The auditoriums of Nigeria's mega churches are empty and their gates are shut as they are forced to observe a government ban on large gatherings to halt the spread of coronavirus.
But it took not only threats, but force and arrests for the message to get across.
In some cases those in charge of making the churches bolt their doors turned to the scriptures.
"May I use the words of [Prophet] Mordechai: 'For such as time as this we do what is appropriate,'" said the leader of an enforcing team in the capital, Abuja, as he arrested a pastor in front of his congregation.
Dressed all in black, had he had a collar he would have passed for a preacher with his baritone voice and gesticulations.
The pastor he led out of the church, donned in a burgundy-coloured suit, shiny black shoes and with hair that glowed in the sun, looked like many of those who now lead huge congregations in the West African nation.
These preachers have changed the face of Christianity in Nigeria - with their evangelical sermons, prophecies and promises of miracles.
Conspiracy theories
One of the most famous of these is TB Joshua, who last month claimed to be divinely inspired, predicting that the coronavirus pandemic would be over by 27 March, several days before a lockdown was imposed on the states of Lagos, Ogun and the capital, Abuja.
"By the end of this month, whether we like it or not, no matter the medicine they might have produced to cure whatever, it will go the way it came," he said to applause from his congregation.
When 27 March passed the TV evangelist found himself mocked for his "false prophesy".
But he defended himself - once again to cheers from worshippers - by saying: "What I meant was that the virus would be halted where it began, and in Wuhan it has stopped."
Other pastors have been accused of flying in the face of the authorities and spreading fake news, impeding efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The biggest controversy has been caused by Christ Embassy pastor Chris Oyakhilome, who in a video post that went viral, linked the virus to 5G networks and alleged that it was part of a plot to create a "new world order".
Such views have been widely condemned by scientists, who say the idea of a connection between Covid-19 and 5G is "complete rubbish" and biologically impossible.
Online prayer services
For some Christians, especially those who belong to the dwindling pews of the Anglican and Catholic churches, more needs to be done to weaken the influence of the mega pastors who exploit vulnerable people.
"Those that sell us the miracle waters, the holy oils and all that, this is the time to prove it," said Blessing Ugonna, a woman I met in Lagos.
But many of the mega churches, which run multi-million dollar business empires, have adapted to the changes brought about by the virus.
They are streaming prayer services online, and some families are trying to create an atmosphere at home by dressing up in their Sunday outfits with the head of the household even collecting "offerings" - or money - from the rest of the family to give to their church.
The churches are also making donations to the government and financially stricken worshippers in a move that is likely to see them retain popularity.
Pastor Enoch Adeboye - the head of Redeemed Christian Church of God that has a branch in almost every street in mainly Christian cities and towns in southern Nigeria - has donated 200,000 hand gloves, 8,000 hand sanitisers, 8,000 surgical face masks to the Lagos state government..
And the Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention Church - whose self-styled prophet Chukwuemeka Odumeje once caused a stir on social media for wrestling a congregant he claimed to be possessed by a demon - has earned some praise on Twitter for giving food to people who risk hunger during the two-week lockdown.
Empty streets on Holy week
Nevertheless, many Christians still yearn to go to church - and last Sunday was particularly difficult for them as it was Palm Sunday.
Usually, the streets of Lagos are packed on the day, with processions being held as the faithful wave palm leaves and re-enact Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem days before his crucifixion.
The streets were empty this year - just as they are likely to be over the Easter weekend.
But I did bump into a group of four - three women and a man - returning from a small service held in someone's home.
When I asked them why they had ignored advice to pray alone in their own homes, one of them replied: "Even the Bible said that where two or three are gathered, He is there in their midst. The Bible did not say one person."
'Prayer warriors'
I then went to the headquarters of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, known for its intense prayer sessions, in Ogun state.
The security guards told me there was no service.
"Not even an online service?" I asked.
"Not even online," one of them, dressed in a lemon-coloured vest, replied.
"So how are people keeping the faith?" I inquired.
He dug into his bag and put a booklet into my hands.
"That's what they are reading while the lockdown lasts," he said, before walking away and shutting the gate with more force than was required.
The 60-page booklet was called Thirty Days Prayer Retreat - with recitations from the books of the Bible.
It will not be surprising if the "prayer warriors", as the church calls some of its worshippers, complete it during the 14-day lockdown, rather than in a month.
By Nduka Orjinmo
BBC
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Nigeria visa firm owned by man on fraud charges
The owner of the Nigerian government-appointed company which produces visas for people wishing to travel to Nigeria from around the world is facing charges of fraud and money laundering in Nigeria in relation to a different company, the BBC has learnt in a joint investigation with the Premium Times.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the visa-processing company and the allegations have no relation to the management of the visa business.
Mahmood Ahmadu, together with his former company Drexel Tech, was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on two counts of fraud and three counts of money laundering.
Three others, including former Interior Minister Abba Moro, face charges of fraud and breach of public procurement laws.
All those charged, including Mr Moro and Mr Ahmadu, deny any wrongdoing.
Mr Ahmadu has been highly regarded in Nigeria and was given the Order Of The Niger, a prestigious national award, by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.
His lawyers say at no time did the EFCC or any other authority in Nigeria or elsewhere declare him "wanted". They say he is not standing trial. He maintains his innocence and his lawyers deny that he is facing charges.
Stadium stampede
But the EFCC charge sheet alleges that Mr Ahmadu, together with other defendants, was involved in organising a recruitment exercise that led to the deaths of Nigerians.
Mr Ahmadu's former company, Drexel Tech, was engaged in 2013 to organise a recruitment drive supposedly for 4,000 vacancies in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
However the NIS later said there were no vacancies. In total, 676,675 Nigerians applied for the jobs, paying 1,000 naira (£2; $2.30) each to register.
When dates for a recruitment exercise were set, several people died during a stampede as thousands of jobseekers scrambled into the Abuja National Stadium to take part in the exercise allegedly organised by the Interior Ministry.
"I was surprised about the recruitment exercise because I was not aware of it," then NIS Controller General, David Paradang, later told the Federal High Court in Abuja.
'Hiding in Europe'
The EFCC has said that Mr Ahmadu, who the charge sheet describes as "at large", and the co-accused, made a total of 677m naira (£1.4m; $1.6m) from the recruitment exercise.
The charge sheet alleges that Mr Ahmadu and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd spent part of the money to purchase property in Abuja while just over 100 million naira, it is claimed, was converted to dollars for the personal use of Mr Ahmadu and the company.
While all the other co-accused, including Mr Moro, presented themselves for questioning and are currently standing trial, the EFCC says that Mr Ahmadu did not come forward to talk about his alleged role in the recruitment exercise.
Back in 2016, then spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujiaren, told the Nation newspaper: "We may enlist Interpol and relevant agencies in the UK to track down Mahmood Ahmadu. He used to have companies in the UK and with his biometrics, there is no hiding place for him. We have already watch-listed him."
Last week, the EFCC's current spokesperson, Tony Orilade, told the BBC that there is still a case against Mr Ahmadu.
"The charge sheet reads that he is at large. The position of the EFCC is clear: the proceeds of the recruitment remains illegal...
