Showing posts with label infrastructure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label infrastructure. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

‘Over 400 Killed in 6 Months’: The Sorry Cases of Boat Mishaps in Nigeria

No fewer than 452 people have died from boat mishaps across various waterways in Nigeria. From July to Dec. 2024 alone, incidents were recorded in Niger, Kwara, Kogi, and Bayelsa States.

Over the years, boat mishaps have occurred with alarming regularity, each accompanied by tragic losses. According to the Marine Crafts Builders Association of Nigeria (MCBAN), Nigeria recorded over 3,000 boat accidents in just a decade.

The country’s waterways are estimated to be about 10,000 km, with over 3,000 km of navigable waterways. These waterways connect the country with five neighbouring states and provide access to 28 of the 36 states in Nigeria.

For many coastal communities surrounded by rivers, creeks, and other water bodies in Nigeria, boats are often the most viable means of transportation. Yet, these journeys are fraught with danger, as seen in the alarming frequency of boat mishaps claiming countless lives yearly.

A breakdown of the data collected between July and December 2024 revealed that most of the boat accidents resulted from inefficiency and the lack of proactive rescue measures to ensure the safety of water transport.

Captain Ahmed Hambali, a maritime expert, confirmed this, noting that common causes of such accidents often include poor operator experience, operational inefficiencies, lack of safety measures — such as life-saving appliances — overloading, inadequate boat maintenance, and weak regulatory oversight.

“These factors highlight the need for immediate and comprehensive action to restore safety and public confidence in waterways transportation,” he said.

The recurring issue of boat mishaps raises concern about the inefficiency of the measures taken by the National Inland Waterways Authority [NIWA]. To curb the menace of boat accidents in the country, NIWA’s waterways regulation stipulates a seven-year imprisonment for violators, but the problem persists.

Regional breakdown

When the Nigerian flag stood high for the independence celebration, tragedy knocked on the country’s door in the north-central region. A boat conveying over 300 passengers from the Mundi community in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State capsized, and about 150 of them died.

The victims were returning from an annual religious celebration. State authorities confirmed that local divers were swift to rescue 150 out of the 300 passengers alive.

Days later, a boat carrying over 200 passengers also drowned in the Gwajibo Mudi community in Kaima LGA of Kwara, leaving at least 169 passengers dead. Only 31 people were reportedly rescued when the boat struck a tree submerged by the rising water levels. Niger and Kwara States have been the most affected in Nigeria.

Another boat accident that occurred in Nov. 2024 resulted in the deaths of 22 commuters, mostly farmers and traders, who were sailing from Kogi State to Katcha weekly market in the Agaie area of Niger State.

In Benue State, about 20 people were killed in a boat accident that occurred in Agatu LGA when a boat conveying women and children capsized. Authorities confirmed that 76 passengers were onboard when the incident occurred.

A tragic boat accident in Lafia East LGA of Nasarawa State resulted in the deaths of four persons. The victims – a man and three women– were farmers travelling to the Ashange market from Alogami village when the overloaded boat sank with 25 passengers, four motorcycles, and bags of melon seeds.

Findings revealed that a lack of an efficient road network to connect commuters to these markets has compelled farmers and traders to adopt boats as a viable means of transportation.

The Northwest region recorded the second-highest fatalities. Data compiled by HumAngle revealed that Jigawa, Zamfara, and Sokoto States recorded 52 fatalities and 18 missing victims.

On July 7, two people died, and two others were reported missing in a boat accident in the Kwalgi village situated in the Auyo area of Jigawa State. The state revealed that the boat was travelling to Hadin village from Kwalgi when it drowned with 20 passengers onboard after a powerful wave hit the overloaded boat.

Another boat mishap at the Nahuce area in Taura LGA in Jigawa claimed five lives, leaving 15 others unaccounted for. Authorities confirmed that the boat was conveying 20 passengers crossing over the Gamoda River when it capsized.

An overloaded boat conveying over 50 passengers capsized in the Gummi LGA of Zamfara State, leaving 41 persons dead. Only 12 people were rescued alive.

In the Dundaye community in the Wamako area of Sokoto State, four people died when a boat conveying 24 passengers capsized. Nineteen of the passengers were rescued, but one of them was declared missing.

In the South-south, Bayelsa State recorded the highest number of fatalities with 21 deaths, followed by five deaths recorded in Delta. No fewer than 20 passengers were killed in a boat accident along the Ezetu I community in the southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa.

Reports indicated that the boat, conveying mostly women, had a faulty engine that exploded on its way to Swali in Yenagoa, which led to the deaths of passengers. A boat accident in the Okibie community of the Southern Ijaw in Bayelsa also resulted in the deaths of an individual when a 15-seater speedboat capsized.

Five people were killed in a boat mishap along Bennett Island in the Warri-South LGA of Delta State. The accident left six passengers injured, with one missing and 19 rescued. The recurrence of boat accidents prompted the Bayelsa State government to implement new safety measures, including the compulsory use of life jackets by passengers, among others, to curb the menace.

In the Northeast, however, four lives were lost after a boat mishap occurred in the Mayo Ranemo area in Taraba. The victims, over 30 of them, were in transit to Balengo town in Karin-Lamido when the engine boat capsized in the Benue River, leading to four fatalities.

As for the southwest, a boat collision in Lagos State claimed the lives of five passengers sailing from Ebutte Ero to Badagry when an ill-fated wooden boat collided with a fibre boat with 10 and 15 passengers onboard, respectively.

Ahmad Hambali, a maritime expert, said the frequent boat accidents occurring in the Nigerian waterways, especially in Northern Nigeria, are deeply concerning.

“Although I have not come across any investigation reports to determine the root causes of these incidents, it is important to note that boats, historically, have been regarded as a safe mode of transportation.”

“It is therefore alarming to witness the increasing frequency of these tragic incidents, which continue to claim so many lives. This calls for urgent intervention by the government to address this issue,” he said.

Hambali noted that the services of industry experts must be employed to conduct thorough investigations into these accidents, identify their root causes and implement effective preventive measures, or else the menace will persist.

“By addressing these issues systematically, lives can be saved, and waterways transportation can once again fulfil its vital role in the region’s economic and social life,” he added.

In October last year, while commiserating with the victims of the tragic boat mishap on Independence Day, President Bola Tinubu directed NIWA to investigate the spate of boat mishaps in the country and devise modalities to curtail the trend.

The president also urged them to expand their surveillance of inland waters to ensure safety and prosecute boat owners who violate the ban on night sailing.

