Trump tells military to prepare for 'action' against Islamist militants in Nigeria

US President Donald Trump has ordered the military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians.

Trump did not say which killings he was referring to, but claims of a genocide against Nigeria's Christians have been circulating in recent weeks and months in some right-wing US circles.

Groups monitoring violence say there is no evidence to suggest that Christians are being killed more than Muslims in Nigeria, which is roughly evenly divided between followers of the two religions.

An advisor to Nigeria's president told the BBC that any military action against the jihadist groups should be carried out together.

Daniel Bwala said Nigeria would welcome US help in tackling the Islamist insurgents but noted that it was a "sovereign" country.

He also said the jihadists were not targeting members of a particular religion and that they had killed people from all faiths, or none.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has insisted there is religious tolerance in the country and said the security challenges were affecting people "across faiths and regions".

Trump wrote in a social media post on Saturday that he had instructed the US Department of War to prepare for "possible action".

And on Sunday, Trump reiterated that his country could deploy troops to Nigeria or carry out airstrikes to stop the alleged killings.

"They're killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria. They're killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We're not going to allow that to happen," the US president said.

In Saturday’s post he warned that he might send the military into Nigeria "guns-a-blazing" unless the Nigerian government intervened, and said that all aid to what he called "the now disgraced country" would be cut.

Trump had said: "If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!"

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth then replied to the post by writing: "Yes sir.

"The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities."

Trump's threat triggered alarm across Nigeria. Many on social media urged the government to step up its fight against Islamist groups to avert a situation where foreign troops are sent into the country.

But Mr Bwala, who said he was a Christian pastor, told the BBC's Newshour programme that Trump had a "unique way of communicating" and that Nigeria was not taking his words literally.

"We know the heart and intent of Trump is to help us fight insecurity," he said, adding that he hoped Trump would meet Tinubu in the coming days to discuss the issue.

Trump earlier announced that he had declared Nigeria a "Country of Particular Concern" because of the "existential threat" posed to its Christian population. He said "thousands" had been killed, without providing any evidence.

This is a designation used by the US State Department that provides for sanctions against countries "engaged in severe violations of religious freedom".

Following this announcement, Tinubu said his government was committed to working with the US and the international community to protect communities of all faiths.

"The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality," the Nigerian leader said in a statement.

Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in north-eastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people - however most of these have been Muslims, according to Acled, a group which analyses political violence around the world.

In central Nigeria, there are also frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and farming groups, who are often Christian, over access to water and pasture.

Deadly cycles of tit-for-tat attacks have also seen thousands killed, but atrocities have been committed on both sides and human rights group say there is no evidence that Christians have been disproportionately targeted.

Trump has frequently expressed satisfaction over not having embroiled the US in a war during his tenure, and has cast himself as a peace-making president.

But the Republican leader is facing a growing number of voices domestically, particularly from the political right, who have drawn attention to the situation in Nigeria.

By Joseph Winter, BBC

Security fears grow as bomb threat targets Nigerian lawmakers

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Garba Muhammad, on Tuesday, disclosed that the group received a bomb threat from a terrorist group.

He noted that the terrorists threatened to bomb the building of NASS, and as a result, called for increased security.

Speaking at an open session on a bill to set up the Legislative Security Directorate, the Chairman of NASS, as seen on Vanguard, claimed that the seat of Nigeria's democracy was increasingly facing serious security challenges, such as car and motorcycle theft, vandalism, fake identity cards, and infiltration by unregistered visitors.

What the National Assembly said

“We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly complex and threats from protesters to lock up the National Assembly,” he stated.

“Legislators are exposed to threats from constituents and others who gain easy access into their offices without any formal appointment,” he added.

Continuing on the subject of safeguarding government officials, including senators, House of Representatives members, and other administrative workers, he stated, “It is obvious that with the ongoing security challenges, if proper measures are not taken, it will truncate the legislative activities in the National Assembly.”

He also noted that “If activities are thwarted, there will be no representation, no oversight, no annual budget, no plenary at all, and that will destabilise legislative procedure, democracy, and the stability of the system, and our nation at large.”

The legislator also called on state Houses of Assembly within the nation to follow suit to guarantee complete and extensive security across Nigeria.

“I also want to admonish our State Houses of Assembly to imbibe the same,” Muhammad added, wishing participants a “peaceful and fruitful hearing that will ultimately bring a turnaround in National Assembly security architecture.”

He pointed out that adopting the law would be a significant step in securing Nigeria's democratic institutions and urged everyone to be in support of it.

By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa

Nigeria’s Nobel-winning author Wole Soyinka says his US visa was revoked

 

Nobel Prize-winning author Wole Soyinka said on Tuesday that his non-resident visa to enter the United States had been rejected, adding that he believes it may be because he recently criticized U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Nigerian author, 91, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, becoming the first African to do so.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Soyinka said he believed it had little to do with him and was instead a product of the United States’ immigration policies. He said he was told to reapply if he wished to enter again.

“It’s not about me, I’m not really interested in going back to the United States,” he said. “But a principle is involved. Human beings deserve to be treated decently wherever they are.”

Soyinka, who has taught in the U.S. and previously held a green card, joked on Tuesday that his green card “had an accident” eight years ago and “fell between a pair of scissors.” In 2017, he destroyed his green card in protest of President Trump’s first inauguration.

The letter he received informing him of his visa revocation cites “additional information became available after the visa was issued,” as the reason for its revocation, but does not describe what that information was.