"The EFCC is aware he is hiding in Europe. He has not been seen since arraignment."
By Sam Piranty
BBC
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the visa-processing company and the allegations have no relation to the management of the visa business.
Mahmood Ahmadu, together with his former company Drexel Tech, was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on two counts of fraud and three counts of money laundering.
Three others, including former Interior Minister Abba Moro, face charges of fraud and breach of public procurement laws.
All those charged, including Mr Moro and Mr Ahmadu, deny any wrongdoing.
Mr Ahmadu has been highly regarded in Nigeria and was given the Order Of The Niger, a prestigious national award, by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.
His lawyers say at no time did the EFCC or any other authority in Nigeria or elsewhere declare him "wanted". They say he is not standing trial. He maintains his innocence and his lawyers deny that he is facing charges.
Stadium stampede
But the EFCC charge sheet alleges that Mr Ahmadu, together with other defendants, was involved in organising a recruitment exercise that led to the deaths of Nigerians.
Mr Ahmadu's former company, Drexel Tech, was engaged in 2013 to organise a recruitment drive supposedly for 4,000 vacancies in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
However the NIS later said there were no vacancies. In total, 676,675 Nigerians applied for the jobs, paying 1,000 naira (£2; $2.30) each to register.
When dates for a recruitment exercise were set, several people died during a stampede as thousands of jobseekers scrambled into the Abuja National Stadium to take part in the exercise allegedly organised by the Interior Ministry.
"I was surprised about the recruitment exercise because I was not aware of it," then NIS Controller General, David Paradang, later told the Federal High Court in Abuja.
'Hiding in Europe'
The EFCC has said that Mr Ahmadu, who the charge sheet describes as "at large", and the co-accused, made a total of 677m naira (£1.4m; $1.6m) from the recruitment exercise.
The charge sheet alleges that Mr Ahmadu and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd spent part of the money to purchase property in Abuja while just over 100 million naira, it is claimed, was converted to dollars for the personal use of Mr Ahmadu and the company.
While all the other co-accused, including Mr Moro, presented themselves for questioning and are currently standing trial, the EFCC says that Mr Ahmadu did not come forward to talk about his alleged role in the recruitment exercise.
Back in 2016, then spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujiaren, told the Nation newspaper: "We may enlist Interpol and relevant agencies in the UK to track down Mahmood Ahmadu. He used to have companies in the UK and with his biometrics, there is no hiding place for him. We have already watch-listed him."
Last week, the EFCC's current spokesperson, Tony Orilade, told the BBC that there is still a case against Mr Ahmadu.
"The charge sheet reads that he is at large. The position of the EFCC is clear: the proceeds of the recruitment remains illegal...
"The EFCC is aware he is hiding in Europe. He has not been seen since arraignment."
By Sam Piranty
BBC
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
'The Fastest Shedder,' the reality show fighting obesity in Nigeria
The show, which started in 2015, is Nigeria's first weight-loss reality show and is modeled on the 'Biggest Loser' in the United States.
"I believe in working out anywhere with anything if you can afford it, some can't afford a personal trainer or you can't afford to go to all the way to the gym, you could just work out in the comfort of your home, office, anywhere. So, I just use my creativity to bring up routines," Olusore told CNN.
Rigorous training
Olusore says he was inspired to create the show as a way to enlighten Nigerians about the benefits of practicing healthy eating habits and keeping fit.
It is a 90-day weight-loss reality show for women that incorporates physical training and healthy eating habits.
"I've realized that a lot of women, a lot of plus size women, they face body shaming. They are quick to...look down on themselves in terms of self-esteem," he said.
About two-thirds of Nigerian adults are either obese or overweight, according to a study by BMC public health,
Olusore wants to reduce these numbers.
The fastest shedder gathers 10 plus-sized women interested in losing weight and puts them through rigorous training on TV.
The winner is usually the contestant with the highest weight loss percentage after 90 days.
The show has different trainers who handle different activities that help the contestants lose weight like Zumba, aqua aerobics, cardio, yoga, and kickboxing.
After 21 days, contestants who record the lowest weight loss gains are put up for eviction. Their continued stay in the house is decided by their housemates and viewers who are able to vote online.
Past winners have won a car and a trip to Dubai.
The show, which is currently in its third season, sees the contestants take part in a 21-day detox diet and they are expected to drink at least three liters of water per day.
Like all great reality shows, it is the contestants journies that keeps the viewers coming back. Those like Yetunde Sarah who told CNN she is trying to learn to love her body after years of emotional turmoil.
"After all that I have been through in my life... emotionally, psychologically, mentally, everything. I just decided one day, and I said this is the time for me to love myself more," she told CNN.
Passion over profit
The show is something of a labor of love for Olusore, who has to sometimes dig into personal funds and rely on family and friends to bail him out to keep it running.
"We're giving them [the contestants] clothes; we're giving them the best of the best trainers... imagine having to rely on my funds that, you know, I'm supposed to take care of myself and my family, but I'm now spending, sacrificing it on the Fastest Shedder," he said.
Despite the challenges, Olusore says more than anything else, he is more passionate about helping people keep fit and eat healthily.
"It's something I just love doing, it's passion over profit. When I see persons, who couldn't fit into some clothes, fit into it... that alone gives me more joy... So it's fulfillment for me," he said.
CNN
Nigeria COVID-19 survivor: 'An experience I don't wish on anyone'
The 29-year-old Nigerian activist was in the United Kingdom capital to attend on March 9 the Commonwealth Day Service, where she was the official flag bearer.
But after arriving in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, she fell ill and decided to get tested for COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The test came back positive and Osowobi was taken to a specialised facility to receive medical care. She remained at an isolation ward until last week, when she was discharged following her recovery from COVID-19.
Osowobi, who runs the Stand to End Rape Initiative, a group advocating against sexual violence, spoke to Al Jazeera about contracting the new coronavirus, her experience at the isolation centre and what she plans to do now. The interview below has slightly been edited for brevity and clarity.
Al Jazeera: How does it feel having recovered from the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19)?
Osowobi: It feels great to have survived COVID-19. If you see the data of people who have passed away due to the virus, they are alarming. I'm really grateful to be alive but also grateful for the experience as I am able to share with people that COVID-19 is not a hoax like many people may believe in Nigeria.
Al Jazeera: What symptoms did you have when you fell ill? How did it feel?
Osowobi: I had high fever, was coughing heavily and had loss of appetite. I had a lot of symptoms on the COVID-19 list so I knew I had to get tested just to be sure of what the situation was because I was feeling really sick and wasn't getting better.
The virus kicked my system. It made me very weak. I was dizzy every second, I was throwing up. I lost my sense of taste but my sense of smell heightened so I could smell everything like water, food, even soaps. Everything was just disgusting to me. It was a very tough period, a very tough moment for me but I am happy I beat it.
It was an experience I don't wish anyone to have.
Al Jazeera: What was running through your mind when you found out that your test was positive?
Osowobi: The first thing that came to my mind was, "Am I going to die?" I feared that am I going to be one of the people to be counted as dead. I was asking myself, "Is Nigeria ready to handle the situation? Is Lagos state capable to handle the situation as of now?"
I was just very scared.
Al Jazeera: What was the experience with the doctors and nurses at the treatment centre?
Osowobi: It was good. Despite a very shaky start, we were able to build a relationship as things went by. I was also able to see how much they were trying their best to provide top-notch service to everyone at the centre, including myself. I had one doctor's number, so I would text him to tell him of my symptoms or call him if I was feeling a certain way.
When I was still vomiting, I would text him to say, "Help me, I don't want to die." Some of the nurses would come in and encourage me, say a word of prayer with me.
Al Jazeera: What kind of treatment were you given?
Osowobi: I was given a couple of medications to handle COVID-19 and also to handle the side effects of the medications. There was even a time the medication for my vomiting wasn't working, so I had to be given injections to suppress the desire to vomit. I had to make a conscious decision not to vomit because I needed to retain the medicine inside my system. But the virus was throwing everything out. It was a battle I won at the end.
Al Jazeera: When did the things change?
Osowobi: I re-examined my survival chances when I started getting better by the day. The vomiting had stopped, the stooling had stopped, the dizziness was gradually getting less effective - so it was an indication I was getting well. I was really excited. It renewed my hope of surviving this. They were checking my temperature in the morning, afternoon and at night - and it was getting better. My blood pressure was getting better. My pulse was getting better. I got my sense of taste back. So, I began to re-evaluate my chances of survival that yes, I could beat this.
Al Jazeera: What was running through your mind when you found out that your test was positive?
Osowobi: The first thing that came to my mind was, "Am I going to die?" I feared that am I going to be one of the people to be counted as dead. I was asking myself, "Is Nigeria ready to handle the situation? Is Lagos state capable to handle the situation as of now?"
I was just very scared.
Al Jazeera: What was the experience with the doctors and nurses at the treatment centre?
Osowobi: It was good. Despite a very shaky start, we were able to build a relationship as things went by. I was also able to see how much they were trying their best to provide top-notch service to everyone at the centre, including myself. I had one doctor's number, so I would text him to tell him of my symptoms or call him if I was feeling a certain way.
When I was still vomiting, I would text him to say, "Help me, I don't want to die." Some of the nurses would come in and encourage me, say a word of prayer with me.
Al Jazeera: What kind of treatment were you given?
Osowobi: I was given a couple of medications to handle COVID-19 and also to handle the side effects of the medications. There was even a time the medication for my vomiting wasn't working, so I had to be given injections to suppress the desire to vomit. I had to make a conscious decision not to vomit because I needed to retain the medicine inside my system. But the virus was throwing everything out. It was a battle I won at the end.
Al Jazeera: When did the things change?
Osowobi: I re-examined my survival chances when I started getting better by the day. The vomiting had stopped, the stooling had stopped, the dizziness was gradually getting less effective - so it was an indication I was getting well. I was really excited. It renewed my hope of surviving this. They were checking my temperature in the morning, afternoon and at night - and it was getting better. My blood pressure was getting better. My pulse was getting better. I got my sense of taste back. So, I began to re-evaluate my chances of survival that yes, I could beat this.
Al Jazeera
Nigeria seeks $6.9bn from lenders to fund coronavirus fight
Nigeria is requesting $6.9bn from multilateral lenders to combat the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Africa's biggest economy, the finance minister said on Monday.
Nigeria, whose revenues have tumbled with the fall in oil prices, has asked for $3.4bn from the International Monetary Fund, $2.5bn from the World Bank and $1bn from the African Development Bank, said Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning Zainab Ahmed.
Nigeria is the African continent's biggest oil producer and is still recovering from a recession caused by the last period of weak oil prices. As of Sunday, it had 232 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and five deaths.
A two-week lockdown was imposed last week on Lagos State, home to the nation's sprawling commercial hub, as well as neighbouring Ogun State and the capital territory of Abuja, to prevent the virus spreading across the country.
The minister told a news conference in Abuja that Nigeria was one of several African states seeking the suspension of debt-servicing obligations for 2020 and 2021 from multilateral lenders.
The requests are part of a broader debate over debt relief. But analysts say securing such relief will be a challenge as it requires winning approval from a disparate array of creditors.
The IMF, which has received requests for help from about 80 nations, including 20 African countries, is making about $50bn available from its emergency financing facilities to help countries cope with the crisis. The World Bank has approved a $14bn response package.
Nigeria's finance minister said IMF support would not be tied to a formal programme and the funds would not have conditions attached.
Cutting spending
"It is important to clarify that Nigeria does not intend to negotiate or enter into a formal programme with the International Monetary Fund, at this time, or in the foreseeable future," Ahmed added.
The government said last month that spending in the $34.6bn budget for 2020 would have to be cut by around $4.9bn due to low oil prices and the impact of the pandemic, which has driven down global demand for fuel.
The minister said the budget would assume an oil price of $30 a barrel, down from $57, and production of 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) rather than 2.1 million bpd.
"The emerging health and economic risks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and decline in international oil prices pose existential threats to Nigeria's economy, healthcare system, national security, as well as the lives of our citizens," said Ahmed.
Nigeria, where economic growth had been about two percent, is still struggling to shake off a 2016 recession caused by a previous slide in oil prices to below $30 a barrel. In the latest crisis, oil prices plunged to a nearly two-decade low of close to $20 per barrel.
Fitch Ratings on Monday pushed Nigeria's debt rating deeper into "junk" territory, rating it a "B" and saying it expected the virus pandemic to drive the economy back into recession. It forecast the economy would contract one percent in 2020.
Ahmed said the government had provided 102.5 billion naira ($270m) to support the healthcare sector, of which 6.5 billion naira ($16m) had already been made available as critical expenditure for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Lagos State, where most confirmed cases of the virus in the country have been identified, had received 10 billion naira ($26m) in emergency funding, the minister said.
On Saturday, the government said it planned to create a coronavirus fund to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure.
On Monday, Ahmed said the president approved the fund and said backing from lawmakers was being sought to borrow the money from special accounts.
Al Jazeera
Nigeria, whose revenues have tumbled with the fall in oil prices, has asked for $3.4bn from the International Monetary Fund, $2.5bn from the World Bank and $1bn from the African Development Bank, said Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning Zainab Ahmed.
Nigeria is the African continent's biggest oil producer and is still recovering from a recession caused by the last period of weak oil prices. As of Sunday, it had 232 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and five deaths.
A two-week lockdown was imposed last week on Lagos State, home to the nation's sprawling commercial hub, as well as neighbouring Ogun State and the capital territory of Abuja, to prevent the virus spreading across the country.
The minister told a news conference in Abuja that Nigeria was one of several African states seeking the suspension of debt-servicing obligations for 2020 and 2021 from multilateral lenders.
The requests are part of a broader debate over debt relief. But analysts say securing such relief will be a challenge as it requires winning approval from a disparate array of creditors.
The IMF, which has received requests for help from about 80 nations, including 20 African countries, is making about $50bn available from its emergency financing facilities to help countries cope with the crisis. The World Bank has approved a $14bn response package.
Nigeria's finance minister said IMF support would not be tied to a formal programme and the funds would not have conditions attached.