However, HumAngle reached out to Bola Oyebamiji, the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), to understand the latest modalities on the ground aimed at safeguarding the lives of Nigerians commuting via waterways, as per President Tinubu’s directive, but the message was met with silence.

Several calls made to him were unsuccessful because his number was unreachable.

By Isah Ismaila, HumAngle


Video - 17 bodies recovered after boat capsizes in eastern Nigeria

Thursday, January 23, 2025

The Nigerian family who have spent five decades as volunteer grave-diggers



For more than 50 years, one family has dedicated itself to caring for the biggest graveyard in Nigeria's northern city of Kaduna - much to the gratitude of other residents who do not fancy the job of dealing with the dead.

Until a few weeks ago, they did it for no formal pay - digging graves, washing corpses and tending to the vast cemetery, receiving only small donations from mourners for their labour.

The vast Tudun Wada Cemetery was set aside for the Muslim residents of the city by the authorities a century ago.

The Abdullahi family became involved in the 1970s when two brothers - Ibrahim and Adamu - began working there.

The two siblings now lie beneath the soil in the graveyard, and their sons have become the cemetery's main custodians.

"Their teachings to us, their children, was that God loves the service and would reward us for it even if we don't get any worldly gains," Ibrahim Abdullahi's oldest son Magaji told the BBC when asked why they had chosen to continue as unpaid undertakers.

The 58-year-old is now in charge at Tudun Wada - shepherding operations and the 18 members of staff or until recently - volunteers.

He and his two younger cousins - Abdullahi, 50, and Aliyu, 40, (Adamu Abdullahi's sons) - are the three full-time workers, all reporting in by 07:00 for a 12-hour shift, seven days a week.

They always need to be on call because, according to Muslim rites, a burial must be organised within a few hours of someone's death.

Magaji tends to get the call on his mobile, either directly from a relative or an imam - all religious clerics in the city have his number.

"A lot of people have our numbers and as soon as someone dies, we get a call and immediately we get to work," he says.

One of the trio goes to tend to the corpse, which may include washing it and wrapping it in a shroud.

The body is measured and those details are texted back to the others so that a grave can be dug.

This can take around an hour - with two people taking it in turns to dig down 6ft (1.8m) into the earth - sometimes longer when it is in a stony area of the graveyard.

They can dig around a dozen graves in a day - hard work in the Kaduna heat.

"Today alone we have dug eight graves and it's not even noon, some days are like that," says Abdullahi, who began work at the cemetery when he was aged 20.

The cousins have experienced very stressful times - especially during religious violence when tensions flare between the city's Christian and Muslim residents. The two communities tend to live on opposite sides of the Kaduna River.

"We have had a couple of religious clashes in Kaduna but the one that sticks the most for me was one in the early 1990s. A lot of people were killed," says Magaji.

"We went round gathering the corpses and taking them off the streets."

Muslims were taken to Tudun Wada in the north of the city and Christians to graveyards in the southern suburbs.

"It was such a troubling time personally and I wasn't long in the job then but that helped enhance my resolve to continue," he says.

Usually, while the team digs a grave, at the local mosque the imam announces during one of the five daily prayers that a funeral will be taking place.

Many of the worshippers then go to where the body has been prepared for prayers - it is then transported to the graveyard for burial, often thronged by the mourners.

Once by the graveside, the shrouded body is lowered - it is covered with a layer of sticks and broken clay pots as a mark of respect. The grave is then filled to form a slightly raised bed.

After the rituals are complete and before the mourners leave, the graveyard keepers appeal for donations.

This is usually done by 72-year-old Inuwa Mohammed, the oldest worker at the cemetery, who explains the importance of Abdullahi family to the community.

He used to work with the cousins' fathers: "They were amazing people who loved what they did and have imbibed their children with this altruistic behaviour."

The little money collected will sometimes buy lunch for the crew - but is never enough for anything else. In order to survive, the family also has a small farm where they grow food.

The graves are recycled after 40 years, meaning land is not a big issue - but maintenance is.

"There is a lot that is lacking at the moment - we don't have enough equipment to work with, or good security," says Aliyu, the youngest of the cousins and who has worked there for 10 years.

He explains how part of the wall has collapsed, allowing those on the look-out for scrap metal to steal the grave markers.

Some of the graves have metal plates inscribed with a name and date of birth and death – though many do not as Islamic clerics do not encourage ostentation. Most are just outlined by stones and bricks or with a stick.

Either way, the cousins remember the location of everyone buried at the cemetery and can direct people if they have forgotten the location of a relative's grave.

Following the BBC's recent visit to the graveyard, they have seen a dramatic change in fortune.

The new local council chairman, whose office oversees the site, has decided to put them on the payroll.

"They deserve it, given the massive work they do every day," Rayyan Hussain tells the BBC.

"Graves are the final homes for us all and people who do this kind of hard work deserve to be paid, so my office would pay them as long as I am chairman."

Magaji confirms that the staff have started receiving a monthly salary for the first time:

.The five oldest, including himself, are getting 43,000 naira ($28; £22.50)
. The others, including Abdullahi and Aliyu, are receiving 20,000 naira ($13; £10.50).

This is well below the national minimum wage of $45 a month, but Mr Hussain says he hopes to increase their allowance "with time".

He says it is regrettable that the graveyard was abandoned for years by previous local council heads.

He has plans to repair parts of the fencing, install solar lights and add security, the chairman adds.

"I am also building a room in the graveyard where corpses could be washed and prepared for burials, before now all of this had to be done from homes."

For the Abdullahi family, it is all welcome investment - and Magaji hopes it will ensure that one of his 23 children will one day become a custodian of the cemetery.

By Mansur Abubakar, BBC

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Why Nigeria’s ‘Danfo’ Bus Drivers Might Be The Craziest And Most Skilled Drivers On The Planet



I recently woke up to learn that the Oxford English Dictionary has expanded its lexicon in the latest update to include 20 Nigerian words. One of those words is “Danfo,” the most popular–albeit unofficial–mass transit in Lagos. It’s about time. These minibusses have been around for as long as I can remember. I already knew about them before actually seeing one. Scratch that, before seeing trillions of them on my first visit to Lagos.

They originally came in the form of Volkswagen Kombi vans during the 1960s and quickly took over the city’s narrow streets and high-traffic areas. It didn’t take long for the thing to become a staple of Lagos and its de facto public transport system.