Soyinka believes it may be because he recently referred to Trump as a “white version of Idi Amin,” a reference to the dictator who ruled Uganda from 1971 until 1979.

The U.S. Consulate in Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos, directed all questions to the State Department press office in Washington, D.C., which did not respond to immediate requests for comment.

Soyinka jokingly referred to it as a “love letter” and said that while he did not blame the officials, he would not be applying for another visa.

“I have no visa. I am banned, obviously, from the United States, and if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”

By Wilson McMakin, AP

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote eyes US$1 billion industrial expansion in Zimbabwe

Nigerian billionaire and Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote is gearing up for a significant investment drive in Zimbabwe as plans advance for a colossal cement, coal mining and power generation complex worth about US$1 billion.

The visit, expected soon, signals a renewed commitment from the Dangote Group, which previously explored Zimbabwe opportunities in 2015 and 2018.

According to organisers familiar with the itinerary, momentum is building for the project, which they believe will bolster Zimbabwe’s standing as a destination for high-value foreign direct investment while creating jobs and driving industrial growth.

Initial engagement between Dangote’s representatives and Zimbabwean officials reportedly took place during the Afreximbank Annual Meetings in Abuja in June.

Paul Tungwarara, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s investment adviser, confirmed that preparations are underway for a high-level meeting between the president and the Nigerian tycoon as per The Zimbabwean.

“The richest man in Africa is coming to Zimbabwe at the invitation of President Mnangagwa,” Tungwarara told journalists. “The two have been in constant communication and we are presently working on the logistical aspects of the visit."

“We are keen to ensure that he makes a significant investment in Zimbabwe and avoid what happened during his previous visit in 2015, when he came but did not return.”

Upon arrival, Dangote is expected to meet President Mnangagwa and senior government officials to discuss key terms, including mining concessions, tax incentives, investment security, and regulatory approvals.

Dangote’s influence across Africa’s energy and industrial future

The Dangote Group operates in 17 African countries across cement, fertiliser, refinery and logistics infrastructure, positioning it as one of the continent’s most transformative corporate forces.

Its landmark US$20 billion refinery in Nigeria aims to drastically reduce Africa’s dependence on imported fuels. Cement production in several countries has already disrupted former import heavy markets while its fertiliser operations are enhancing food security and reducing reliance on overseas supply chains.

In countries including Ethiopia, Senegal, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania, the Group’s investments have reshaped construction material pricing and availability. Expansion into petrochemicals and refined petroleum supply is giving African airlines and industries the prospect of more reliable and competitive energy input.

The move toward Zimbabwe aligns with that long term African industrialisation strategy. Sources say Dangote is considering a vertically integrated complex consisting of a cement factory, limestone quarry and grinding plant supported by a coal mine and a power station. This structure would reduce operational costs, guarantee energy supply and strengthen raw material efficiency.

A delegation from Bard Santner Markets Inc, led by Chief Executive Officer Senziwani Sikhosana, recently visited Dangote’s operations abroad to study the potential scale and adaptability of such an undertaking on Zimbabwean soil.

If talks succeed, the planned project would become one of Zimbabwe’s largest privately led industrial investments in more than a decade. It could reposition the country as a regional supplier of construction materials and energy, helping accelerate its manufacturing revival ambitions.

By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa

Related story: Nigeria refinery aims to be world's biggest with expansion

Nigeria attracts $1.3bn Chinese lithium investment amid push for clean energy value chains

Speaking at the 2025 China Mining Conference in Tianjin, themed “Connect and Collaborate, Co-Build and Co-Share”, Alake praised the growing partnership between Nigeria and China, highlighting how the new wave of investments is helping to reshape the continent’s mineral economy.

“Since September 2023, when this administration assumed office, Chinese companies such as Canmax Technology, Jiuling Lithium, Avatar New Energy Nigeria Company, and Asba have invested over $1.3 billion in lithium processing,” Alake stated in a press briefing released by his media aide, Segun Tomori.

According to the minister, these investments are reducing Nigeria’s dependence on oil, driving economic diversification, and fostering technology transfer and skills development among Nigerian engineers.

“Joint ventures between Chinese and Nigerian companies enhance local capabilities and create new technical jobs for our people,” he added.

Building a continental mining renaissance

Alake, who also serves as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), stressed that Africa must collaborate to establish unified standards and knowledge systems that enable the continent to benefit from its rich mineral deposits fully.

He disclosed that Nigeria has undertaken sweeping reforms to attract investors, including the creation of Mining Marshals and a satellite monitoring system to combat illegal mining and protect licensed operators.

The minister also cited the introduction of technology-based tools such as the Electronic Mining Cadastre (eMC+) and the Nigerian Mineral Resources Decision System (NMRDS), which streamline licensing and mineral data management.

Africa’s green value chain vision

Alake reaffirmed that Nigeria’s goal extends beyond mineral extraction. “Our vision is not only to extract minerals but to build a globally competitive value chain that supports clean energy transition, job creation, and industrial growth—all within the framework of responsible mining,” he said.

He further invited investors and partners to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s lithium, gold, lead-zinc, barite, and rare earth sectors, promising a conducive business climate and incentives for shared prosperity.

With over $1.3 billion already flowing into its lithium ecosystem, Nigeria is emerging as one of Africa’s new frontiers for green mineral investment, signaling a broader continental shift toward resource-based industrialization and sustainable growth.

By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa