President Tinubu seeks parliament's approval for $516 million highway loan

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has asked parliament to approve a $516 ​million foreign loan to help finance the ‌first sections of a new national highway, a major transport corridor linking the country's northwest to ​its southwest.

In a letter read by ​the Senate's president during a plenary session ⁠on Thursday, Tinubu said the government was ​seeking approval for the syndicated financing facility from ​Deutsche Bank, adding the loan was part of the government's medium-term borrowing plan approved by lawmakers.

The loan ​would have a nine-year tenor, including up ​to three years' grace, Tinubu said in the letter.

The ‌roughly ⁠1,000-km (600-mile) highway will link Sokoto state, in Nigeria's northwest, through the central Niger and Kwara states to the coastal town of Badagry ​in Lagos, ​the commercial ⁠capital.

Tinubu said the highway would deepen north–south links, cut travel times ​and haulage costs, lift trade and ​food ⁠security, and bolster national integration.

Last year, Nigeria raised a $747 million syndicated loan, led by Deutsche ⁠Bank, ​to fund the first ​phase of a planned 700-km (435-mile) coastal highway.

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

President Tinubu grants 30% debt relief to airlines, orders fuel price talks

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has approved a 30% relief on debts owed by local airlines to aviation agencies and ordered talks involving fuel marketers, airlines, and regulators to reach a fair jet fuel price within 72 hours, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said on Thursday.

Domestic airlines warned they could no longer continue operations without raising ticket prices after jet fuel prices rose nearly 300%.

Representatives from government, airlines, fuel marketers, and regulators will meet within 48–72 hours to agree on what the minister described as “fair and reasonable” pricing for jet fuel, with any outcome to be made public.

Soaring jet fuel prices have upended the global aviation industry as a consequence of the Iran war, forcing airlines to raise fares, curb growth plans and rethink forecasts.

Reuters

Related story: Nigerian airlines threaten to halt flights over soaring jet fuel prices

Nigeria's suspected coup plotters deny treason charges

Six people, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, have pleaded not guilty to plotting a coup to overthrow Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu.

The defendants appeared at the Federal High Court in the capital, Abuja, where they were ordered to remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria's domestic spy agency.

A seventh person - a former governor and one-time oil minister, Timipre Sylva - has also been named as a conspirator but court documents said he was still at large.

Rumours of the coup plot surfaced when the government abruptly cancelled a planned military parade to mark Nigeria's 65th Independence Anniversary on 1 October 2025.

At the time, officials cited security threats - but speculation quickly linked the cancellation to a possible coup plot.

The military initially denied the reports, but in January it announced that 16 officers were to be tried before a military court for attempting to oust the president.

Those to go on trial at the Federal High Court on charges of treason, terrorism and money laundering are civilians or retired military personnel alleged to have been part of the plot.

Sylva, who served as petroleum minister from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari and was also governor of the oil-rich southern Bayelsa state from 2007 to 2012, denied links to a coup plot after his house was ransacked by investigators last October.

An arrest warrant was issued for him the following month in a separate case launched by the country's anti-corruption agency. At the time his spokesman said the former minister was in the UK for a medical check-up and that the allegations were politically motivated.

The charges were filed by Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi on Tuesday. The six on trial are:

Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired major general
Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired navy captain
Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector
Zekeri Umoru, an electrician working at the Presidential Villa
Bukar Kashim Goni, a civilian
Abdulkadir Sani, an Islamic cleric based in Zaria in Kaduna state.

The court scheduled 27 April for bail hearings.

During proceedings on Wednesday, defence lawyers complained of restricted access to their clients, claiming they had been unable to meet them since September 2025 - which would mean they had been arrested ahead of the Independence Day parade.

According to the charge sheet, the six defendants "conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe" the president.

The court papers suggest the coup plot was led by Col Mohammed Alhassan Ma'aji, who was arrested along with other alleged accomplices, and is due to go on trial at a military court.

Prosecutors also allege the defendants had prior knowledge of Col Ma'aji's "treasonable act", but failed to inform authorities.

The charges include the suppression of intelligence, with prosecutors alleging the defendants were intent on destabilising the state and had failed to disclose information that could have helped prevent terrorism.

Money-laundering allegations form a significant part of the case - with accusations that money changed hands linked to the financing of terrorism.

Under Nigerian law, treason attracts severe penalties, including life imprisonment.

Nigeria has experienced a period of unbroken civilian rule since 1999.

This case is being closely watched as one of the most significant coup-related prosecutions in recent Nigerian history.

For months, the secrecy and unanswered questions over the alleged coup plot created a fertile ground for rumours, with speculation ranging from wider military involvement to claims of political vendettas.

Journalists and civil society groups repeatedly pressed for clarity, but access to information was limited.

The eventual arraignment of these six men has now brought the matter into open court.

However, questions remain about the scale of the alleged conspiracy and whether more suspects will be charged.