Danfo’s resilience in the face of existential threats underscores its indispensability. This resilience mirrors the unkillable nature of the T3 Volkswagen Transporters that are used as Danfo. Yep, you’re right to wonder how an approximately five-decade-old German machine maintains a tenacious grip on Nigeria’s most advanced metropolitan area.


The Transporter Came, Saw, And Conquered

The Lagos State government has never been one to be overwhelmed by anything, except when it comes to the Danfo’s stubborn, ubiquitous presence in the state.

We’re talking about a government that manages a population of around 21 million people, which grows by roughly 3,000 daily. A government that sent waves of protesting youths scurrying back to their homes by shooting them dead in the open. This microbus, painted yellow with black stripes, somehow manages to tame the powers that be.

They are everywhere and ply routes far beyond where the bigger buses make berth. It’s a colorful symbol of the persistence, tenacity, and resilience that defines the hotheaded people who live in Lagos. Before Danfo’s arrival, there were bigger buses that took forever to get a full passenger load. This matters because those buses never left their terminals until every seat was filled or something close to that, wasting commuters’ time.

So, when the smaller VW Kombi showed up with a mere 14-passenger capacity, it immediately got nicknamed “Kiakia Bus” (which means ‘Quick Bus’ in Yoruba) because it filled faster, and moved faster, too. “Kiakia” evolved into “Danfo” around the time Volkswagen introduced the T3 (third generation) during the 1980s.

Yup, Lagos is probably the only place where the Type 2 “Splitscreen” expanded from 9 passengers to a 14-passenger capacity. It’s been over six decades since the Danfo came, saw, and conquered Lagos against many odds.

Why 14 seats? The drivers rearranged and added extra seats to maximize profit, with four passengers for each seat. They even squeeze two passengers in the front passenger seat when LASTMA (Lagos State Traffic Management Agency) officials aren’t looking.

Like “Kiakia,” “Danfo” is Yoruba for “floating” or “flying.” Whoever came up with that nickname understood, like every Lagosian does, that speed, impatience, and aggressiveness are the prerequisites for being a Danfo driver.

It only has around 112 horsepower but you can hear the wailing of the engine from afar because the driver literally flattens the pedal to the metal at all times. You’d think that a reputation for stripping stark naked in public and getting violent when stopped for traffic offenses would make people think twice about trusting such drivers with their lives.


The Man Behind The Wheel

On graduating high school in 2004, Aridunnuoluwa Adeola Emmanuel moved to Lagos where he started off working as a busboy (known in the country as bus conductors). His job entailed collecting fares from passengers, assisting with boarding and disembarking, and fighting said passengers, fighting other agberos (fare collectors), and even crossing swords with his own driver when the occasion called for it.

He did this for two solid years and would have probably never graduated to “driver” had the boss not gotten ill, leaving him no choice but to muster the courage to hit the road behind the wheel of a Danfo. “I was scared at first,” he says, “but I took the courage to start driving.”

For context, Aridunnuoluwa did not need the courage to drive a van. He needed the courage to drive a Danfo – in Lagos, the sort of courage you’d need to compete in Death Race. You’d think this an exaggeration, but the condition of these buses says otherwise. Just look at them. The typical Danfo is a war rig and it seems there’s no better model for this Mad Max-worthy madness than the T3 Transporter.

“Let me explain one thing to you,” Aridunnuoluwa tells me, “Driving Danfo in Lagos is one of the craziest professions. If you see any man driving Danfo in Lagos, he can drive anywhere in the world. If you can drive a Danfo, I can assure you that you can drive any vehicle anywhere in the whole world.”

When asked what motivates Danfo drivers to strip butt-naked when confronted by traffic officials, Aridunnuoluwa says simply, “It’s really a form of protest but also not a form of protest.” If this sounds crazy, then I guess he’s vindicated.


It’s The T3 Or Nothing

It’s not like the Type 2 Volkswagen Transporter had no worthy competitors or that it was the best Lagos could do. It just so happened that the T3 had become as iconic as the black cab in London or New York’s Ford “yellow medallion” Crown Victoria. New kids are free to show up as long as they don’t mind sharing the block with the old hand. The Danfo is T3 and T3 is Danfo.

The state government and private entities introduced numerous alternatives they hoped would retire or at least help phase out the ugly, embarrassing “old hand.” Instead, the T3 remains the king of Lagos roads.

Sure, there are the Mercedes-Benz Marcopolo buses used for the state’s BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system, complete with airconditioned cabins (in some models), dedicated lanes, and digital payment solutions. Still, the 55,000-strong BRT fleet hasn’t been able to tame the Danfo tide. Not even the ID. Buzz, which is an evolutionary model of the classic Volkswagen Kombi, can wear the Danfo’s hat.

The T3, produced from 1979 to 1992, is nearly fifty years old and offers virtually zero modern safety features. Not even a driver or passenger airbag to speak of. The interior is reduced to nothing but metal and you’d be hard-pressed to find one in new enough condition to still have any protective rubber or plastic claddings in the cabin. You see junk; I see a diehard transporter.

It’s possible to live in Lagos for a year and never meet a Danfo with the headrests or roof paddings still intact. In some cases, you could observe the driveshaft through the hole from which the gear shifter protrudes.
The ache you feel in your rear barely five minutes after boarding the vehicle is because the factory-installed chairs (in some models) have been stripped and replaced with bench-style slabs of wood lined with metal. Heck, I’ve seen a Danfo with standalone plastic chairs for seats.

All this to say that the Danfo does not dominate Lagos because it is cutting-edge or particularly competitive on its own merit but because it’s a cultural symbol deeply ingrained in Lagos consciousness. Music videos and commercial ads celebrate the Danfo over nicer, more modern alternatives for this reason.


The Heart Of An Icon

The T3 Transporter comes with a variety of engines, including the 1.6-liter / 1.9-liter / 2.0-liter air-cooled H4, 2.1-liter water-cooled inline-5, and even a 1.6-liter turbocharged diesel inline-4. These engines are easy to maintain and the lack of electronics means fewer expensive components to break and need expensive repairs.

I was lucky that Aridunnuoluwa talked to me because the others wouldn’t. Not unless there was cash involved.

Thankfully, Ari is a goldmine of information. “Danfo motor (vehicle) problems are mostly carburetor issues,” he tells me. “If you’re driving any vehicle, you’re supposed to be the first mechanic.”

Don’t I know it.

VW did offer the T3 with options like air-conditioning, radio, and cassette player. The thing is most of these buses on Lagos roads don’t have such luxuries as a radio and certainly none has air-conditioning. Nonetheless, Dnfo rules Lagos because it is the cheapest and most accessible of all the integrated public transport systems. Their discomfitingly crowded cabins offer a unique glimpse into the Nigerian way of life.


