Video - Informal sector in Nigeria booming amidst slumping oil prices

The Nigerian economy's informal sector is booming amid slumping oil prices. Oil accounts for 95% of foreign income and two thirds of government revenue,. however, low prices have led many entrepreneurs to explore other avenues, with estimates now suggesting the informal sector is creating revenues of 178 billion dollars a year.

Nigeria social media bill draws concens

The International Press Institute (IPI) today expressed concern over the potential chilling effect of a controversial social media bill in Nigeria, urging lawmakers not to approve the measure and welcoming President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to veto it if passed.

The “Frivolous Petitions Bill” has drawn controversy for a provision stipulating that anyone who posts an “abusive” statement known to be false with the intent of turning the public against a person, group or government institution via WhatsApp, Twitter or through text message could face up to two years behind bars and two million Nigerian Naira (approximately €9,150) in fines.

Proponents say the bill is necessary to combat the spread of malicious falsehoods, but detractors argue that it would serve to curb free speech and target government critics. The bill, which Nigeria’s Senate advanced beyond a second reading, has been met with strong resistance across Nigeria, spurring a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #NotoSocialMediaBill and leading a presidential spokesperson to declare that Buhari “won’t assent to any legislation that may be inconsistent with the constitution of Nigeria”.

Another troubling provision would require that all petitions or statement intending to report misconduct be accompanied by a sworn affidavit. Failure to submit an affidavit would mean that the complaint could not be used in any official investigation, and the person who made the allegation would then face up to two years in prison and four million Nigerian Naira (approximately €18,300) in fines.

IPI’s Nigerian National Committee in a statement praised Buhari for having “rebuffed the Senate’s bid to lure him into an unwholesome anti-media dragnet” and it called on Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives to ensure that the bill does not become law.

“Like the mainstream media, social media platforms are in need of self-regulation and should embrace the best practices, but the government cannot resort to regulation by toxic legislation…,” the group said. “The people’s right to free speech is inviolable.”

Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki has responded to the criticism of the bill by saying that the bill would not be passed in its current form and that the Senate would ensure that it did not infringe on Nigerians’ freedom of expression. Potential changes, however, remain to be seen.

IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis urged Nigerian lawmakers reviewing the bill to make sure not only that it complies with free speech protections in the country’s Constitution, but that it also meets international standards on free expression.

“We are extremely concerned that the harm this bill could have on Nigerians’ right to share and receive information in the public interest far outweighs any potential benefit”, he said.

IPI

Video - Nigerian refugees say Cameroon troops raided their village

Nigerian villagers fleeing the violence claim they've been attacked - by troops from Cameroon. They say at least 150 villagers people were killed in raids last week. Cameroon's military has denied the claims - though it says it is conducting operations in the area.

Video - Nigeria Lost $1B Per Month Under Goodluck Jonathan

Nigeria's former central bank governor Lamido Sanusi said Africa’s largest economy was losing about $1 billion per month under the previous administration of Goodluck Jonathan due to corruption. Sanusi, who was crowned the emir of Kano state last year, made the remark during a televised interview with PBS NewsHour, which was posted on the network’s YouTube channel Wednesday.

“In Nigeria, there is no accountability at all and that is why I think Nigeria’s corruption is worse than corruption in most parts of the world. It is the worst type of corruption, it’s stealing,” Sanusi told PBS. “Frankly, I think a billion dollars under Jonathan a month was about what we were losing.”

Sanusi lost his job as Central Bank of Nigeria governor in February 2014 after he accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of failing to remit $20 billion in oil money, according to Pulse Nigeria news site. The allegation, however, led then-President Jonathan to authorize an audit into the accounts of the state-run petroleum firm by PriceWaterhouseCooper. Jonathan ordered the report’s release in April this year, after President-elect Muhammadu Buhari said he would look into the missing funds.

“Just over a year ago President Goodluck Jonathan suspended me from my position as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria after I questioned an estimated $20 billion shortfall in oil revenues due to the treasury from the state oil company,” wrote Sanusi, responding to the report in an op-ed published in the Financial Times in May. “As I said then, you can suspend a man, but you cannot suspend the truth. The publication last month of a PwC audit into the ‘missing billions’ brings us a step closer to it.”

Jonathan’s administration has been repeatedly accused of rampant graft and was perhaps one of the main reasons why the Nigerian president and his longtime ruling Peoples Democratic Party lost re-election in March to Buhari of the opposition All Progressives Congress. Since taking office in late May, Buhari has vowed to clean up corruption and hold accountable those responsible. The former military ruler even asked U.S. President Barack Obama to help trace and recover “mind boggling” amounts of stolen money. In the oil sector alone, $150 billion was believed to have been stolen, according to Bloomberg.

International Business Times 

Related stories: Former Nigeria Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi comments on audit that proves missing $18.5 billion

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Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwuse has been crowned the new Ooni of Ife

A 40-year-old accountant has been crowned the new Ooni of Ife - a revered monarch in south-west Nigeria.

The new king Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi is now one of the most influential among the Yoruba people, Nigeria's second biggest ethnic group, of about 35 million in West Africa.

Tens of thousands celebrated in the city of Ife, AFP reports.

He told the BBC he does not intend to get involved in politics, wants unity and will stand for "forthrightness".

The new king said to the BBC's Umar Shehu Elleman that he doesn't want supremacy among leaders.

Instead "we just want to lead by example, do things right and foster unity," he said.

He said he would "guide the leaders" of the country who he said were "very good people" who needed patience.

"I will lead by example. I will stand on the part of transparency, on the part of forthrightness," he said.

He also revealed his mission to "get to the bottom" of the creation of mankind.

"To the entire world it is still a myth that creation started from Ile-Ife but we will still do the research and make it to be known to be fact".

Mr Ogunwusi was a prince from one of the ruling houses in the Ife kingdom and was selected by kingmakers from 21 candidates, including his older brother.

The previous Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuwade, died in a London clinic in July aged 85 after a 35-year reign.

BBC