By Mansur Abubakar and Chris Ewokor, BBC

Related story: Nigeria charges six people with treason for plan to overthrow president

Nigeria charges six people with treason for plan to overthrow president

Nigerian authorities have charged six people, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, with terrorism and treason, over an alleged plot to overthrow the president, Bola Tinubu, according to a charge sheet seen by the Associated Press on Tuesday.

The six people accused of treason were all in custody.

A seventh suspect, former Bayelsa state Governor Timpre Sylva, is accused of helping to conceal the plot and is still at large.

The Nigerian government first said it had foiled a coup attempt in January, when it announced that several military officers would stand trial. They were part of a group of 16 military officers arrested in 2025 over what military authorities described as “acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations", which fuelled rumours of a coup plot that the government initially denied.

Africa's most populous nation experienced five coups in the 20th century but has not seen one since it transitioned to democracy in 1999.

The alleged coup plot comes on the heels of a surge in coups and attempted coups in West and Central Africa, the latest in Benin and Guinea-Bissau late last year. The military takeovers, experts say, follow a pattern of disputed elections, constitutional upheaval, security crises and youth discontent.

France24

Turkey to train 200 Nigerian special forces soldiers under new defence deal

Nigeria and Turkey have struck a defence agreement to help Africa's most populous nation fight its 17-year-long jihadist insurgency, the Nigerian defence minister said on Saturday.

"We have agreed to move into training, production, improving on our defence industry cooperation," General Christopher Musa told Turkish media, according to the Anadolu agency.

Musa met with his Turkish counterpart Yaşar Güler at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026 over the weekend.

The Nigerian defence minister specified that 200 members of the Nigerian army's special forces would be sent to Turkey immediately for training.

The agreement also includes the establishment of "a major military training facility in Nigeria," according to a statement from Abuja on Sunday.

The two countries are also set to collaborate in areas including technology transfer, intelligence sharing and advanced surveillance.

Diversify security partners

Besides radical Islamists from Boko Haram and its rival splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province, Nigeria is also plagued by gangs of armed criminals known as bandits who pillage, kill and kidnap in the northwest.

The country also has to contend with the worsening security crisis across the Sahel — the vast region bordering the southern Sahara desert — which has allowed jihadists to expand across west Africa.

Nigeria's longstanding security woes have drawn the ire of the United States in recent months, withPresident Donald Trump claiming that the country's Christians face "persecution."

In an attempt to reduce its reliance on the US, Nigeria has sought to diversify its security partners.

Musa's Turkey trip comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu's visit in late January, the first by a Nigerian head of state in nine years.

Turkey is renowned for its inexpensive armed drones, of which it is the world's leading exporter.

"Turkey has improved dramatically regards production of military hardware and Nigeria is still developing," Musa said. “

The outcomes of this engagement mark a significant step forward in Nigeria–Türkiye (sic) defence relations," the Nigerian defence ministry added in a statement.

Africa News

Nigeria tightens broadcast rules to curb divisive content ahead of 2027 elections

Nigeria’s broadcast regulator has barred radio and television presenters from airing personal opinions, intimidating guests or broadcasting divisive political content, warning of sanctions ​ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Africa’s largest democracy goes to the ‌polls in January following past election cycles marred by misinformation and sporadic violence.

In a notice issued on Friday, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) said it would strictly enforce provisions of the broadcasting code ​that prohibit presenters from passing personal views as fact, denying opposing perspectives ​a fair hearing or airing hateful or inflammatory material capable of inciting ⁠disorder or undermining constitutional authority and national cohesion.

While comparable restrictions on broadcaster conduct ​exist in other democracies during campaigns, critics say enforcement in Nigeria has historically been ​uneven.

Some opposition figures and rights groups criticised the directive, saying it risked shrinking civic space. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has signalled his intention to run in next year’s presidential election, ​said the move amounted to an attempt to "muzzle the media and shrink the space ​for free expression".

The NBC said it had recorded a sustained rise in breaches of the broadcasting ‌code, ⁠particularly involving presenter conduct and the political use of airtime, warning that neutrality violations would be treated as serious offences.

Content containing unsubstantiated allegations, hate speech or material likely to inflame political or communal tensions would attract regulatory sanctions, it said.

Nigeria's broadcast sector ​is dominated by a ​mix of government‑owned ⁠stations and privately held networks owned by domestic business and media entrepreneurs, often with political links, operating under a licensing and ​enforcement system overseen by the NBC.

The Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability ​Project (SERAP) criticised ⁠the regulator's notice.

“The NBC’s notice represents a dangerous attempt to impose prior censorship on the media and suppress legitimate journalistic expression,” said Kolawole Oluwadare, the group’s deputy director.

Amnesty International ⁠Nigeria also ​condemned the move, warning it could pressure journalists ​and media organisations into self‑censorship.

Analysts say enforcement may be difficult as political debate moves online beyond NBC oversight, ​leaving broadcasters more constrained than digital actors.

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

Up to 200 civilians killed in Nigeria after air force 'misfire' on market

A Nigerian Air Force strike targeting jihadist rebels hit a local market in the northeast, killing as many as 200 civilians, a local chief reported on Monday.