Adapt Or Face Obsolescence?

The natural order stipulates evolution or obsolescence, but there’s no such ultimatum for the Danfo because it is an icon representing something far greater than itself. Like a visual shorthand for broader concepts and movements. It’s been a while since the Danfo has weathered multiple existential storms from multiple fronts.

It is at the center of the Lagos State Government’s Bus Reform Initiative. Its aim of phasing out the outdated Volkswagen T3 Transporters in favor of more modern and regulated mass transit options like the Lagos Light Rail, BRT, and e-ticketing systems has largely failed.

Apparently, it’s not the Danfo that needs to evolve to meet modern demands, it’s the demand that needs to evolve. The novelty of rail mass transit and e-ticketing is lost on Lagosians who are highly distrustful of change and incredibly resistant to the same. More so, the people care more about omnipresence and affordability than airconditioned cabins.

Throughout history, gentrification has always been the enemy of tradition. What might seem like the incidental next volley in the government’s arsenal is the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018 prohibiting the use of slogans, stickers, and photos on commercial vehicles.

On the surface, this law targets advertisements on vehicles without a permit, but there’s no telling how the enforcers choose to interpret a photo or slogan on a vehicle. Aridunnuoluwa tells me there’s no such law. Which means no one is bothering Danfo drivers about it.

It may not seem like it, but a law like this, inspired by gentrification, can have a better chance of killing the Danfo over time than trying to forcefully replace them with modern models.

Why? Banning the stickers and colorful slogans with which drivers decorate their buses eats away at the very heart of what makes the Danfo culture unique. It has the power to gradually erode what the Danfo represents besides conveying people and goods from point A to point B cheaply and in familiar maximum discomfort.

The thing is, irrespective of the government’s intentional and unwitting moves to strangle the Danfo just so the city can look less embarrassing to visitors, the transition hasn’t been as smooth as the government hoped.

That’s thanks to high demand and the deep-rooted presence of the yellow bus in the city’s transport ecosystem.

It’s not that gentrification is a dirty word. What’s at stake here is a complex issue balancing modernization with the practical needs of everyone who calls Lagos home.

By Philip Uwaoma, The Autopian

Monday, December 30, 2024

Starlink Increases Subscription Prices in Nigeria

Starlink will implement its revised pricing structure in Nigeria, following regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This move follows an earlier attempt by the provider to adjust tariffs on October 1, 2024, which was halted due to regulatory concerns by the NCC.

The NCC had expressed concerns over Starlink’s unilateral decision to increase subscription fees without prior regulatory approval. The NCC noted that the October 2024 adjustment violated established protocols. Following this Starlink had suspended the changes temporarily.

In an email to subscribers, the company once again announced the revised pricing model effective immediately. Residential subscriptions have been increased from NGN 38,000 ($24.6) to NGN 75,000 ($48.6). Mobile regional plan (Roam Unlimited) will now cost NGN 167,000 ($108.3) per month, instead of NGN 49,000 ($31.8). Mobile global roaming service isnow priced at NGN 717,000 ($464.8) monthly.

The revised tariffs mirror those proposed in the October 2024 announcement and follow proper regulatory channels, addressing concerns raised by NCC. The structured implementation allows immediate application for new subscribers while giving existing customers a transition period until their next billing cycle.


Monday, December 16, 2024

West African bloc pins hopes on ambitious superhighway from Ivory Coast to Nigeria

West African leaders are holding a crucial summit in Nigeria's capital Abuja, focusing on the morale-sapping departure of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from their 15-member bloc Ecowas.

Few think the military rulers of the three dissident states can be persuaded to pause or reverse their decision.

While faced with this blow to regional unity, West Africa is also poised to start work on a 1,028km (689 miles) highway from Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan - through Ghana, Togo and Benin - to Nigeria's biggest city Lagos.

Construction is supposed to start in 2026 and pledges of $15.6bn (£12.3bn) have already been mobilised from a range of funders and investors.

Just as Western Europe matched the Soviet-led communist bloc with a "Common Market" that later evolved into today's trading powerhouse, the European Union (EU), so Ecowas may find that a drive for prosperity and growth proves to be its most effective response to the wave of military coups and nationalism that have swept across the region since 2020.

The plan to build a modern transport corridor along the West African coast was originally approved eight years ago - long before the coups that have overturned civilian rule in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

Preparatory studies, led by the African Development Bank, were commissioned.

But when these were presented last month, the timing could hardly have come at a better moment for reinvigorating the battered self-confidence of Ecowas (Economic Community of West African States).

Neither traditional diplomacy, nor sanctions, nor even the threat of military intervention in Niger, had managed to push the juntas into organising elections and restoring civilian government, as required by Ecowas governance rules.

The defiant regimes declared they would leave the 15-member bloc altogether.

They have subsequently spurned the remaining members' efforts to persuade them to stay, although the Ecowas envoy, Senegal's new, young President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who shares their nationalistic outlook, is still trying.

Until this crisis, Ecowas was Africa's most cohesive and politically integrated regional grouping, with a creditable record of crisis management and even the deployment of peacekeepers in troubled member states.

With the departure of Mali, Burkina and Niger, the bloc will lose 76 million of its 446 million people and more than half its total geographical land area, with the loss of vast tracts of the Sahara – a painful blow to prestige and self-belief.

The shock of the three countries' withdrawal may boost those pushing for tougher governance and democracy rules.

Meanwhile, the ambitious coastal transport corridor project, conceived to support economic development, will also serve a political purpose - demonstrating the remaining member countries' capacity to work together and accelerating the trade growth and investment attraction of coastal urban West Africa, already the most prosperous part of this vast region.

And just as the EU's wealth and dynamism proved a powerful attraction for former communist states, perhaps rising prosperity across Ecowas will eventually entice the now disenchanted further north states into rejoining the bloc.

Construction of the proposed four-to-six lane motorway is forecast to create 70,000 jobs, with completion ambitiously targeted for 2030.

And the plan is to acquire a sufficiently broad strip of land along the route to later accommodate a new railway line, linking the big port cities along the Gulf of Guinea. Existing rail routes extend inland, but there is no rail line along the coast.

The road will connect many of West Africa's largest cities - Abidjan, with 8.3 million people, Accra (4 million), Lomé (2 million), Cotonou (2.6 million) and Lagos, estimated at close to 20 million or perhaps even more.

Several of the cities are key gateway ports for the flow of trade in and out of the region.