Cutting spending
"It is important to clarify that Nigeria does not intend to negotiate or enter into a formal programme with the International Monetary Fund, at this time, or in the foreseeable future," Ahmed added.
The government said last month that spending in the $34.6bn budget for 2020 would have to be cut by around $4.9bn due to low oil prices and the impact of the pandemic, which has driven down global demand for fuel.
The minister said the budget would assume an oil price of $30 a barrel, down from $57, and production of 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) rather than 2.1 million bpd.
"The emerging health and economic risks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and decline in international oil prices pose existential threats to Nigeria's economy, healthcare system, national security, as well as the lives of our citizens," said Ahmed.
Nigeria, where economic growth had been about two percent, is still struggling to shake off a 2016 recession caused by a previous slide in oil prices to below $30 a barrel. In the latest crisis, oil prices plunged to a nearly two-decade low of close to $20 per barrel.
Fitch Ratings on Monday pushed Nigeria's debt rating deeper into "junk" territory, rating it a "B" and saying it expected the virus pandemic to drive the economy back into recession. It forecast the economy would contract one percent in 2020.
Ahmed said the government had provided 102.5 billion naira ($270m) to support the healthcare sector, of which 6.5 billion naira ($16m) had already been made available as critical expenditure for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Lagos State, where most confirmed cases of the virus in the country have been identified, had received 10 billion naira ($26m) in emergency funding, the minister said.
On Saturday, the government said it planned to create a coronavirus fund to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure.
On Monday, Ahmed said the president approved the fund and said backing from lawmakers was being sought to borrow the money from special accounts.
Al Jazeera
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Trapped by Coronavirus, Nigeria’s Elite Faces Squalid Hospitals
For decades, powerful Nigerians could ignore the government’s failure to invest adequately in the health-care system by seeking medical treatment abroad. The coronavirus pandemic means they can no longer escape.
Since Nigeria identified its first case in late February, President Muhammadu Buhari has responded by closing the borders and imposing a lockdown on two key cities and the state of Ogun, an industrial hub. Commercial flights and private jets have been grounded. Like most African countries, Nigeria is now largely cut off from the world.
The pandemic has forced much of Africa’s elite into a unique situation where it’s no longer possible to fly to the U.K., France or India to see a doctor, a practice that’s become commonplace even among the affluent middle class.
Buhari was widely criticized for spending more than five months in the U.K. in 2017 for an undisclosed ailment. Last year, Gabon’s president, Ali Bongo, recovered in Morocco from a stroke, while Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s former leader, died in a hospital in Singapore.
In Nigeria, the coronavirus has so far infected 174 people, including Abba Kyari, Buhari’s chief of staff, a man regarded as the second-most powerful in the country. Four out of 36 state governors and a son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have also tested positive. A former senior executive of the state oil company, Suleiman Achimugu, was the first Covid-19 fatality.
‘Total Collapse’
Dozens of senior public officials, including state governors and lawmakers, have gone into isolation. If they get sick, they will have to rely on a weak health system that is at risk of crumbling under the weight of a larger outbreak, according to Francis Faduyile, head of the Nigerian Medical Association, an umbrella group for doctors.
“The health system is not strong enough,” Faduyile said by phone from Lagos. “Over the years, it’s been denied normal funding and things are not where they’re supposed to be. If the burden of the coronavirus is added, it may be too heavy; it may actually cause a total collapse.”
Among Nigeria’s registered health professionals are 75,000 doctors, 180,709 nurses and 25,000 pharmacists, according to the health ministry. With 0.5% hospital beds per 1,000 people and a population of roughly 200 million, that’s far below thresholds set by the World Health Organization. Only five laboratories are able to test for the virus.
Health spending at around 5% of the budget in the past decade falls short of the African Union’s recommended minimum of 15% and has been mostly focused on recurrent spending, with little capital investment made over the years, according to BudgiT, a civil-society group that tracks government expenditure. A National Health Act that came into effect in 2015 and requires that 1% of government revenue is set aside for basic health care has yet to be implemented.
Even those numbers may not tell the whole story as officials of the medical association say about half of all registered doctors have emigrated to the U.K., the U.S., Canada, Australia and other parts of the world.
While Faduyile said there’s still time for the government to institute large-scale preventative measures, a wider coronavirus outbreak would leave everyone in Africa’s most populous country -- the rich, the poor and the middle class -- scrambling for service in poorly equipped hospitals.
“It’s going to be a lesson for those who think they can neglect the health system,” Faduyile said. “The highest of the government officials, some of them will be infected, and they’ll have no option but to get local treatment.”
By Dulue Mbachu
Bloomberg
Since Nigeria identified its first case in late February, President Muhammadu Buhari has responded by closing the borders and imposing a lockdown on two key cities and the state of Ogun, an industrial hub. Commercial flights and private jets have been grounded. Like most African countries, Nigeria is now largely cut off from the world.
The pandemic has forced much of Africa’s elite into a unique situation where it’s no longer possible to fly to the U.K., France or India to see a doctor, a practice that’s become commonplace even among the affluent middle class.
Buhari was widely criticized for spending more than five months in the U.K. in 2017 for an undisclosed ailment. Last year, Gabon’s president, Ali Bongo, recovered in Morocco from a stroke, while Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s former leader, died in a hospital in Singapore.
In Nigeria, the coronavirus has so far infected 174 people, including Abba Kyari, Buhari’s chief of staff, a man regarded as the second-most powerful in the country. Four out of 36 state governors and a son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have also tested positive. A former senior executive of the state oil company, Suleiman Achimugu, was the first Covid-19 fatality.
‘Total Collapse’
Dozens of senior public officials, including state governors and lawmakers, have gone into isolation. If they get sick, they will have to rely on a weak health system that is at risk of crumbling under the weight of a larger outbreak, according to Francis Faduyile, head of the Nigerian Medical Association, an umbrella group for doctors.
“The health system is not strong enough,” Faduyile said by phone from Lagos. “Over the years, it’s been denied normal funding and things are not where they’re supposed to be. If the burden of the coronavirus is added, it may be too heavy; it may actually cause a total collapse.”
Among Nigeria’s registered health professionals are 75,000 doctors, 180,709 nurses and 25,000 pharmacists, according to the health ministry. With 0.5% hospital beds per 1,000 people and a population of roughly 200 million, that’s far below thresholds set by the World Health Organization. Only five laboratories are able to test for the virus.
Health spending at around 5% of the budget in the past decade falls short of the African Union’s recommended minimum of 15% and has been mostly focused on recurrent spending, with little capital investment made over the years, according to BudgiT, a civil-society group that tracks government expenditure. A National Health Act that came into effect in 2015 and requires that 1% of government revenue is set aside for basic health care has yet to be implemented.
Even those numbers may not tell the whole story as officials of the medical association say about half of all registered doctors have emigrated to the U.K., the U.S., Canada, Australia and other parts of the world.
While Faduyile said there’s still time for the government to institute large-scale preventative measures, a wider coronavirus outbreak would leave everyone in Africa’s most populous country -- the rich, the poor and the middle class -- scrambling for service in poorly equipped hospitals.