Officials confirmed a misfire but provided no further details.

Amnesty International cited survivors as saying that at least 100 people were killed in the air strike on Saturday on a village in Yobe state, near the border with Borno state, which is the epicentre of the insurgency that has ravaged the region for over a decade.

“We have their pictures and they include children,” Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International's Nigeria director, said, referring to the casualties.

“We are in touch with people that are there, we spoke with the hospital,” he said. “We spoke with the person in charge of casualties and we spoke with the victims.”

A worker at the Geidam General hospital in Yobe, said at least 23 people injured in the incident were receiving treatment. The worker spoke anonymously as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Such misfires are common in Nigeria, where the military often conducts air raids to battle armed groups who control vast forest enclaves.

At least 500 civilians have died since 2017 in such misfires, according to a tally of reported deaths carried out by the AP news agency.

Security analysts point to loopholes in intelligence gathering as well as insufficient coordination between ground troops, air assets and stakeholders.

The large, remote market located near the Borno-Yobe border is known to be often used by Boko Haram militants to buy food supplies.

Abdulmumin Bulama, a member of a civilian security group working with the Nigerian military in the northeast, said there was intelligence that Boko Haram terrorists had gathered very close to the market and were planning an attack on nearby communities.

“The intel was shared and the Air Force jet acted based on the credible information,” Bulama said.

The Yobe State Government confirmed in a statement that a Nigerian military strike was targeting a stronghold of the Boko Haram jihadi group in the area and that “some people…who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected.”

The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency also acknowledged that an incident had occurred resulting in “casualties affecting some marketers” and said it had dispatched response teams to the area.

Nigeria's military issued a statement saying it conducted a successful strike on a “terrorist enclave and logistics hub” belonging to terrorists in the area, killing scores of them as they rode on motorcycles.

It did not provide any detail about a possible misfire, but noted that motorcycles remain prohibited in conflict hot spots and “any such movements in restricted areas are therefore treated with the utmost seriousness.”

Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation into the incident, adding that the military is “fond of” labelling civilian casualties as bandits

Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous country, is battling a complex security crisis, especially in the north, where there is a decade-long insurgency and several armed groups that kidnap for ransom.

Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, which is affiliated with the Islamic State group and known as Islamic State West Africa Province. There is also the IS-linked Lakurawa group operating in communities in the northwestern part of the country that borders Niger Republic.

By Gavin Blackburn, euronews

Related stories: Nigeria opens investigation after deadly airstrike kills dozens in market

Survivors ask why Nigeria bombed busy market in effort to target jihadist group

Nigeria opens investigation after deadly airstrike kills dozens in market

The airstrikes on the village of Jilli, in Yobe State, occurred on Saturday, with the death tolls differing according to the sources.

Nigerian military jets struck the village market while pursuing Islamist militants in the northeast of the country on Saturday night, a councillor for the area and residents said on Sunday.

A UN security report seen by French news agency AFP first stated that "4 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets launched airstrikes that mistakenly killed at least 56 people and injured 14 others at the Jilli market... on 11 April."

"This occurred during a military operation targeting Boko Haram fighters who visited the market to conduct terrorism activities," it added.

Amnesty International initially said on social media that there were "more than 100 dead" and 35 people seriously injured when the attack happened.

Local chief Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam described it as "a devastating incident".

"As I'm speaking to you, over 200 people have lost their lives from the air strike at the market," he said in a telephone interview with Reuters.

He said injured people had been taken to hospitals in Yobe and Borno.

Crossfire

Nigeria's military first said it had "successfully conducted a precision air strike on a known terrorist enclave and logistics hub located near the abandoned village of Jilli". It added that "scores of terrorists" were killed in the strike, but did not mention any civilian deaths.

In a separate statement, the air force announced it had launched an investigation following reports that its airstrike "may have affected a local market in Jilli, resulting in civilian casualties".

The Nigerian Air Force said in its statement it had activated its Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell "to immediately proceed to the location on a fact-finding mission on the allegation".

The government of Yobe state later said in its own statement that an air strike on the area had been conducted near a market where shoppers and vendors had gathered.

"Some people from Geidam LGA (local government area) bordering Gubio LGA in Borno state who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected," said Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam, military adviser to the Yobe state government. He gave no further details.

Mistaken targets

The strike occurred on the border between Yobe and Borno states, the heartland of the long-running insurgency that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions more over the years.

Africa's most populous country has been fighting a jihadist insurgency for 17 years, since Boko Haram's 2009 uprising, which has seen the emergence of powerful splinter groups including Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Jihadists kill 18 Nigerian troops including senior brigadier general

This strike is the latest in a series of such incidents in the north of the country.

In January 2025, a military airstrike killed at least 16 people in northwestern Zamfara state after an army jet mistook local vigilantes for criminal gangs.

A month earlier, a military jet killed 10 people when it hit villages while bombing jihadist positions in neighbouring Sokoto state.

International scrutiny and US involvement

Jihadist violence had slowed from its peak in around 2015 but Boko Haram and ISWAP have recently increased attacks in northeastern Nigeria vying to establish a caliphate.

