From nuclear deal to military co-operation, Russia continues its push into Nigeria

 

Officials from both countries recently discussed the expansion of a defence pact between Nigeria and Russia.

Russian Deputy Minister of Defense Yunus-bek Yevkurov and Chief of Defense Staff of the Nigerian Army Christopher Musa conversed on the subject, as realyed by the Russian embassy.

The embassy further added that both parties seemed pleased with the progress Nigeria and Russia have made regarding military-technical cooperation and discussed plans to deepen the relationship in the area.

Both countries struck an agreement in 2021 for the Russian military to provide training and supplies to its Nigerian counterpart, as seen on Sputnik.

Nigeria and Russia energy deal

Midway into February, Russia and Nigeria got into talks about a nuclear partnership.

The Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, made this known during an interview with the Russian newspaper, Sputnik, on the sidelines of the 38th AU Summit in Addis Ababa.

He disclosed that the West African economic giant and Africa’s largest oil producer is currently negotiating a potential partnership with Russia in nuclear energy and several other areas.

"There are so many opportunities that have been discussed. We have discussed atomic energy, we've discussed mining, we've discussed previous investments during the Soviet era that need to be carried on," the minister revealed.

At the start of the year, Nigeria was accepted as a partner state into the BRICS group of nations, where Russia is a primary stakeholder.

Shortly after, Yusuf Tuggar noted that Nigeria would be bolstering its economic cooperation with other BRICS nations across different sectors.

“The formal acceptance to participate as a partner country [of BRICS] underscores Nigeria's commitment to fostering international collaboration, leveraging economic opportunities, and advancing strategic partnerships that align with Nigeria's development objectives,” he stated at the time.

Nigeria’s current membership falls in line with its original goal, as it had stated back in 2023 that it planned to join BRICS within the next 2 years.

By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa

Musk’s Starlink snaps up market share in Nigeria amid African push

Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service is making significant strides in Nigeria, where it has emerged as the second largest internet service provider (ISP) by customer numbers just two years after its launch.

A recent report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reveals that Starlink had 65,564 subscribers in September 2024, up nearly threefold from 23,897 users at the end of 2023.

In contrast, market leader Spectranet had 105,441 active subscribers in Q3 2024, experiencing a decline of over 8,000 users since December 2023. FiberOne, the country’s third-largest player, had 33,010 customers in the third quarter of last year.

Sadiq Mohammed, a Lagos-based telecoms data analyst, notes that incumbents in the fixed broadband sector have not been able to adequately meet the needs of Nigerian homes and businesses, creating huge unmet demand for fast and reliable internet.

“Users don’t want to experience internet downtime during critical zoom meetings or when they are streaming their favorite (TV) programs. With Starlink, the experience is consistent in terms of speed and reliability,” he tells African Business.

Nigerians willing to pay more

Accessing Starlink in Nigeria costs significantly more compared to local alternatives. However, Mohammed does not view this as a barrier to adoption, noting that Nigerians are “willing to pay more for what works well and what is accessible to them.”

He notes that a standard Starlink kit in Lagos retails at N590,000 ($387), with delivery adding about N32,000 ($21), bringing the total entry cost to N620,000 ($407). In comparison, entry prices for fixed wireless solutions such as LTE/5G, which consists of a home or office router and customer premises equipment from MTN or Airtel, ranges from N20,000 ($13) to N80,000 ($52).

“Fiber options typically range from N50,000 ($32) to N100,000 ($62). That’s 8% to 16% of Starlink’s entry price,” he points out, adding that fiber remains the best alternative to Starlink in terms of speed, but that its widespread adoption is hampered by infrastructure gaps.

“Fiber to the home and office remains the premium choice in terms of speed, capability, and performance. However, last mile fiber penetration is low, even in bustling urban locations like Lagos,” he says.

Aggressive expansion

Besides Nigeria, other key African markets for Starlink include Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and Malawi. The company, which is currently active in 19 African markets, plans to expand to 15 additional markets in 2025.

Starlink has, however, encountered roadblocks in South Africa, the birthplace of its billionaire owner Elon Musk. Despite protracted negotiations, the South African government has been reluctant to grant Starlink a license. Pretoria insists that the firm must cede at least 30% equity in its local unit to ownership by black people, women, youth and people living with disabilities – a requirement for any telecommunications company seeking a license in the country.