Already the bureaucratic hassles and risks of petty corruption that have so often complicated life for drivers passing from one country to the next are beginning to wane.

At many border crossings, modern one-stop frontier posts, where officials from both countries work side by side to check passports and transit documents, have replaced the assorted huts where drivers and passengers queued at a succession of counters while one set of border police and customs officers after another laboriously worked their way through the formalities.

And now the proposed highway and rail line promise to further speed the flow of trade and travel between the coastal economies, boosting competitiveness and integration and transforming the region's attraction for investors - just as the EU transformed trade and development across the European continent.

And that process of economic and administrative integration of course had enormous political consequences.

It acted as a powerful incentive for countries still outside the bloc to improve economic governance, strengthen democracy and tackle corruption, in the hope of qualifying for membership.

Perhaps Ecowas can emulate this precedent, and lure the dissident states into re-joining, particularly if flagship projects such as the transport corridor give a real fillip to growth.

For not only do Mali, Niger and Burkina face severe development and security challenges, but they are also all landlocked, and heavily dependent on their coastal neighbours, through transport, trade and labour migration.

Huge volumes of trade, formal and informal, flow across the borders.

Livestock from the three countries in the Sahel is exported on the hoof to feed city dwellers in Dakar, Abidjan and Lagos.

Onions and potatoes grown in Niger's arid climate are prized by coastal household shoppers, while Ivorian, Ghanaian and Nigerian manufactured goods are exported in the opposite direction.

Millions of Burkinabès and Malians are settled in Ivory Coast, a mainstay of the workforce for its cocoa plantations.

Moreover, the coup leaders are not pulling out of the West African CFA franc, an eight-country single currency, backed by France, that hampers competitiveness but provides a solid defence against inflation and monetary instability.

Yet these deep ties between the Sahelian countries and coastal West Africa were not sufficient to deter the military regimes in Mali, Burkina and Niger from announcing their withdrawal from Ecowas.

Hostility to the bloc, which they portray as bullying and arrogant, has paid political dividends, boosting their popularity at home. And Morocco talks of opening up an alternative trade corridor to its Atlantic ports, which could broaden the options.

But if the remaining Ecowas countries can accelerate their own drive for prosperity, pruning back trade barriers and pressing forward with breakthrough projects such as the coastal highway and rail line, then gradually they may salve today's political bruises and mistrusts and draw the Sahel states back into a reunified West African regional identity.

By Paul Melly, BBC

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Video - Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries expected to help meet local consumption needs



Nigeria's state-owned Port Harcourt refinery is finally back up and running. It is hoped that, along with recent launch of the privately-owned Dangote refinery, Nigeria will soon be able to supply the petrol products needed domestically while positioning Nigeria as a petroleum product exporter.

CGTN

Related story: Nigeria's richest man Aliko Dangote takes on the 'oil mafia'

 

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Starlink suspends new orders across Nigeria

Elon Musk’s Starlink says it has suspended orders for its residential kits across Nigeria with a note that the suspension will be lifted after securing approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for its recently announced price increment.


The company, however, allows orders for its high-end Business Plan, in which it is allowed to charge N159,000 for a monthly subscription compared with the Residential Plan which costs N38,000 per month.

“We’re committed to providing high-speed internet in Nigeria and are working closely with regulators to make adjustments that will improve the customer experience.

“Until these changes are approved, we are placing new Residential orders on hold,” the company stated in response to an attempt to order its kits.

Starlink sold out in some cities

Earlier, Starlink had stopped new orders in five major cities including Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Benin City and Warri because it was at capacity in those areas.

However, the current suspension cuts across Nigeria and it is hinged on the need to increase prices; a move that the regulator had frowned at.

Demand for Starlink services in Nigeria has soared since the Space X-linked company officially launched in the country in January last year.

Starlink had on the last day of September announced a 97% price increase for its monthly subscription from N38,000 to N75,000.

For new users, the company also increased the Starlink kits (hardware) by 34% from N440,000 to N590,000.

The company in a message to its customers in Nigeria cited “excessive inflation” as the reason for the increment.

The announcement had sparked controversy in the Nigerian telecom sector as local operators accused the NCC of double standard for allowing Starlink to increase price, which they are not allowed to do despite years of appeal to the regulator.

The NCC, however, responded saying it did not approve Starlink’s price increment.

The telecom regulator pointed out that Starlink’s action contravened sections 108 and 111 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, and its license conditions regarding tariffs.

NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Dr Reuben Muoka, later announced that the commission had commenced pre-enforcement actions against Starlink for implementing price increments without the approval of the regulator.

With the rebuttal from the telecoms regulator, Starlink suspended the announced increment with a warning that “without these approvals, our ability to continue delivering service is at risk.”

The company noted that while it is committed to providing high-speed internet in Nigeria, it would need regulatory support to make the improvements necessary for a better customer experience.

By Philip Shimnom Clement, Daily Trust

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Nigeria signs $1.2 billion deal to revamp gas plant for aluminium smelter

Nigeria has signed a $1.2 billion contract with Chinese state-owned engineering firm CNCEC to revamp a gas processing plant crucial for the country's aluminium production, its Petroleum Ministry said.

The contract signed between CNCEC and BFI Group - the core investor in the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria - is the first step towards reviving the dormant smelter, which has been plagued by years of inactivity due to legal disputes and financial issues.

The Petroleum Ministry said late on Monday that the deal would see CNCEC resuscitate the 135 million standard cubic feet per day gas processing plant at the dormant smelter, which can produce around 300,000 tons of aluminium annually.

Minister of State for Gas Epkerikpe Ekpo said the plant's restart would allow Nigeria to develop multiple stages of the aluminium production process and position it "as a major producer of aluminium in Africa and globally".

The plant is expected to produce around one million tons of aluminium annually and generate up to 540 megawatts of electricity, Ekpo said.

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

Friday, November 8, 2024

Video - Power shortages, rising fuel costs accelerate shift to solar in Nigeria



Many small businesses now rely on solar for their energy needs after public electricity costs surged. Solar companies are easing adoption by offering installment payment options, making it more accessible.

CGTN

Related story: Peter Obi Urges FG To Resolve Power Crisis Challenges

 

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Peter Obi Urges FG To Resolve Power Crisis Challenges

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has called on the federal government to proffer lasting solutions to the power crisis in the country.


Obi made the call on his X handle while raising concerns about the ongoing power crisis following another collapse of the national grid.

The call came after Nigerians were plunged into a fresh round of darkness following another collapse of the national power grid.

Since January 2024 till date, the grid has collapsed 10 times, and three times in October alone.

Speaking on the issue via a statement on Wednesday via X, Obi contrasted Nigeria’s struggles with power supply to South Africa’s recent success in achieving seven months of uninterrupted electricity.

He said, “Again, yesterday the now regular news came that the National Grid had collapsed once again. Just a few days ago, on the 25th of October, South Africa that was the second-largest economy in Africa behind Nigeria until recently, with a quarter of our population, celebrated seven months of uninterrupted power supply.

“South Africa generates and distributes about 40,000 MW of electricity, while Nigeria struggles to generate and distribute just 10% of that.”

“Is there any tribe in Nigeria that enjoys uninterrupted power supply like South Africa? I am labelled a tribal bigot. When I ask if any religion enjoys special privileges in this crisis, I am called a religious bigot. But I will continue to speak the truth about our situation today,” he said.

“The fact remains that we are all suffering equally from this failure,” he said.

Obi urged Nigerians to move past “primordial sentiments” and instead focus on electing leaders who can drive the country towards development.

He said, “The fact remains that we are all suffering equally from this failure. The solution lies not in tribal or religious affiliations but in visionary leadership and a shared commitment to progress.

“We must set aside these primordial sentiments and elect leaders who are competent, capable, and have the vision to transform our nation from a consumer-driven economy to a productive one by investing our meagre resources in critical areas of development like health and education, lifting our people out of poverty, and ensuring increased electricity production and distribution.”

Channels

Related story: Nigeria's power grid partially collapses again, causing blackouts

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Nigeria's power grid partially collapses again, causing blackouts

Nigeria's national grid suffered a partial collapse on Tuesday, the state power transmitter said, marking the ninth incident this year to have caused power outages across the country.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said the grid experienced a disturbance at around 1252 GMT, triggered by a series of line and generator trips destabilising the system.

While some regions, including the capital Abuja, regained power about an hour after the collapse, outages continued elsewhere.

"TCN engineers are already working to quickly restore bulk power supply to the states affected by the partial disturbance," spokesperson Ndidi Mbah said.

Blackouts are frequent in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with over 200 million people, due to ageing power infrastructure, vandalism and inadequate gas supply for its thermal plants, which account for over 75% of output.

Although Nigeria has the infrastructure to generate about 13,000 megawatts of power, its creaking grid can only distribute a third of it, forcing businesses and households to run costly fuel generators. 

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters 

Related story: Nigeria's state transmission company restoring power after grid collapse

 

Monday, November 4, 2024

Dangote refinery finally reveals petrol prices

Dangote Refinery on Sunday said it sells its petrol at N960 per litre into ships and N990 per litre into trucks.

The company’s Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

The company made this known in reaction to a claim by the marketers that the refinery’s prices are higher than other suppliers, making it difficult for independent marketers to buy from it.

The National Assistant Secretary of IPMAN, Yakubu Suleiman, disclosed this while speaking on the ARISE TV morning show on Friday. He said: “Like last week, Dangote’s price is higher than other places. Because if you can go by the price, the international price of crude has already started coming down. If I could remember, as of last week, he gave N995 per litre, and you have to bring your cargo and load.”

“How much will you pay for the cargo? And how much will go to the depot? And you expect independent marketers to go and sell it. Can we go and sell? Look, we have to pity Nigerians,” Mr Suleiman said.

In its statement on Sunday, the Dangote Refinery said its prices are benchmarked against international rates, ensuring competitiveness.

The company claimed that anyone importing petrol at lower prices likely brings in substandard products, posing health and environmental risks.

“We had lately refrained from engaging in media fights but we are constrained to respond to the recent misinformation being circulated by IPMAN, PETROAN, and other associations.

“Both organisations claim that they can import PMS at lower prices than what is being sold by the Dangote Refinery. We benchmark our prices against international prices and we believe our prices are competitive relative to the price of imports,” Mr Chiejina said.

He explained that if anyone claims they can land petrol at a price cheaper than the price Dangote is selling, then they are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low-quality products into the country, without concerns for the health of Nigerians or the longevity of their vehicles.

The Dangote spokesperson claimed the regulator, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), does not even have laboratory facilities which can be used to detect substandard products when imported into the country.

“Post deregulation, NNPC set the pace by selling PMS to domestic marketers at N971 per litre for sale into ships and at N990 for sale into trucks. This set the benchmark for our pricing and we have even gone lower to sell at N960 per litre for sale into ships while maintaining N990 per litre for sale into trucks.

“In good faith, and in the interest of the country, we commenced sales at these prices without clarity on the exchange rate that we will use to pay for the crude purchased,” he said.

At the same time, he said an international trading company has recently hired a depot facility next to the Dangote Refinery, with the objective of using it to blend substandard products that will be dumped into the market to compete with Dangote Refinery’s higher quality production.

This, he said, is detrimental to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria.

“We should point out that it is not unusual for countries to protect their domestic industries in order to provide jobs and grow the economy. For example, the US and Europe have had to impose high tariffs on EVs and microchips in order to protect their domestic industries.

“While we continue with our determination to provide affordable, good quality, domestically refined petroleum products in Nigeria, we call on the public to disregard the deliberate disinformation being circulated by agents of people who prefer for us to continue to export jobs and import poverty,” he added.
 

Background

Last Tuesday, Aliko Dangote, founder and president/chief executive of the Dangote Group, said his refinery has more than 500 million litres of petrol in stock, but marketers have not been buying the product.

He questioned why the NNPC and private retailers were still importing petrol when his refinery could produce enough.

“So, I am expecting that the NNPC Ltd and the marketers should stop importing; they should come and collect what they need,” Mr Dangote said Tuesday.

Mr Dangote did not say for how long the 500 million litres of petrol had been refined and stored by his 650,000 barrels per day refinery.

However, PREMIUM TIMES reported that data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that his refinery was unable to meet the required volume of petrol sought by NNPC Ltd for three weeks.

According to the Dangote Evacuation Report seen by this newspaper, between 15 September and 5 October, the refinery delivered only 148 million litres of petrol, instead of 575 million litres.

Last Thursday, Dangote Refinery said it has not received any payments for the purchase of refined petroleum products from the IPMAN. The company made this known in reaction to a claim by the marketers that they were unable to load petrol from the refinery for days.

By Mary Izuaka, Premium Times

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Video - Building collapse in Nigeria's capital leaves at least 7 dead

A building collapsed in a suburban area of Nigeria’s capital over the weekend, killing at least seven people, police said Monday.