“It’s going to be a lesson for those who think they can neglect the health system,” Faduyile said. “The highest of the government officials, some of them will be infected, and they’ll have no option but to get local treatment.”
By Dulue Mbachu
Bloomberg
Nigeria becomes eight African nation to welcome bitcoin ATMs
Blockstale BTM, the company that installed the ATM in the Dazey Lounge and Bar in Lagos state, plans to launch more than 30 more terminals across Nigeria.
“Despite all the legal uncertainties about cryptocurrencies in Nigeria, Nigerians happen to be the highest crypto traders in Africa,” Blockstale’s chief executive and founder, Daniel Adekunle, told local media on April 1.
Adekunle developed his Bitcoin ATMs in partnership with a tech firm based in Shenzhen, China.
Nigeria welcomes Africa’s 15th Bitcoin ATM
Despite being home to the largest trade volume in Africa, Nigeria is the eighth country in the continent to host a Bitcoin ATM — with Blockstale’s comprising the 15th in Africa.
According to CoinATMRadar, South Africa is home to seven crypto ATMs, Ghana hosts two, and Botswana, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe each have a single terminal.
With Nigeria comprising Africa’s largest economy and population, the country’s first Bitcoin ATM may be a signpost for broader adoption across the continent. Coinstale’s terminal is only the second Bitcoin ATM in West Africa.
Nigerian LocalBitcoins volume drops after KYC overhaul
Recent weeks have seen roughly 220 Bitcoins, or $1.38 million worth, of peer-to-peer (P2P) trade between BTC and Nigerian Naira on LocalBitcoins.
However, Nigerian LocalBitcoins has dropped by roughly 50% since the P2P platform strengthened its KYC requirements during September 2019.
Nigerian ‘Bitcoin’ searches top Google Trends
Nigeria also consistently tops Google searches for ‘Bitcoin’ — driving nearly twice the traffic as the second-ranked country, Austria, according to Google Trends.
Three of the top five ranked nations for ‘Bitcoin’ searches are African — with South Africa and Ghana ranking third and fifth respectively.
By Samuel Haig
Cointelegraph
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
MTN to Move Ahead on Nigeria Stock Sale Amid Market Turmoil
MTN Group Ltd. will push on with a plan to reduce its majority stake in the wireless carrier’s Nigerian business, though turmoil caused by the coronavirus may require the sale to be done in smaller chunks than anticipated.
The impact of the pandemic on international financial markets doesn’t change the importance of selling part of the 79% shareholding to local investors, Chief Financial Officer Ralph Mupita said in an interview. However, the rest of a three-to-five year plan to dispose of 25-billion rand ($1.4 billion) of assets will probably take a back seat for now, he said.
“In Nigeria we still want to do part of our retail offer, even if it’s a smaller part of the total planned sale,” Mupita said by phone. “We are applying our minds to doing this at the moment.”
MTN is disposing of part of its largest division after a series of disputes with Nigerian authorities, most recently over tax payments and the withdrawal of cash from the country. The plan is to sell about a 15% stake to local investors, reducing MTN’s ownership to about 64%. MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. was listed in Lagos last year, and is the country’s second-biggest publicly traded company.
Nigeria is MTN’s biggest market, accounting for a third of overall 2019 revenue and almost 40% of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Johannesburg-based company is also the biggest provider of telecom services in the country, with almost 69 million customers, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission.
Share Rally
The drastic fall in oil prices, hurting major producers including Nigeria, and the outbreak of the coronavirus has weighed on MTN’s share price, which hit 15-year lows last week. The stock has since rallied for six straight days, and traded as much as 21% higher in Johannesburg on Tuesday -- the biggest jump in two decades.
“We of course have no visibility on how all of this could play out, but the business currently has a resilient balance sheet and is highly cash generative, with most of our business coming from pre-paid contracts,” Mupita said.
MTN’s cash position was bolstered by the sale of 14 billion rand in assets last year, including stakes in telecom-tower companies in certain African markets. Some of that was paid in dollars, which provides a currency hedge against the weakening rand, the CFO said. MTN also has a credit facility that can be accessed if needed, he added.
MTN expects an increase in data usage as more and more of its markets go into lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“We want to make sure that our networks have resilience and capacity,” Mupita said. “We are looking at where we can drive broader coverage.”
By Loni Prinsloo
Bloomberg
The impact of the pandemic on international financial markets doesn’t change the importance of selling part of the 79% shareholding to local investors, Chief Financial Officer Ralph Mupita said in an interview. However, the rest of a three-to-five year plan to dispose of 25-billion rand ($1.4 billion) of assets will probably take a back seat for now, he said.
“In Nigeria we still want to do part of our retail offer, even if it’s a smaller part of the total planned sale,” Mupita said by phone. “We are applying our minds to doing this at the moment.”
MTN is disposing of part of its largest division after a series of disputes with Nigerian authorities, most recently over tax payments and the withdrawal of cash from the country. The plan is to sell about a 15% stake to local investors, reducing MTN’s ownership to about 64%. MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. was listed in Lagos last year, and is the country’s second-biggest publicly traded company.
Nigeria is MTN’s biggest market, accounting for a third of overall 2019 revenue and almost 40% of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Johannesburg-based company is also the biggest provider of telecom services in the country, with almost 69 million customers, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission.
Share Rally
The drastic fall in oil prices, hurting major producers including Nigeria, and the outbreak of the coronavirus has weighed on MTN’s share price, which hit 15-year lows last week. The stock has since rallied for six straight days, and traded as much as 21% higher in Johannesburg on Tuesday -- the biggest jump in two decades.
“We of course have no visibility on how all of this could play out, but the business currently has a resilient balance sheet and is highly cash generative, with most of our business coming from pre-paid contracts,” Mupita said.
MTN’s cash position was bolstered by the sale of 14 billion rand in assets last year, including stakes in telecom-tower companies in certain African markets. Some of that was paid in dollars, which provides a currency hedge against the weakening rand, the CFO said. MTN also has a credit facility that can be accessed if needed, he added.
MTN expects an increase in data usage as more and more of its markets go into lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“We want to make sure that our networks have resilience and capacity,” Mupita said. “We are looking at where we can drive broader coverage.”
By Loni Prinsloo
Bloomberg
Nigeria confirms four new cases of coronavirus, totalling 135
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has announced additional four new cases of Covid-19 in the country.
The agency on Tuesday said the new cases were reported in Ogun and Osun States.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 135.
NCDC said “as at 11:15 am 31st March there are 135 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria with 2 deaths. ”
Breakdown
A breakdown of the cases in Nigeria shows that Lagos is still the epicenter of the disease. Meanwhile, all the states in the South-west region of Nigeria have recorded at least a case of the disease.
NCDC said all the new cases have mild to moderate symptoms and are currently receiving care.
Till date, eight cases have been discharged and two deaths have been recorded.
As of 11:15 a.m. March 31, there cases are Lagos-81, FCT- 25, Oyo – 8, Osun – 5, Ogun- 4, Kaduna- 3
Enugu- 2, Edo – 2, Bauchi – 2, while Ekiti, Rivers and Benue have one case respectively.