Researchers have noted a rise in violence since last year. More than 100 people in the north have been killed over the last 10 days by both jihadists and criminal gangs.

Nigeria is facing international scrutiny over its security situation, including pressure from US President Donald Trump, who ordered bombardments on Islamists militants last Christmas.

Earlier this year the United States began deploying 200 troops to Nigeria to provide technical and training support to soldiers in fighting jihadist groups.

In the face of pressure to tackle insecurity, Nigeria's Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi on Friday said the government had brought to court 508 cases and convicted nearly 386 people for links to jihadists groups terrorism in a mass trial.

rfi

Related stories: Survivors ask why Nigeria bombed busy market in effort to target jihadist group

Up to 200 civilians killed in Nigeria after air force 'misfire' on market

Survivors ask why Nigeria bombed busy market in effort to target jihadist group

Survivors and observers have questioned the Nigerian military’s rationale for a devastating airstrike on a busy market that killed as many as 200 people, many of them civilians.

The hit on Jilli market on the border of the north-eastern Borno and Yobe states on Saturday is the latest in a string of attacks by the country’s air force over the past decade with a high civilian death toll.

The military said it had been targeting members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) jihadist group. A local councillor said more than 200 people had died, while Amnesty International said the death toll was above 100 and rising.

Nigeria has struggled to suppress multiple conflicts, including an insurgency in the north-east by the Islamist group Boko Haram, which it has been battling for 17 years. The group split in 2016, with Iswap forming in its place. Meanwhile, the country’s north-west region is beset by armed groups of bandits, and there are regular fatal clashes between herders and farmers in the country’s middle belt.

Nigeria’s military said in a post on X on Sunday that it had “successfully conducted a precision airstrike on a known terrorist enclave and logistics hub located near the abandoned village of Jilli … [that] followed sustained intelligence”.

The statement, attributed to the military spokesperson Sani Uba, said: “Post-strike assessment confirmed that the target area was struck with high accuracy, resulting in the destruction of the identified terrorist logistics enclave. Scores of terrorists were neutralised in the strike.”

However, local traders denied that Islamist fighters had been among them. “I don’t know if there were jihadists at the market. We are just ordinary people,” Mala Garba, 42, told Agence France-Presse while recovering from injuries at a hospital in Maiduguri, Borno’s state capital.

He was among 46 victims of the airstrike at the hospital. Some were heavily bandaged, while others had IV drips attached.

Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, the area’s local councillor and traditional leader, said: “It’s a very devastating incident at Jilli market. As I’m speaking to you, over 200 people have lost their lives from the airstrike at the market.”

Yobe state officials later admitted that civilians had been affected. “Some people … who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected,” Brig Gen Dahiru Abdulsalam, a military adviser to the Yobe state government, told Reuters.

It was likely there had been Iswap members or supporters at the market, said Malik Samuel, a researcher with Good Governance Africa. “That area is particularly known for the presence of Iswap,” he said. “It’s a major logistics route for the group.”

However, he said it would have been “impossible” for an airstrike to distinguish between fighters and civilians at a busy market frequented by hundreds or even thousands of people, adding: “Would it not be better to trace people leaving the market and going to known areas occupied by this group … instead of just hitting a market that you know clearly that there would be civilians in this place?”

Nigeria’s military has killed at least 500 civilians in airstrikes since 2017, according to the Associated Press. At least 115 people were killed in 2017 when a camp housing displaced people in Borno was bombed. More than 120 people were killed in two airstrikes on a religious gathering in Kaduna state in December 2023.

“The lack of accountability is a big problem, because it emboldens the military to continue doing that,” Samuel said.

Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International Nigeria’s executive director, said: “You cannot trust the military to investigate themselves. Whenever they investigate themselves, the outcome is as usual: they exonerate themselves.”

He added: “These deadly airstrikes will undermine trust in public institutions and will even undermine the fight against insurgency and banditry.”

The US has previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from jihadists, although Muslim civilians are also killed by Islamist groups. On Christmas Day 2025, the US carried out airstrikes on an Islamist group known as Lakurawa in north-west Nigeria.

By Rachel Savage, The Guardian

Related stories:  Up to 200 civilians killed in Nigeria after air force 'misfire' on market

Nigeria opens investigation after deadly airstrike kills dozens in market

Nigeria Debuts New Crude Grade with Landmark Export to the Netherlands

Nigeria’s state oil company NNPC has exported its first cargo of a new light crude grade, Cawthorne, to the Netherlands, the company said on Wednesday.

NNPC is aiming to boost production and diversify its export streams as Nigeria works to lift output after years of underinvestment, oil theft and operational disruptions.

About 950,000 barrels were shipped from the Cawthorne floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO), located off Bonny in Rivers State, which supports output from oil mining lease 18, NNPC said.

The launch follows recent additions such as Nembe and Utapate crudes under what NNPC described as a broader strategy to expand Nigeria’s portfolio of exportable oil blends.

Nigeria produced about 1.4 million barrels per day in March, OPEC data shows, well below capacity.

NNPC Chief Executive Bashir Bayo Ojulari said the development supported government targets to raise crude output to three million bpd by 2030.

Nigeria depends on oil exports for most of its foreign exchange earnings.

Reuters

Nigeria defeats European tech giant in $6.2m suit

Nigeria has secured a significant international legal victory after an arbitration tribunal dismissed a $6.2 million claim brought by European Dynamics UK Ltd. over a stalled federal digital procurement project.

The dispute, filed against Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Procurement, stemmed from disagreements over the national electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system. The project, backed by the World Bank, was designed to improve transparency and efficiency in federal procurement.

In a statement, Kamarudeen Ogundele, special assistant to the President in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, said the tribunal issued a final ruling that is not appealable. The decision clears Nigeria of potential financial exposure of about $6.2 million, roughly N9.3 billion.

European Dynamics had sought about $2.4 million for alleged milestone completions, $3 million in general damages, and a further $800,000 in settlement-related claims. However, the tribunal sided fully with Nigeria’s defence.

Nigeria argued that software customisation contracts are performance-driven and only deemed delivered after a successful User Acceptance Test confirms compliance with technical specifications and statutory workflows. The tribunal agreed, ruling that the identified deficiencies were the contractor’s responsibility to correct at no extra cost.

The sole arbitrator, Funmi Roberts, consequently dismissed all claims in their entirety.

Nigeria’s legal team was led by Johnson & Wilner LLP, with founding partner Basil Udotai serving as the lead on the arbitration.

Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi praised the Bureau’s leadership and the legal team, describing the outcome as a strong signal that Nigeria “can no longer be taken for granted.”

The case was inherited by BPP Director General Adebowale Adedokun upon assuming office.

For Nigeria, the ruling not only averts a multimillion-dollar payout but also reinforces the government’s position on performance accountability in major digital infrastructure contracts, an area closely watched by investors and development partners across Africa.

By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa

Nigeria opens probe into Temu over suspected data protection breaches

Nigeria's data watchdog has opened a probe into Chinese-owned e-commerce giant Temu for suspected data-law violations, the regulator said on Tuesday, a move that could usher in legal penalties in one of Africa's biggest markets.

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) said concerns over Temu's data-processing practices - including online surveillance, opaque handling, cross-border transfers and possible breaches of data-minimisation rules, triggered the investigation.

The move comes amid rising global scrutiny of Temu's rapid expansion.

NDPC chief Vincent Olatunji ordered the probe and warned that processors could be held liable for any non-compliance.

The company did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Last year, the agency fined Multichoice Nigeria, Africa's largest pay-TV operator, 766 million naira ($565,990) for breaching data-protection rules.

Temu handles the personal data of about 12.7 million Nigerians and around 70 million daily users globally, the NDPC said in a statement.

Temu, owned by Nasdaq-listed PDD Holdings, has expanded rapidly in Nigeria with an app-driven marketplace offering steep discounts on fashion, electronics and household goods.

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

Nigeria warns against enlisting abroad after reports of deaths in Ukraine

Nigeria's foreign ministry has issued an urgent warning over what it describes as the increasing illegal recruitment of its citizens to fight in foreign conflicts.

It comes after Ukrainian officials said they found the bodies of two Nigerians who they said were killed in combat last year.

Nigeria has not confirmed those deaths but in a statement on Sunday, foreign ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa revealed that "several Nigerians who have fallen victim to such unfortunate situations were deployed to combat zones after being misled and coerced into signing military service contracts".

Kenya has issued a similar warning to its citizens.

According to Nigerian officials, investigations and security reports indicate that some nationals were enticed with promises of well-paid employment, security work, educational opportunities or migration incentives, only to find themselves thrust into active war zones.

In some cases, victims were allegedly forced to sign contracts written in foreign languages without proper legal advice, and their travel documents were confiscated upon arrival.

Intermediaries are also said to arrange travel using tourist or other non-military visas.

Ebienfa cautioned Nigerians against accepting such offers, emphasising that they not only endanger lives but may also violate Nigerian and international laws concerning mercenary activities and foreign enlistment.

The Nigerian government stated it was working with local and international partners to investigate these cases and enhance public awareness.

Its diplomatic missions abroad have been directed to strengthen consular support and issue advisories to citizens.

Ukrainian intelligence estimates that more than 1,400 individuals from 36 African countries have been recruited to fight for Russia. Ukraine itself has previously faced criticism for attempting to recruit foreign nationals, including Africans, to fight on its side.

African governments have increasingly been warning their citizens and working to repatriate those who were deceived into joining the conflict.

Last week, South Africa announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had pledged assistance in returning South African nationals who had travelled to Ukraine to join Russian forces.

Retired Nigerian military expert Maj Bashir Galma told the BBC that the recruitment of Nigerians and other Africans into foreign conflicts was not unprecedented.

"Even during the Yugoslavia issues many years ago, we had that problem and it is sad that our youth are falling into these traps and losing their lives to a war that means nothing to them," he said.

By Makuochi Okafor, BBC

Uncertainty on the streets over Nigeria’s sachet alcohol ban

 

It’s a hot early afternoon on a tree-lined street in FESTAC town, a popular residential estate in Lagos. People take shelter in the shade beside a local restaurant. Cash vendors work the curb near a major hotel, and at a roadside kiosk, two Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps sachets go for 200 Naira ($0.12, €0.11).

Philip, who buys sachets “almost every day,” says he prefers to “take it small, small” rather than buy a large bottle. “I plan it…I have a minimum and a maximum.” For him, sachets are about volume control, not price. “If there is no sachet, I can switch to a bigger one… It depends on my mood,” he told DW.

Nigeria’s food and drug regulator, NAFDAC, has long planned a phase-out of alcohol packaged in sachets and in plastic bottles of less than 200ml (0.05 gallons). It announced the ban would be enforced as planned from December last year, but disagreement between government agencies has created confusion and ambiguity about whether the ban is actually in force. The policy is intended to reduce alcohol abuse by minors and drivers.

Conflicting directives are causing confusion

At a Lagos press briefing in late January 2026, NAFDAC Director General Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye stated that enforcement had resumed, saying the agency had received a “matching order” from the Senate. But NAFDAC’s statement conflicts with a December 15, 2025, directive issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), ordering an immediate suspension of all enforcement actionspending consultations and a final directive. The statement also added that any action taken without OSGF clearance “should be disregarded.”

At the time of publication, there was no public OSGF notice lifting that suspension, leaving manufacturers, retailers and buyers guessing which order to obey.

Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director general of Nigeria’s Manufacturers Association (MAN), says that a “renewed ban” would hurt the economy, disrupt compliant producers, and encourage the sale of illicit, unregulated products. He added that operators are “confused as to which directive to follow.”


According to Ajayi-Kadir, alcohol packaged in sachets serves low-income adult consumers, and an outright ban would limit their choice.

On January 23, members of Nigeria’s labour unions, including the country’s Distillers and Blenders Association, held demonstrations outside NAFDAC’s Lagos office, holding placards that read: “Local manufacturers deserve protection, not frustration” and “5.5 million Nigerians cannot be pushed to the streets.” They argue that the ban risks jobs and investments.

Each sachet has its ‘own work’ in the body

For Amara Ruth, who has sold alcohol packaged in sachets at her roadside kiosk in FESTAC town since 2019, demand has not dipped. “People always buy,” she told DW. “At night sales are very high,” she said, adding that afternoons also bring in a steady flow of clients. Pricing is simple: 100 Naira for the smaller sachet, 200 Naira for the larger one.

Ruth believes buyers would still pay even if prices rose, because sachets are an inexpensive entry point. Her bestsellers range from gins used for libation to bitters and “manpower” brands popular for sexual enhancement. “Each sachet has its own work they do in the body,” she explained. Nigerian bitters drinks are herbal-based alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that are traditionally believed to provide the body with various health benefits.

“Nobody from NAFDAC has come here. Nobody at all,” she says, recalling only a temporary squeeze on one bitters brand last year. Ruth sometimes refuses sales to older men who get drunk quickly or to young buyers she does not trust, but admitted that children may buy for adults.

Philip’s experience is similar. He says availability has not tightened since talk of a ban began. “Nothing changed. It’s even multiplied. In Lagos, you can get it anywhere, within 20 meters, you have one.” On youth access, he adds: “If they want to get it, they will get it.”

A 2019 report published in African Health Sciences revealed 30% alcohol use among young Nigerians. The World Health Organization’s (WHO)Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health (2018) estimated heavy episodic drinking among Nigerians aged 15–19 at 22.5%, one of the highest rates in Africa.

Alcohol in sachets linked to road accidents, domestic violence

Civil society groups like CAPPA, a regional corporate accountability organisation, and NHED, a Nigerian Health Equity NGO, argue that sachets make high-strength alcohol easy for young people to obtain and conceal, linking widespread use to road crashes, school dropouts, domestic violence and early addiction.

Several African countries have restricted or banned sachet alcohol on health grounds. Kenya in 2004 andCote d’Ivoire in 2016, with additional actions in Malawi, Cameroon and Tanzania.

In Nigeria, the question is no longer about availability — sachets remain widely sold — but about who is responsible for enforcement, with NAFDAC announcing a crackdown while the OSGF’s suspension order remains in place.

Back in FESTAC town, very little appears to have shifted. At Amara’s kiosk, sachets continue to sell alongsidebeer and sodas, and demand remains steady through the day.

For consumers like Philip, the appeal is still convenience and control over how much they drink. But until the authorities resolve the conflicting directives and set out how enforcement should work at street level, drinkers can allay their confusion with an alcohol sachet of their choice.

By Okey Omeire, Inquirer

Nigerian lawmakers approve real-time online election results

Following major pressure from trade unions and civil society, Nigeria's Senate on Tuesday reversed its earlier decision to reject plans for the real-time electronic transmission of election results in future.