Starlink’s aggressive push in Africa has been met with mixed reactions. While some have praised it as a game changer for a continent facing significant gaps in internet coverage, critics charge that Starlink enjoys an unfair advantage over local telcos and ISPs due to its limited investments in local network infrastructure and its owner’s deep pockets.

“I would agree with the critics in this case. Starlink does not actually invest in local infrastructure. Aside from ground stations that act as connection points to local internet exchanges, there’s no other physical presence in the countries where they are licensed to operate,” Mohammed says, noting that this contrasts sharply with local telcos and ISPs, which directly contribute to job creation and economic growth through investments in offices, capital equipment and local operations.

By Lennox Yieke, Africa Business

Nigerian Senate suspends female senator who made sexual harassment claim

The Nigerian Senate has suspended a female senator after she accused its presiding officer of sexual harassment.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was barred from office from Thursday and will have her allowances and security withdrawn for six months after she made an accusation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who denied the claims against him.

On Wednesday, the Senate ethics committee rejected Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition about the alleged harassment, citing procedural rule violations. Her subsequent suspension was justified over an earlier argument that erupted in the Senate about a change in her seating arrangement.

In a TV interview on February 28, Akpoti-Uduaghan – one of only four women in the 109-seat chamber – alleged that Akpabio made unwanted sexual advances towards her in 2023.

“This injustice will not be sustained,” she said on Thursday after she was prevented from speaking in the Senate and escorted out of the chamber by the sergeant-at-arms.

Akpabio has publicly denied any wrongdoing. “Since the 20th of February, I have been inundated with phone calls from various Nigerians. I would like to state that at no time did I sexually harass Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,” he said, speaking at the start of a plenary session on Wednesday.

*Letter to the Nigerian Senate*

The Petition of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Must Be Independently Investigated and Openly Discussed in a Public Hearing that the Accused Does Not Preside.

Two Demands:

1. Swiftly Appoint an Independent Investigator on the Petition of… pic.twitter.com/rdUkDoR7uU

— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) March 6, 2025

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Nigeria’s north-central Kogi Central district, shared a statement on her Facebook page in reaction to the suspension.

“Against the culture of silence, intimidation and victim-shaming; my unjust suspension from the Nigerian Senate invalidates the principles of natural justice, fairness and equity,” she said.

“The illegal suspension does not withdraw my legitimacy as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I will continue to use my duly elected position to serve my constituents and country to the best of my ability till 2027 and beyond.”
Ethics committee ‘not fit for purpose’?

Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said Akpoti-Uduaghan should use her suspension to “learn the rules of the Senate”.

“I asked her what she will gain if she tries to pull the Senate president down,” Bamidele said during the consideration of the petition on the Senate floor.

Critics like Chioma Agwuegbo, executive director of the women’s rights organisation TechHerNG, condemned the ethics committee’s handling of the case, alleging bias.

“The ethics committee to which her petition was referred has shown that it is not fit for purpose,” Agwuegbo said.

Many prominent Nigerian figures and groups have called for a transparent investigation. Many women also expressed their anger over the expulsion on social media with some calling it “oppression”.

Two groups of protesters gathered at the National Assembly ground on Wednesday in the capital, Abuja, one in support of Akpabio and the other for Akpoti-Uduaghan, chanting ”Akpabio must go.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a lawsuit against the Senate president, seeking 100 billion naira ($64,000) in damages.

While rare in Nigeria’s National Assembly, this is not the first time a case involving sexual harassment or assault has emerged. Senator Dino Melaye was accused of threatening to sexually assault Senator Remi Tinubu, the country’s current first lady, but was never charged.

Al Jazeera

Related story: Sexual harassment petition against Nigeria's senate president dismissed

China seeks rights protection for its arrested citizens in Nigeria

Troubled by the incessant arrest of its citizens for fraud and other criminal activities in Nigeria, the Chinese government is stepping in.

Chinese Ambassador Yu Dunhai has asked Nigerian authorities to respect the rights of Chinese citizens arrested in the country. Yu, who led a delegation to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), also suggested the idea of a Chinese team working with the agency to tackle cybercrime.

He expressed regret over the alleged involvement of Chinese citizens in crime in Nigeria.

The Africa Report revealed the mass arrest of Chinese nationals, especially in Lagos and Abuja, for cybercrime and illegal mining activities in January, with sources stating that the Nigerian government’s push for Chinese investments had opened the door to illegal activities.