The number of infections is expected to keep increasing as the government intensifies contact tracing and monitoring in respect of the disease.
In a bid to contain the spread of the virus, the government has ordered a lockdown of three states – Lagos, Ogun and Abuja.
By Ayodamola Owoseye
By Ayodamola Owoseye
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
25 year old Nigerian student dies of coronavirus weeks before graduation
Weeks before he was set to graduate at the Western Michigan University, a Nigerian-America student, Bassey Offiong, died from coronavirus after being refused a test several times in Michigan.
The PUNCH gathered that the deceased is a 25-year-old college student studying Chemical Engineering at the Michigan-based university.
A relative to the deceased told The PUNCH that he tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.
Offiong’s cousin, Rosalyn Afiong, added that the student died on Sunday, describing the deceased as a “shining light.”
“My dear sweet cousin, this is unreal. I don’t even know where to begin. May your soul rest in eternal peace. You did everything and more with your time here on Earth, and although you weren’t anywhere near done in your purpose, you’ve been called for a higher purpose bigger than us all.
“I love you so much and I pray you to keep that same light shining on us from above,” Afiong said while paying a tribute on Facebook.
According to his sister, Offiong was refused testing several times despite showing symptoms of the deadly virus.
She said the victim had shortness of breath, fatigue and fever before his death.
“I told him to ask them to test him. He said they refused to test him,” she told Detroit News.
Confirming his death, WMU president, Edward Montgomery, said, “On behalf of the entire Bronco community, I want to extend my deepest condolences to his entire family, including his sister Asari, who has been generous in communicating with us regularly.”
One of his friends, Koko Adiaha, said it was “extremely hard” to believe Offiong’s death,
Adiaha said, “My mother called me frantic and told me we lost Bassey Offiong due to COVID-19. I just can’t wrap my head around the why and how.
“This one is extremely hard to process. Beloved by everyone who knew him. Bassey deserved much more than what was offered to him.”
A representative of Michigan’s Sixth Congressional District, Fred Upton, added, “I woke up this Sunday morning to the sad news of a WMU Engineering student who passed away with coronavirus.
“He had a ventilator and, likely, other members of his immediate family are also impacted along with perhaps his roommates at WMU. Our condolences are with them.”
Punch
The PUNCH gathered that the deceased is a 25-year-old college student studying Chemical Engineering at the Michigan-based university.
A relative to the deceased told The PUNCH that he tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.
Offiong’s cousin, Rosalyn Afiong, added that the student died on Sunday, describing the deceased as a “shining light.”
“My dear sweet cousin, this is unreal. I don’t even know where to begin. May your soul rest in eternal peace. You did everything and more with your time here on Earth, and although you weren’t anywhere near done in your purpose, you’ve been called for a higher purpose bigger than us all.
“I love you so much and I pray you to keep that same light shining on us from above,” Afiong said while paying a tribute on Facebook.
According to his sister, Offiong was refused testing several times despite showing symptoms of the deadly virus.
She said the victim had shortness of breath, fatigue and fever before his death.
“I told him to ask them to test him. He said they refused to test him,” she told Detroit News.
Confirming his death, WMU president, Edward Montgomery, said, “On behalf of the entire Bronco community, I want to extend my deepest condolences to his entire family, including his sister Asari, who has been generous in communicating with us regularly.”
One of his friends, Koko Adiaha, said it was “extremely hard” to believe Offiong’s death,
Adiaha said, “My mother called me frantic and told me we lost Bassey Offiong due to COVID-19. I just can’t wrap my head around the why and how.
“This one is extremely hard to process. Beloved by everyone who knew him. Bassey deserved much more than what was offered to him.”
A representative of Michigan’s Sixth Congressional District, Fred Upton, added, “I woke up this Sunday morning to the sad news of a WMU Engineering student who passed away with coronavirus.
“He had a ventilator and, likely, other members of his immediate family are also impacted along with perhaps his roommates at WMU. Our condolences are with them.”
Punch
Monday, March 30, 2020
President Buhari full Address on COVID-19
From the first signs that Coronavirus, or COVID-19 was turning into an epidemic and was officially declared a world-wide emergency, the Federal Government started planning preventive, containment and curative measures in the event the disease hits Nigeria. President Buhari addresses Nigerians, says his administration is doing everything to contain the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country. The president made the assurance in a broadcast on Sunday.
Lagos on Lockdown to Curb Virus in Nigeria
Nigeria will restrict all movement of people and ordered businesses and offices closed in its two main cities, Lagos and Abuja, as well as Ogun state -- the three areas in Africa’s most populous nation that have been hit hardest by the coronavirus.
The lockdown will take effect Monday at 11 p.m. and last for an initial period of two weeks, President Muhammadu Buhari said in a speech on state TV Sunday. The first country in sub-Saharan Africa to identify a person who tested positive for the disease, Nigeria now has 97 cases. It’s already closed its borders and halted domestic flights.
Lagos, Africa’s biggest city, is a sprawling metropolis of about 20 million people, and Abuja, the capital, has several million. Ogun state neighbors Lagos and is an industrial hub.
“We are fully aware that such measures will cause much hardship and inconvenience to many citizens,” Buhari said. “But this is a matter of life and death.”
While travel to or from other states must be restricted, the seaports will remain open for cargo. Private jets will also be grounded and all federal government stadia will be converted into isolation centers and makeshift hospitals, he said.
Among other measures announced by Buhari are the suspension of repayments for credit given to low-income traders and farmers, as well as for manufacturers and agribusinesses that have received funding as part of Buhari’s policy to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on oil.
By Ruth Olurounbi and Elisha Bala-Gbogbo
Bloomberg
The lockdown will take effect Monday at 11 p.m. and last for an initial period of two weeks, President Muhammadu Buhari said in a speech on state TV Sunday. The first country in sub-Saharan Africa to identify a person who tested positive for the disease, Nigeria now has 97 cases. It’s already closed its borders and halted domestic flights.
Lagos, Africa’s biggest city, is a sprawling metropolis of about 20 million people, and Abuja, the capital, has several million. Ogun state neighbors Lagos and is an industrial hub.
“We are fully aware that such measures will cause much hardship and inconvenience to many citizens,” Buhari said. “But this is a matter of life and death.”
While travel to or from other states must be restricted, the seaports will remain open for cargo. Private jets will also be grounded and all federal government stadia will be converted into isolation centers and makeshift hospitals, he said.
Among other measures announced by Buhari are the suspension of repayments for credit given to low-income traders and farmers, as well as for manufacturers and agribusinesses that have received funding as part of Buhari’s policy to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on oil.
By Ruth Olurounbi and Elisha Bala-Gbogbo
Bloomberg
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Kidnapped Nigerian footballers freed
Two Nigerian footballers - one a Super Eagles international - have been released after being kidnapped on Sunday.
Enyimba FC, for whom midfielder Ekundayo Ojo plays, said that both he and Abia Comet's Benjamin Iluyomade had "regained their freedom."
The pair were taken on Sunday when a vehicle they were travelling in from Akure was attacked. Another player from Enyimba, Emmanuel James, was also in the car, but escaped.
"Our midfielder man, Dayo Ojo has regained freedom from his kidnappers," the club tweeted.