The vote last week against making the automatic and immediate uploading of results mandatory — a measure long championed by pro-reform groups as key to reducing risks of interference during manual vote collation — sparked widespread condemnation and public protests.

The lower chamber of parliament, the House of Representatives, had approved the proposal before the Senate threw it out, with some members arguing the plan would prove impractical.
Presidential elections expected a year from now

After an emergency meeting on the matter, the Senate said that members "approved the electronic transmission of election results... after the completion of all statutory procedures at the polling unit."

It said the decision was unanimous and that it would boost "public confidence" and enable "citizens to follow the electoral process more transparently."

Nigeria's next presidential election, when incumbent Bola Tinubu is likely to seek a second and final term, is scheduled for February 2027.

Nigeria's largest trade union group threatened over the weekend to try to boycott the next vote entirely unless the changes were implemented.

"Failure to add electronic transmission in real time will lead to mass action ‌before, during and ‌after the election, or total boycott of the election," NLC President Joe Ajaero said on Sunday.
Public skepticism and voter apathy high, long tradition of contested results

At the last presidential election in February 2023, turnout dipped to 27%, its lowest levels since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.

The result was challenged in court and ultimately had to go to the Supreme Court.

Almost every election in Nigerian history, barring 2015 when Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat, has faced legal challenges. Allegations of wrongdoing are commonplace albeit almost always unsuccessful before the judges.
Can the vast, violence-ridden country deliver real-time vote counts?

Over the past decade, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has introduced various technology designed to improve the integrity and transparency of election results.

However, the implementation and execution has proved extremely challenging and unsuccessful.

In 2023's vote, the new online results database was much touted but proved an unreliable platform, with only around 10% of constituencies, mostly in the larger and wealthier cities and towns, managing to deliver prompt results.

EU election observer Barry Andrews wrote after that vote that the plan to post itemized results online "were perceived as an important step to ensure the integrity and credibility of the eletions," but that "uploading the results ... did not work as expected."

Conditions next February are not likely to be much better in Africa's most populous country.

Internet connections remain patchy in rural areas. The country's police and military is struggling to contain a string of often Islamist rebel and terrorist insurgencies, as well as criminal groups and gangs, in several different states.

Delayed or extended voting has been commonplace in many of the roughly 176,000 polling stations nationwide for years for a variety of reasons, from security concerns to technical mishaps or simple overcrowding.

By Mark Hallam, DW

Nigeria moves to address income tax imbalance

Nigeria is implementing significant personal income tax reforms aimed at correcting a system that has long placed a heavier burden on low-income earners. The new rules are designed to broaden the tax base, shift more responsibility to wealthier individuals, and create a fairer taxation system.

CGTN Africa

The Nigerian Government Destroys Orphanage in Makoko

This is an emergency situation, please consider donating here:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpsavemakoko 

This video is about the horrific actions taken by the Nigerian government. Without warning, they moved into Nigeria’s largest slum and began indiscriminately destroying homes, schools, churches, a hospital and even an orphanage that we previously fundraised for on this channel and built. Right now, children are sleeping rough. Families have nowhere safe to stay but with your help today, we can start rebuilding Makoko in a new, safer location. The people of Makoko truly need your support. 

If you’re able to donate, it would mean the world and make a real, immediate difference. If you’re not in a position to give, I completely understand. even sharing this campaign can go a long way. All donations are given freely and will be passed directly to support rebuilding efforts in Nigeria. I do not personally profit from this fundraiser. Thank you for being here, and thank you for caring. 

This is an emergency situation, please consider donating: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpsavemakoko

Related story: 200 homeless after demolition of Makoko slum in Lagos

French Montana Donates 500 Canoes to the Makoko in Lagos, Nigeria

Nigeria aims to court investors at Davos as global capital pulls back

Nigeria will use this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos to press its case as a stable, reforming economy at a time when global investors are pulling back from emerging markets and geopolitical tensions are reshaping capital flows.

Led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s delegation to the January 19–23 meetings includes Wale Edun, the finance minister and coordinating minister of the economy, who is attending as a VIP participant, according to a statement signed by Ogho Okiti, special adviser to the minister of finance, on Monday.

The forum’s theme, The Spirit of Dialogue, aligns with Nigeria’s strategy of pairing macroeconomic reforms with sustained engagement with investors, development partners, and global policymakers.

“At a time of heightened uncertainty, the world is looking to Nigeria as a pillar of economic stability in Africa — not only because of its size, but because of the reform choices it has made,” the finance ministry said.
“This positioning places Nigeria firmly within the global dialogue on how emerging markets can navigate volatility while sustaining reform momentum.”

According to the ministry, Nigeria’s message in Davos is straightforward: the country intends to stay the course on market-oriented reforms, maintain macroeconomic discipline, and protect institutional credibility, including the operational independence of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as a foundation for price stability and investor confidence.

That positioning comes as emerging markets face tightening financial conditions, weaker multilateral cooperation, and rising debt pressures. Nigeria is seeking to distinguish itself by arguing that reforms introduced since May 2023 are beginning to yield tangible results.

