful practices and processes is what tarnishes the image of traditional faith, he said, leading to societal mistrust and reinforcing negative stereotypes.
African way of worship
At sunset on a day in January, in his hometown of Amachi Nsulu, Nwaohia gathered outdoors on the grounds of his shrine, preparing to invoke the gods.
With his index finger, he marked the outer sides of his eyes with a white kaolin before gulping a mouthful of gin from a bottle. Then, with a pinch of kola nut between his fingers, he moved slowly between the various figurines of his oracles, decorated in animal blood.
“Our ancestors eat kola. Spirits drink,” he said, sprinkling pieces of kola nut and droplets of gin.
Since converting, Nwaohia has been absorbed deeply in what he believes is the true faith that draws him closer to the spirits of his ancestry, and the goodwill of his forefathers, diligently following the rules of rituals he has learned.
The African way of worship sees prayers take place in the morning and at sunset, often accompanied by libations, with hot drinks, kola nut and kaolin. Stones, carved images and trees are considered homes for the gods, and are often used as the representation of their presence.
Then there are annual and seasonal festivals to mark the harvest seasons, as well as masquerade ceremonies. Offerings, including kola nut, yams, other food or sacrificial animals, are made at shrines to seek blessings, protection or guidance. Blood sacrifices of fowls or goats are performed to appease spirits or mark events.
But there is no written law to guide adherents into specific acts.
Worshippers believe that there is a connection between humans and natural elements like the earth, water, plants and animals, and that certain wrongdoings – including murder, adultery and injustice – are not just an offence against humans but the entirety of nature.
Instead of gathering in a common assembly, like churches, members largely spend quiet times in reflection and seeking truth and fairness in their own actions.
But for converts, this can present a challenge: a lack of mentors. For a faith based on personal meditation, without leaders who guide and give sermons in churches, new worshippers can wallow in confusion.
This, when added to the shrouded nature of certain ritualistic practices in the faith, provides a less organised structure for learning and understanding key doctrines.
Young adherents from Christian homes often bear the brunt, as there is no generational transfer of knowledge.
“When I left the church, my father set up my shrine for me and taught me everything,” said Oshaba, whose father had converted to African traditional religion before he was born. But most others do not have a guide.
In extreme cases, stigma causes family and friends to ostracise new converts. For this reason, Akunwafor says he is forced to occasionally attend the Catholic Church to avoid being sidelined by his friends and relatives.
The tailor has practised his traditional faith secretly since he converted about five years ago.
“I am very bothered by my inability to practise my faith openly because of wrong perceptions about it, but I’m hopeful that my God will give me confidence eventually,” he said.
Similarly, Obiagbaosogu did not have an easy transition. “I lost friends,” he told Al Jazeera. “My relationship with others may not have been smooth, but we are moving forward and I’m building new connections.”
However, on rare occasions, loved ones do come around. In Nwaohia’s case, although his mother was initially displeased, eventually the whole family welcomed his new life as a traditional priest.
“My God has prospered me,” Nwaohia said. “I’ve not had any reason to cry since I became a dibia.”
At sunset on a day in January, in his hometown of Amachi Nsulu, Nwaohia gathered outdoors on the grounds of his shrine, preparing to invoke the gods.
With his index finger, he marked the outer sides of his eyes with a white kaolin before gulping a mouthful of gin from a bottle. Then, with a pinch of kola nut between his fingers, he moved slowly between the various figurines of his oracles, decorated in animal blood.
“Our ancestors eat kola. Spirits drink,” he said, sprinkling pieces of kola nut and droplets of gin.
Since converting, Nwaohia has been absorbed deeply in what he believes is the true faith that draws him closer to the spirits of his ancestry, and the goodwill of his forefathers, diligently following the rules of rituals he has learned.
The African way of worship sees prayers take place in the morning and at sunset, often accompanied by libations, with hot drinks, kola nut and kaolin. Stones, carved images and trees are considered homes for the gods, and are often used as the representation of their presence.
Then there are annual and seasonal festivals to mark the harvest seasons, as well as masquerade ceremonies. Offerings, including kola nut, yams, other food or sacrificial animals, are made at shrines to seek blessings, protection or guidance. Blood sacrifices of fowls or goats are performed to appease spirits or mark events.
But there is no written law to guide adherents into specific acts.
Worshippers believe that there is a connection between humans and natural elements like the earth, water, plants and animals, and that certain wrongdoings – including murder, adultery and injustice – are not just an offence against humans but the entirety of nature.
Instead of gathering in a common assembly, like churches, members largely spend quiet times in reflection and seeking truth and fairness in their own actions.
But for converts, this can present a challenge: a lack of mentors. For a faith based on personal meditation, without leaders who guide and give sermons in churches, new worshippers can wallow in confusion.
This, when added to the shrouded nature of certain ritualistic practices in the faith, provides a less organised structure for learning and understanding key doctrines.
Young adherents from Christian homes often bear the brunt, as there is no generational transfer of knowledge.
“When I left the church, my father set up my shrine for me and taught me everything,” said Oshaba, whose father had converted to African traditional religion before he was born. But most others do not have a guide.
In extreme cases, stigma causes family and friends to ostracise new converts. For this reason, Akunwafor says he is forced to occasionally attend the Catholic Church to avoid being sidelined by his friends and relatives.
The tailor has practised his traditional faith secretly since he converted about five years ago.
“I am very bothered by my inability to practise my faith openly because of wrong perceptions about it, but I’m hopeful that my God will give me confidence eventually,” he said.
Similarly, Obiagbaosogu did not have an easy transition. “I lost friends,” he told Al Jazeera. “My relationship with others may not have been smooth, but we are moving forward and I’m building new connections.”
However, on rare occasions, loved ones do come around. In Nwaohia’s case, although his mother was initially displeased, eventually the whole family welcomed his new life as a traditional priest.
“My God has prospered me,” Nwaohia said. “I’ve not had any reason to cry since I became a dibia.”
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Video - Experts call for Nigerian to boost ties with China as U.S. tariff threat looms
Nigeria is under pressure to diversify its trade partners after the U.S. announced a potential 14 percent tariff on its exports. Manufacturers warn the move could drive up production costs, affecting both businesses and consumers. Economic experts are now urging the government to deepen partnerships with China and tap into the country’s vast untapped mineral reserves to boost export resilience.
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