Ojo represented Nigeria at senior level at the 2018 African Nations Championship, and at youth level with the U-17 in 2010.
The news of the kidnapping had come just hours after the death in a car crash of two footballers from Rangers International - Emmanuel Ogbu and Ifeanyi George, who was also a Super Eagles player.
Enyimba statement in full
"Enyimba midfielder Ekundayo Ojo and Abia Comets' Benjamin Iluyomade, who were kidnapped on Sunday have regained their freedom.
The footballers were released on Wednesday night following efforts of the Nigeria Police Force, with support from Enyimba Football Club, the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers and families of the players.
It would be recalled that the footballers were kidnapped along the Benin-Owo expressway as they journeyed to Akure following the suspension of the Nigeria Professional Football League amid concerns over the global pandemic, Covid-19.
The players have since reunited with their families."
BBC
Enyimba FC, for whom midfielder Ekundayo Ojo plays, said that both he and Abia Comet's Benjamin Iluyomade had "regained their freedom."
The pair were taken on Sunday when a vehicle they were travelling in from Akure was attacked. Another player from Enyimba, Emmanuel James, was also in the car, but escaped.
"Our midfielder man, Dayo Ojo has regained freedom from his kidnappers," the club tweeted.
Ojo represented Nigeria at senior level at the 2018 African Nations Championship, and at youth level with the U-17 in 2010.
The news of the kidnapping had come just hours after the death in a car crash of two footballers from Rangers International - Emmanuel Ogbu and Ifeanyi George, who was also a Super Eagles player.
Enyimba statement in full
"Enyimba midfielder Ekundayo Ojo and Abia Comets' Benjamin Iluyomade, who were kidnapped on Sunday have regained their freedom.
The footballers were released on Wednesday night following efforts of the Nigeria Police Force, with support from Enyimba Football Club, the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers and families of the players.
It would be recalled that the footballers were kidnapped along the Benin-Owo expressway as they journeyed to Akure following the suspension of the Nigeria Professional Football League amid concerns over the global pandemic, Covid-19.
The players have since reunited with their families."
BBC
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Video - Nigeria imposes restrictions amid sharp increase in COVID-19 cases
There are concerns there is too much indifference towards the pandemic in Africa's most populous nation. Nigeria has imposed restrictions in its administrative and commercial capitals following a sharp rise in cases, and its first death. But the streets are still packed with people.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Video - Churches in Nigeria shut their gates to worshippers
Most churches in the commercial city of Lagos have shut their gates to worshippers. This follows a government directive asking religious institutions to limit their gatherings to not more than 20 persons. It's part of measures by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has seen a spike in the number of confirmed cases in recent days. Here is CGTN's Deji Badmus with more on that story.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Two Nigerian players killed in car crash
Two Nigerian footballers - international striker Ifeanyi George and Emmanuel Ogbu - have been killed in a car crash in Abudu that also claimed the life of a third person.
The pair, who played for Nigerian league side Enugu Rangers, were involved in a crash on the Benin-Agbor road whilst travelling to Lagos on Sunday morning.
Super Eagles forward George, who won two caps for his country in 2017, was 26.
Ogbu was a member of the club's youth team.
The car had another passenger - Eteka Gabriel, a friend of George's - who also died.
The players were returning to Lagos from Enugu following a break in the Nigeria league due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The management of Rangers International FC shall, in conjunction with the families of Ifeanyi George and Emmanuel Ogbu, pay a befitting last respect to both players," a club statement read.
"We mourn their sudden demise. It's indeed shocking that we are talking of Ifeanyi and Emmanuel in the past tense."
BBC
The pair, who played for Nigerian league side Enugu Rangers, were involved in a crash on the Benin-Agbor road whilst travelling to Lagos on Sunday morning.
Super Eagles forward George, who won two caps for his country in 2017, was 26.
Ogbu was a member of the club's youth team.
The car had another passenger - Eteka Gabriel, a friend of George's - who also died.
The players were returning to Lagos from Enugu following a break in the Nigeria league due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The management of Rangers International FC shall, in conjunction with the families of Ifeanyi George and Emmanuel Ogbu, pay a befitting last respect to both players," a club statement read.
"We mourn their sudden demise. It's indeed shocking that we are talking of Ifeanyi and Emmanuel in the past tense."
BBC
Nigeria reports its first coronavirus-related death
Nigeria reported its first coronavirus-related death on Monday, Nigeria's Centre for Disease Control said.
The patient was a 67-year-old man who came back to Nigeria in March after undergoing medical treatment in the UK, the NCDC said in a tweet.
He had multiple underlying health conditions including including cancer, diabetes and had been undergoing chemotherapy treatments, the statement from the agency said.
Two people, including an Italian who was the first case of coronavirus diagnosed in the country, have recovered and been discharged from the hospital, authorities said.
The country is locked in a race against time to control the spread of the novel coronavirus in Africa's most populous nation as cases have increased to 36 across six states as of Monday morning.
Universities are shut nationwide while some states have closed schools in the West African country to prevent local transmission of the virus.
All civil servants in non-essential roles have been ordered to work from home for at least two weeks in Lagos State, a megacity of around 20 million people.
Airports closed
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority announced a ban on all international flights except essential or emergency flights on Saturday.
The majority of new coronavirus cases have been detected in Nigerians who returned from countries in Europe, Canada, and the United States prompting authorities to impose a travel ban on citizens from countries with more than 1,000 cases last week.
CNN
The patient was a 67-year-old man who came back to Nigeria in March after undergoing medical treatment in the UK, the NCDC said in a tweet.
He had multiple underlying health conditions including including cancer, diabetes and had been undergoing chemotherapy treatments, the statement from the agency said.
Two people, including an Italian who was the first case of coronavirus diagnosed in the country, have recovered and been discharged from the hospital, authorities said.
The country is locked in a race against time to control the spread of the novel coronavirus in Africa's most populous nation as cases have increased to 36 across six states as of Monday morning.
Universities are shut nationwide while some states have closed schools in the West African country to prevent local transmission of the virus.
All civil servants in non-essential roles have been ordered to work from home for at least two weeks in Lagos State, a megacity of around 20 million people.
Airports closed
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority announced a ban on all international flights except essential or emergency flights on Saturday.
The majority of new coronavirus cases have been detected in Nigerians who returned from countries in Europe, Canada, and the United States prompting authorities to impose a travel ban on citizens from countries with more than 1,000 cases last week.
CNN
Nigeria records chloroquine poisoning after Trump endorses it for coronavirus treatment
Health officials in Nigeria have issued a warning over chloroquine after they said three people in the country overdosed on the drug, in the wake of President Trump's comments about using it to treat coronavirus.
A Lagos state official told CNN that three people were hospitalized in the city after taking the drug. Officials later issued a statement cautioning against using chloroquine for Covid-19 treatment.
US President Donald Trump claimed at a White House briefing last week that the Food and Drug Administration had approved the "very powerful" drug chloroquine to treat coronavirus.
"It's shown very encouraging -- very, very encouraging early results. And we're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately. And that's where the FDA has been so great. They -- they've gone through the approval process; it's been approved. And they did it -- they took it down from many, many months to immediate. So we're going to be able to make that drug available by prescription or states," Trump said.