Africa’s most populous economy embarked on some market reforms nearly three years ago, including eliminating costly fuel subsidies and floating its currency — the twin policies that have now stabilised the economy and placed it on a more fiscal footing.

According to the finance ministry, Nigeria will use the forum to report progress rather than make new promises. Officials point to more predictable macroeconomic conditions, improving growth performance, moderating inflation trends, stronger external buffers, and renewed international confidence, including Nigeria’s removal from major global financial grey lists.

Beyond signalling reform credibility, Edun’s meetings in Davos will focus on deepening dialogue with global investors, development finance institutions, credit ratings agencies, and multinational companies. The aim is to address lingering concerns around policy consistency, foreign-exchange stability, inflation, and fiscal sustainability, while reinforcing Nigeria’s ambition to act as a reform anchor in Africa’s largest economy.

The government says this engagement builds on renewed investor interest, particularly from Europe and the UK, and Nigeria’s gradual reintegration into global financial markets after years of capital controls and policy uncertainty.

A central theme of Nigeria’s Davos strategy this year is shifting discussions from promotion to execution. Officials say Nigeria has opened multiple investment talks over the past two years across energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, and financial services. The focus in Davos will be on converting those discussions into firm commitments.

Rather than broad pitches, Edun is expected to push investors on what specific policy assurances, regulatory frameworks, or risk-mitigation tools are required to take projects to financial close. The approach reflects a broader attempt to unlock delayed capital and accelerate project execution in an environment where global funding has become more selective.

Nigeria’s message is shaped by wider global pressures. Trade rules are being rewritten, capital flows to developing economies have tightened sharply, and climate finance remains unevenly distributed. At the same time, rapid technological change is disrupting labour markets faster than new jobs are being created.

Against that backdrop, Nigeria is framing its reform agenda around domestic revenue mobilisation, private-sector-led growth and institutional credibility, with macroeconomic stability positioned as a prerequisite for inclusive development.

By Wasiu Alli, Business Day

U.S. suspends visa processing for Nigeria, 74 others

The United States of America has announced an indefinite suspension of visa processing for Nigeria and 74 other countries with effect from Jan. 21, 2026.A State Department memo directed consular officers to refuse visas under existing law, while screening and vetting procedures are reassessed.

According to the memo, the pause begins on Jan. 21 and will continue indefinitely until the Department of State completes its reassessment of visa processing.

The State Department spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, said that “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while procedures are reassessed to prevent entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”

The United States and Nigeria operate visa reciprocity policies, which means that countries set visa rules based on how their citizens are treated abroad.

If U.S. citizens face limits or high fees, Nigeria may impose similar restrictions through reciprocity schedules.

The key aspects include fees, validity periods and permitted numbers of entries.

The affected countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil and Burma.

Others listed are Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

The other countries include Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan and Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco and Nepal.

The list also includes Nicaragua, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

APA News

Nigeria set to pass AI law, among first in Africa to regulate sector

Nigeria is moving to become one of the first African countries to formally regulate artificial intelligence (AI), as lawmakers prepare to pass legislation that would tighten oversight of a fast-growing digital sector long dominated by global technology firms.

The proposed National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill would give regulators broad powers over data use, algorithms and digital platforms, filling a regulatory gap that has persisted since Nigeria released a draft national AI strategy in 2024.

Lawmakers expect to approve the bill by the end of March.

Under the proposal, higher-risk AI systems — including those deployed in finance, public administration, surveillance and automated decision-making — would face stricter scrutiny. Developers would be required to submit annual impact assessments detailing risks, mitigation measures and system performance.

The bill would also allow regulators to impose fines of up to 10 million naira ($7,000) or as much as 2% of an AI provider’s annual revenue generated in Nigeria, although it does not specify how penalties would be calculated or enforced.

The legislation is designed to regulate AI early rather than retroactively, as adoption accelerates across Nigeria’s financial sector, public services and private industry, according to Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

“If passed, Nigeria would be among the first African countries to adopt an economy-wide regulatory framework for artificial intelligence,” Abdullahi said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Several African countries, including Mauritius, Egypt and Benin, have published AI strategies, but few have enacted comprehensive legislation governing the technology.

The proposed law sets ethical standards around transparency, fairness and accountability, and adopts a risk-based approach similar to regulatory frameworks emerging in Europe and parts of Asia. That could reshape how multinational technology companies — from US-based firms such as Google to Chinese cloud providers — operate in Africa’s most populous country.

“In governance, we need safeguards and guardrails to ensure the AI we build operates within acceptable boundaries,” Abdullahi said. “That way, bad actors can be detected and contained.”

The bill would empower regulators to demand information from AI providers, issue enforcement directives and suspend or restrict systems deemed unsafe or non-compliant. It also provides for regulatory “sandboxes”, allowing startups and institutions to test AI systems under supervision in an effort to balance oversight with innovation.

“Regulation is not just about giving commands,” Abdullahi said. “It’s about shaping market and societal behaviour so people can build AI for good.”

By Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe, Bussiness Day