The building, located in the Sabon-Lugbe area of Abuja, had already been partly demolished and its structure was further compromised by scavengers looking for scrap metal, the Abuja police said.

Abuja police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said five people were rescued from the rubble on Sunday.

Building collapses are becoming increasingly common in Nigeria, with more than a dozen such incidents recorded in the last two years. Authorities often blame such disasters on failures to enforce building safety regulations and on poor maintenance.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has recorded 22 building collapses between January and July this year, according to the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.

In July, a two-story school collapsed in north-central Nigeria, killing 22 students. The Saints Academy college in Plateau state’s Busa Buji community collapsed shortly after students, many of whom were 15 years old or younger, arrived for classes. 

By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Nigeria's state transmission company restoring power after grid collapse

The Transmission Company of Nigeria says it is working to restore power after blackouts engulfed the country following another collapse of the power grid on Monday night.

Power generation fell to zero and by Tuesday morning some plants in the capital Abuja and parts of the commercial city were coming online. Daily average supply has hovered around 4,500 megawatts in recent times until the sixth collapse this year.

Nigeria's grid has shut down due to aging power infrastructure, vandalism and inadequate gas supply for its thermal plants which accounts for over 75% of output. 

Reuters

Related story: Millions in Nigeria have little to no electricity. It’s straining businesses and public services

 

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Video - Lagos Rail Mass Transit set to open second metro line



The Red line is the second Chinese-built metro rail in the city, connecting the communities of Agbado and Oyingbo. Officials hope the Chinese-built network can address the challenges of traffic congestion and commuting delays that have long plagued the nation.

CGTN

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

We Built Our $20bn Refinery Without Single Incentive from FG - Dangote

Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has declared that he built his 650,000 barrels per day refinery valued at $20 billion without receiving a single incentive from the Nigerian government.


Dangote stated this in Lagos Tuesday in a speech delivered on his behalf by the company’s Group Executive Director, Mr. Mansur Ahmed, at the inaugural edition of the Crude Oil Refiners Association (CORAN) Summit, with the theme: ‘Making Nigeria A Net Exporter of Petroleum Products.’

The $20 billion Dangote refinery sited at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos is reputed to be the seventh largest refinery in the world, as well as the world’s largest single train refinery.

The refinery, envisioned to transform Nigeria from a petroleum products import-dependent country to a net exporter of refined products, has since January 2024 been producing white products including diesel, aviation fuel, Naphtha and recently, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol in Nigeria.

But addressing industry stakeholders at the CORAN Summit, Dangote restated that the refinery produces sufficient diesel and jet fuel to meet Nigeria’s demand.

He said the company recently started the production of petrol, adding that the refinery will soon ramp up its production to meet Nigeria’s demand.

He maintained that the refinery’s products are being exported to diverse markets including Europe, Brazil, the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore and South Korea among others.

He said to achieve the vision of the conveners of the summit, which is to make Nigeria a net petroleum products exporter and an energy sufficient country, the country will need to build up to 1.5 million bpd refining capacity, with support from the government and collaboration by industry stakeholders.

Dangote said: “To grab this opportunity, we will need to build 1.5m barrels per day of refining capacity. This will not be an easy feat and strong government support will be required to achieve this.

“We built the Dangote Refinery without a single incentive from the government. However, to achieve the vision of turning Nigeria into a refining hub, investors need to be incentivized.”

To ensure sufficient feedstock availability for local refineries, he said Nigeria will need to stop mortgaging its crude oil.

According to him, “It is unfortunate that while countries like Norway are putting oil proceeds into a future fund, in Africa we are spending oil proceeds from the future. We will also need to prioritise the implementation of the domestic crude supply obligations.

“We will need to expand our crude oil production capacity to support demand from new refining capacity.”

The government of President Bola Tinubu is taking active steps to achieve this through fast-tracking IOC divestments and other initiatives.

Dangote expressed optimism that Nigeria and Africa can become completely self-sufficient and can keep all the value on their shores.

Having achieved self-sufficiency in cement, he said the country can certainly replicate that in petroleum products.

To realize the vision of improving Nigeria’s refining capacity and increase values from the nation’s oil resources, Dangote called for full implementation of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

“We will also need to prioritize implementation of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation rightly. We will need to expand crude production capacity to support demand from the new refining capacity.

“The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is taking steps to achieve this through fast-tacking the IOC divestment and other initiatives,” he added

Dangote warmed that global developments in the petroleum sector particularly in Europe will disrupt historical trade flows for refined petroleum products in Africa.

However, he said Nigeria is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this opportunity and be a formidable player in the global oil industry.

He added: “As a vibrant exporter of refined products, Nigeria will witness an improvement in its balance of trade and generate the much needed foreign currency. Nigeria’s potential as a refining hub is clearly not in doubt, let’s work together to make it happen.”

By Peter Uzoho, This Day

Dangote Says Nigeria can become refining hub

 Nigeria must enhance its crude oil production capacity and effectively manage its crude supply to ensure adequate feedstock for domestic refineries in order to transit from a net importer to a net exporter of petroleum products, Chairman of the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, Aliko Dangote, has said.

Dangote made this assertion during his keynote address at a summit held in Lagos by the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria, CORAN.

The event attracted top government officials and key stakeholders from the midstream and downstream sectors.
Addressing Nigeria’s potential as a refining hub, Dangote expressed concern that, despite producing over 3.4 million barrels of crude oil per day, Africa imports around 3 million barrels of petroleum products daily.
He noted that these imports, primarily from Europe, Russia, and other regions, were estimated to cost approximately $17 billion in 2023.

He said Nigeria could capitalise on this situation to become a net exporter of refined petroleum products, as the markets would be more competitively served by the country.

“Both the crude oil and the petroleum products will travel shorter distances. The logistics costs of floating storage will be eliminated, and countries can purchase their petroleum product requirements just in time.

”Nigeria and Africa can become completely self-sufficient, and we can keep all the value on our shores. We have done it in cement, and we can certainly do it for petroleum products.

“It is worth noting that the Dangote Refinery already produces sufficient diesel and jet fuel to meet Nigeria’s demand. We recently started the production of PMS and will soon ramp up to meet Nigeria’s needs.
”Our refined products have been exported to diverse markets, including Europe, Brazil, the UK, the USA, Singapore, and South Korea,” he added.

Represented by Engr. Mansur Ahmed, Group Executive Director of Dangote Industries Ltd, Dangote emphasised that Nigeria must develop a refining capacity of 1.5 million barrels per day and prioritise domestic crude supply obligations to seize this opportunity.

