Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Video - Nigeria has released 244 repentant Boko Haram suspects
Nigeria's Military have released 244 of what the army calls repentant Boko haram suspects who have been undergoing a de-radicalisation programme. The group was handed over to the Borno state government and would later be integrated into the society.
Niger Delta Avengers threaten to attack Nigeria's oil sector
Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers said on Wednesday it planned to launch attacks on the country’s oil sector in the next few days.
The group claimed responsibility for most attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta in 2016, which cut Nigeria’s crude production from a peak of 2.2 million barrels per day to near 1 million barrels per day. That was the lowest level seen in Africa’s top oil producer in at least 30 years.
“This round of attacks will be the most deadly and will be targeting the deep sea operations of the multinationals,” it said in a statement on its website.
The group, which wants a greater share of Nigeria’s energy wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region, said its targets would include Bonga Platform, Agbami, EA Field, Brittania-U Field, Akpo Field. In November, the group said it had ended a ceasefire.
In 2016 the Niger Delta Avengers bombed the Forcados sub-sea pipeline, a strike which involved the use of divers.
Since January 2017 no substantial attacks have been carried out by any groups in the Delta, Nigeria’s southern oil production heartland.
The group claimed responsibility for most attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta in 2016, which cut Nigeria’s crude production from a peak of 2.2 million barrels per day to near 1 million barrels per day. That was the lowest level seen in Africa’s top oil producer in at least 30 years.
“This round of attacks will be the most deadly and will be targeting the deep sea operations of the multinationals,” it said in a statement on its website.
The group, which wants a greater share of Nigeria’s energy wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region, said its targets would include Bonga Platform, Agbami, EA Field, Brittania-U Field, Akpo Field. In November, the group said it had ended a ceasefire.
In 2016 the Niger Delta Avengers bombed the Forcados sub-sea pipeline, a strike which involved the use of divers.
Since January 2017 no substantial attacks have been carried out by any groups in the Delta, Nigeria’s southern oil production heartland.
Bill Gates charity to pay off $76 milion of Nigeria's debt
Bill Gates’ charitable foundation has agreed to pay Nigeria’s debt to Japan so the African nation can become polio-free.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced it will shoulder the $76m debt for Africa’s largest economy, which is recoveringfrom its first recession in 20 years.
Nigeria originally took the loan in 2014 and payments are set to start this year and will be repaid over a 20-year period.
The loan was part of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) provided by the Japanese government in 2014 for increased polio eradication efforts.
According to Quartz Africa, the Gates Foundation agreed to pay the loan on Nigeria’s behalf after the country “achiev[ed] more than 80% vaccination coverage in at least one round each year in very high risk areas across 80% of the country’s local government areas.”
Nigeria had completed a full year in 2017 without any reported polio cases.
However Paulin Basinga, Country Director Nigeria, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, told The Independent that the Gates Foundation is “pleased to repay the loan to the Government of Japan thanks to the strong leadership of the Nigerian government in polio eradication.”
However, Mr Basinga warned that though the country has not seen a polio case in over a year, there is an “ongoing risk” because the virus has not been completely eradicated.
Only six years ago, Nigeria accounted for nearly half of all polio cases so even if there are concerns it appears the country is progressing.
You do not have access to view this Atom.
The country came close to a polio-free year in 2016 - there were no reported cases between mid-2014 and August 2016 - but then the World Health Organisation reported two cases in the remote and volatile northeast of the country, a region notoriously out of reach to medical professionals.
Polio eradication is one the Gates Foundation’s steadfast priorities, having helped India eradicate the disease nearly seven years ago. It even pledged to double-match funds of other charity groups like Rotary International meaning up to $450m could be raised in order to fight the virus.
There is no cure for the disease but it has been shown to not be able to survive in animals and can only live outside of humans for two months.
The key is widespread vaccination.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced it will shoulder the $76m debt for Africa’s largest economy, which is recoveringfrom its first recession in 20 years.
Nigeria originally took the loan in 2014 and payments are set to start this year and will be repaid over a 20-year period.
The loan was part of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) provided by the Japanese government in 2014 for increased polio eradication efforts.
According to Quartz Africa, the Gates Foundation agreed to pay the loan on Nigeria’s behalf after the country “achiev[ed] more than 80% vaccination coverage in at least one round each year in very high risk areas across 80% of the country’s local government areas.”
Nigeria had completed a full year in 2017 without any reported polio cases.
However Paulin Basinga, Country Director Nigeria, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, told The Independent that the Gates Foundation is “pleased to repay the loan to the Government of Japan thanks to the strong leadership of the Nigerian government in polio eradication.”
However, Mr Basinga warned that though the country has not seen a polio case in over a year, there is an “ongoing risk” because the virus has not been completely eradicated.
Only six years ago, Nigeria accounted for nearly half of all polio cases so even if there are concerns it appears the country is progressing.
You do not have access to view this Atom.
The country came close to a polio-free year in 2016 - there were no reported cases between mid-2014 and August 2016 - but then the World Health Organisation reported two cases in the remote and volatile northeast of the country, a region notoriously out of reach to medical professionals.
Polio eradication is one the Gates Foundation’s steadfast priorities, having helped India eradicate the disease nearly seven years ago. It even pledged to double-match funds of other charity groups like Rotary International meaning up to $450m could be raised in order to fight the virus.
There is no cure for the disease but it has been shown to not be able to survive in animals and can only live outside of humans for two months.
The key is widespread vaccination.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Video - Boko Haram claims new video shows some Chibok hostages
Boko Haram has released a video purportedly showing some of the remaining girls who were kidnapped from the north-eastern Nigerian town of Chibok in 2014. Around one-hundred of the 2-hundred and 70 abducted schoolgirls remain in captivity. The 21-minute video clip has yet to be verified. Let's take a look.
Monday, January 15, 2018
Video - Nigerian stock market in three year high, forex reserves hit US$40 bln
Nigeria's Central Bank says that the country's foreign reserves reached $40.4 billion as of January 5th, marking an increase of roughly $1 billion from December. [TAKE: Gfx] Successful debt sales, including multiple Eurobond offerings last year, have helped the government accrue billions of dollars in foreign reserves, although they remain far from the peak of $64 billion in August 2008. The country's stock exchange also recorded a high of 40,000 points on Tuesday, a level was last experienced in October 2014.
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