“As the Chinese ambassador, I would also request that the legitimate right of the Chinese citizens, even if they committed a crime, should be well protected,” he was quoted in a statement issued by Nigeria’s anti-corruption watchdog.

“We understand that over the past couple of months, the EFCC uncovered some cybercrime and telecom frauds which involved some Chinese. As a Chinese ambassador, I feel much regret for that, but as a country that has a big population, there are always some bad apples,” Yu said.

Bola Akinterinwa, the Vice Chancellor of Achievers University, Owo, tells our correspondent that China’s demand for the protection of the rights of the citizens is not out of order but anything more that that would be strange especially because acts of corruption in China carry the death penalty.

Akinterinwa, who is a former head of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, adds that even though Nigeria is bound to enforce its own local laws, it could make exceptions for China in pursuit of its own goals which could have larger benefits for millions of its citizens.

“Nigeria could close its eyes (to infractions) if it wants to get certain deals from China like loans, technology transfer for the sake of its larger interest and then give them soft landing to the Chinese citizens. It is solely within the right of the Nigerian government on what steps to take,” he adds.

Fundamental human rights

He also expressed China’s zero tolerance for corruption, adding that available intelligence suggested that those involved in crime came to Nigeria from other countries.

Responding, EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said the anti-corruption agency will continue to respect the rights of all suspects, including Chinese citizens.

“While we’re preparing for prosecution, they were giving your people Chinese food. That is to show you how we respect fundamental human rights and due process,” said the anti-corruption czar.

Olukoyede said mutual respect and benefit have been the bedrock of the Nigeria-China relationship and this will remain so. He stressed that not all Asians arrested by the EFCC and prosecuted are from China.

Working relationship

China is the largest investor in Nigeria’s solid minerals, especially lithium. However, there have been accusations that a handful of Chinese nationals coming under the guise of investing had been engaged in illegal mining.

Some Nigerian senators had a few weeks ago called for a full investigation and invited immigration officials to explain the influx of such visitors.

However, Nigeria’s foreign ministry downplayed the issue when China’s foreign minister Wang Xi visited in January.

“We shouldn’t single out China and say everything they’re doing is bad. Suffice it to say, Chinese citizens are doing more good than harm in Nigeria,” said Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s foreign minister.

Nigeria’s debt to China exceeds $5bn. The sum is more than the bilateral loans owed to all other countries combined, according to the debt management office. Abuja has also been seeking favours from Beijing especially regarding full membership of BRICS, joining the G20 and getting a permanent seat at the UN Security Council.

However, some illegal activities had become too big to ignore, officials said.

Speaking to The Africa Report, David Aworawo, a professor of international relations at the University of Lagos, says the relationship between Nigeria and China will remain cordial as long as citizens’ rights are respected.

“I don’t see a division in the Nigeria/China relations over the arrests. What needs to be done is what China has said. Let there be respect for human rights and fairness. Once this happens, there shouldn’t be any friction,” Aworawo says.

By Eniola Akinkuotu, The Africa Report

Priest kidnapped and murdered

A Catholic priest has been kidnapped and murdered in the Diocese of Kafanchan, in Nigeria's Middle Belt.

Father Sylvester Okechukwu was taken from his residence on the evening of 4 March, according to a statement released by the diocese. He was found murdered in the early hours today, Wednesday, 5 March.

No reason has been given for his murder at the hands of his abductors.

A statement sent by the diocese to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) states: "The untimely and brutal loss has left us heartbroken and devastated.

"Father Sylvester was a dedicated servant of God, who worked selflessly in the vineyard of the Lord, spreading the message of peace, love and hope. He was always available and accessible to his parishioners.

"His untimely death has left an indelible void within our diocesan family, and we share in the pain of his passing with his family, friends and all those who knew and loved him."

The murder of Father Sylvester comes at a time when another two Nigerian priests - Fathers Matthew David Dutsemi and Abraham Saummam - are still missing, having been abducted on 22nd February in the Diocese of Yola.

This year, five priests and two religious sisters have been kidnapped in Nigeria.

In 2024, 13 priests were kidnapped in Nigeria, all of whom were eventually released.

Insecurity is rife in Nigeria, with Christians complaining about discrimination and persecution in many parts of the country, especially in the north. Besides inter-religious tensions, criminal gangs have kidnapped citizens who are then held for ransom.

ACN has joined the Catholic authorities of Nigeria in calling for prayers for the repose of Father Sylvester and also in their appeal to the government to increase security.

By Filipe d'Avillez, ICN