Acknowledging present and future challenges, he urged the government to incentivise investors, contrasting this with the Dangote Oil Refinery, which was built without any government incentives.

He said: “It is unfortunate that while countries like Norway are putting oil proceeds into a future fund, in Africa, we are spending oil proceeds from the future. We will also need to prioritise the implementation of domestic crude supply obligations.

”We will need to expand our crude oil production capacity to support demand from new refining capacity. The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is taking active steps to achieve this through fast-tracking IOC divestments and other initiatives.”

Emphasising that global developments in the petroleum sector, particularly in Europe, would disrupt historical trade flows for refined petroleum products in Africa, Dangote stated that Nigeria was uniquely positioned to capitalise on this opportunity to become a significant player in the global oil industry.

While calling for consultation, collaboration, and cooperation among stakeholders, he said: “As a vibrant exporter of refined products, Nigeria will witness an improvement in its balance of trade and generate much-needed foreign currency. Nigeria’s potential as a refining hub is not in doubt; let us work together to make it happen.”

The foremost industrialist noted that the summit’s theme, “Making Nigeria a Net Exporter of Petroleum Products,” would have seemed unrealistic a few years ago, adding that despite being Africa’s largest crude oil producer, Nigeria has historically relied on imports to meet its refined petroleum product needs.

However, he emphasised that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals was poised to transform Nigeria from a “net importer” to a “net exporter” of refined petroleum products, establishing the country as an emerging player in global downstream trade flows; with refined products already exported to various markets, including Europe, Brazil, the UK, the USA, Singapore, and South Korea.

Commending Dangote for this transformation, Chairman of IPPG/Waltersmith Refinery & Petrochemicals Co. Ltd, Abdulrazaq Isa, called on the government to support domestic refiners by ensuring the availability of crude, adhering to domestic crude supply obligations, and implementing effective pricing and monitoring measures to prevent smuggling.

Chairman of CORAN’s Board of Trustees and CEO of Integrated Oil & Gas, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, retd, said Dangote Oil Refinery had set a high standard by producing Euro-V products, thus protecting citizens from exposure to high-sulphur products.

He noted that transforming Nigeria into a net exporter will bring numerous benefits but reiterated the need for increased investment to boost crude production, lamenting that Nigeria loses approximately $83 billion annually by not meeting its OPEC quota.

While acknowledging that tank farms remain essential despite local refining, Iheanacho urged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to consider cancelling import licences, as Nigeria can now meet its local demand.

Chairman of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, MEMAN, Huub Stokman, said Nigeria was on the verge of becoming Africa’s refining powerhouse, which would significantly boost the economy.

The Chairman of CORAN, Momoh Oyarekhua, also expressed concern over challenges related to crude supply, stating that domestic refiners would work with regulators and stakeholders to address these issues.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lopkobiri, assured that the government would continue to refine frameworks to enhance crude production and support domestic refineries.

His counterpart from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, emphasised the Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to ensuring value addition for mineral resources before export.

By Udeme Akpan, Vanguard

Monday, September 30, 2024

World Bank approves $1.57 billion loan for Nigeria

The World Bank has approved a $1.57 billion financing package for Nigeria under a new programme to support its health and education sectors and help provide sustainable power, the bank said on Monday.

The World Bank is the largest lender to Nigeria, with more than $15 billion in loans at the end of March, data from the Debt Management Office showed.

The bank said in a statement that the money would help increase availability and effectiveness of financing for basic education and primary healthcare service delivery.

"The new financing includes $500 million for addressing governance issues that constrain the delivery of education and health, $570 million for the Primary Healthcare Provision Strengthening Program and $500 million for the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Project," the bank said.

Nigeria is among countries with the highest number of out of school children mainly due to insecurity, especially in the north of the country where a long-running Islamist insurgency and armed kidnapping gangs have caused havoc.

The World Bank said part of the money would be used to improve dam safety to protect people from floods.

Nigeria faces frequent flooding and this year up to a million people were affected after a dam in northeastern Borno state burst.

More floods are expected in Nigeria after authorities in Cameroon started releasing water from a large dam to prevent it from overflowing.

By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters

Monday, August 19, 2024

Elon Musk Acquires Land In Nigeria To Construct Starlink Ground Stations

Elon Musk’s internet company, Starlink, is making significant progress in Nigeria by planning to establish ground stations across the country, aiming to enhance connectivity for millions of Nigerians.


BMA understands that Starlink has acquired approximately 29,000 acres of land in Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers states to develop these facilities.

The ground stations will be in strategic areas such as Okun Ajah in Lagos State, Sagamu in Ogun State, and Port Harcourt in Rivers State. Construction is already underway in Okun Ajah, with completion expected by the fourth quarter of 2024. The remaining locations are projected to be operational by 2025.

In collaboration with Equinix, a leader in data centre solutions, Starlink is building these ground stations to strengthen its presence in Nigeria. Equinix entered the Nigerian market in 2022 after acquiring MainOne, a prominent data centre and connectivity provider, in a $320 million deal.

These ground stations, also known as Gateways, are crucial for Starlink’s satellite-based internet service. They communicate with Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth, facilitating data transmission between the satellites and the internet backbone on the ground.

By establishing local ground stations, Starlink aims to bypass international data centres, potentially reducing latency and improving internet performance for users in Nigeria, offering faster, more reliable internet services for both individual users and businesses.

Starlink entered the Nigerian market in 2022 after obtaining various licenses, including an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), a Sales and Installation license, and an International Gateway license. The company has rapidly become the third-largest ISP in Nigeria as of the first quarter of 2024, indicating its significant impact on the country’s telecom sector.

Despite higher costs compared to local ISPs, Starlink has experienced a customer surge driven by its satellite service’s ability to provide connectivity in areas with poor internet coverage. With the completion of its ground stations, Starlink is set to further solidify its position as a major player in Nigeria’s telecom landscape, offering a new standard for internet connectivity across the country.

Broadcast Media Africa 

Related stories: Starlink Mini Dish Revolutionizing Internet Connectivity in Nigeria

Musk’s Starlink to disrupt ISP market as hope rises for 25m unserved Nigerians

Monday, August 5, 2024

Experts call for a more robust strategy to bridge infrastructure gap in Nigeria



Nigeria's infrastructure budget falls below the World Bank's recommended 70% of GDP, and experts estimate that 3 trillion U.S. dollars is needed over 30 years to bridge this gap.

CGTN