He added: "Normally the FDA would take a long time to approve something like that, and it's -- it was approved very, very quickly and it's now approved, by prescription."
However, the FDA after the briefing issued a statement saying it had not approved the drug for use against Covid-19 and is still studying its effectiveness against the disease.
Price hikes
Trump's endorsement of the drug led to a surge of interest among Nigerians keen to stock up on the medication, which has led to inevitable price hikes in the megacity of around 20 million inhabitants.
One man told CNN that in a pharmacy near his home on the Lagos mainland, he witnessed the price rise by more than 400% in a matter of minutes.
Kayode Fabunmi, a Lagos-based lawyer, said: "The pharmacist knew the market and was saying to every incoming customer, 'You know Donald Trump has said this thing cures coronavirus,' and the price kept changing.
"The original price was 200 naira (around 50 cents), then it became 500 naira ($1.38) then it became 1,000 naira ($2.77) while I was there," he said.
The Lagos State Health Ministry issued a brief statement saying there was no "hard evidence that chloroquine is effective in prevention or management of coronavirus infection."
Chloroquine is used to treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Malaria is an endemic disease in Nigeria and other parts of Africa and for many years, it was common to treat it with chloroquine. However, at least 40 African countries, including Nigeria, have phased it out as a frontline antimalarial drug and replaced it with other drugs following widespread resistance to it.
Lack of clinical evidence
While doctors in China, the United States and other countries have used the drug experimentally in Covid-19 patients, there is not yet enough clinical evidence that it's effective in humans or the management of the disease.
Dr. Michel Yao, Africa emergency response program manager for the World Health Organization, told CNN there are 20 drugs and the same number of vaccines under clinical trial, and it is too early to make recommendations about the efficacy of any for the treatment of the virus.
"The WHO's position is clear. Any medication should be based on evidence. We don't have yet any evidence from any of these trials that would allow WHO to do a formal recommendation. All these are in progress, so it is difficult for us to recommend at this stage that any of the medicine can be of use for the treatment of coronavirus," Yao said.
"It is too early to rush to the decision that chloroquine ... at least for WHO to recommend it for the treatment of coronavirus," he added.
Side effects
Fabunmi, 44, told CNN he had used chloroquine before to treat malaria and recalled that severe itching was one of the side effects.
"For two, three days you will be itching," he said. "You dread having a bath, you will scratch and scratch and you would have to take piriton (an antihistamine) alongside it.
"It's also very bitter. If you make the mistake of letting it drop in your mouth, you will feel the taste for a long time."
Nigeria as of Sunday has reported 30 cases of Covid-19 and Fabunmi said he feels better having his batch of chloroquine.
"I didn't mind paying as I just wanted to get some in case it will become necessary. ... I didn't want a situation where I will regret not buying it. Better to be safe than sorry," he said.
By Stephanie Busari and Bukola Adebayo
CNN
A Lagos state official told CNN that three people were hospitalized in the city after taking the drug. Officials later issued a statement cautioning against using chloroquine for Covid-19 treatment.
US President Donald Trump claimed at a White House briefing last week that the Food and Drug Administration had approved the "very powerful" drug chloroquine to treat coronavirus.
"It's shown very encouraging -- very, very encouraging early results. And we're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately. And that's where the FDA has been so great. They -- they've gone through the approval process; it's been approved. And they did it -- they took it down from many, many months to immediate. So we're going to be able to make that drug available by prescription or states," Trump said.
He added: "Normally the FDA would take a long time to approve something like that, and it's -- it was approved very, very quickly and it's now approved, by prescription."
However, the FDA after the briefing issued a statement saying it had not approved the drug for use against Covid-19 and is still studying its effectiveness against the disease.
Price hikes
Trump's endorsement of the drug led to a surge of interest among Nigerians keen to stock up on the medication, which has led to inevitable price hikes in the megacity of around 20 million inhabitants.
One man told CNN that in a pharmacy near his home on the Lagos mainland, he witnessed the price rise by more than 400% in a matter of minutes.
Kayode Fabunmi, a Lagos-based lawyer, said: "The pharmacist knew the market and was saying to every incoming customer, 'You know Donald Trump has said this thing cures coronavirus,' and the price kept changing.
"The original price was 200 naira (around 50 cents), then it became 500 naira ($1.38) then it became 1,000 naira ($2.77) while I was there," he said.
The Lagos State Health Ministry issued a brief statement saying there was no "hard evidence that chloroquine is effective in prevention or management of coronavirus infection."
Chloroquine is used to treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Malaria is an endemic disease in Nigeria and other parts of Africa and for many years, it was common to treat it with chloroquine. However, at least 40 African countries, including Nigeria, have phased it out as a frontline antimalarial drug and replaced it with other drugs following widespread resistance to it.
Lack of clinical evidence
While doctors in China, the United States and other countries have used the drug experimentally in Covid-19 patients, there is not yet enough clinical evidence that it's effective in humans or the management of the disease.
Dr. Michel Yao, Africa emergency response program manager for the World Health Organization, told CNN there are 20 drugs and the same number of vaccines under clinical trial, and it is too early to make recommendations about the efficacy of any for the treatment of the virus.
"The WHO's position is clear. Any medication should be based on evidence. We don't have yet any evidence from any of these trials that would allow WHO to do a formal recommendation. All these are in progress, so it is difficult for us to recommend at this stage that any of the medicine can be of use for the treatment of coronavirus," Yao said.
"It is too early to rush to the decision that chloroquine ... at least for WHO to recommend it for the treatment of coronavirus," he added.
Side effects
Fabunmi, 44, told CNN he had used chloroquine before to treat malaria and recalled that severe itching was one of the side effects.
"For two, three days you will be itching," he said. "You dread having a bath, you will scratch and scratch and you would have to take piriton (an antihistamine) alongside it.
"It's also very bitter. If you make the mistake of letting it drop in your mouth, you will feel the taste for a long time."
Nigeria as of Sunday has reported 30 cases of Covid-19 and Fabunmi said he feels better having his batch of chloroquine.
"I didn't mind paying as I just wanted to get some in case it will become necessary. ... I didn't want a situation where I will regret not buying it. Better to be safe than sorry," he said.
By Stephanie Busari and Bukola Adebayo
CNN
Friday, March 20, 2020
Nigeria Says Virus May Trigger Foreign-Exchange Realignment
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The Nigerian government warned the coronavirus pandemic could set off an exchange rate “realignment,” in a rare acknowledgment by an administration that has made a stable currency a key economic pillar.
After meeting with his new Economic Advisory Council, President Muhammadu Buhari said the country needed to prepare to take “tough economic decisions.”
A global recession “could slow down Nigeria’s fragile growth and trigger exchange rate re-alignment,” the presidency said in a statement summarizing discussions.
Last week the central bank denied it had plans to devalue the naira at this time, amid speculation of a mark down. The currency has remained largely stable over the last two years under the management of the central bank.
Crashing oil prices have increased pressure on the naira as foreign reserves in Africa’s top oil producer falls rapidly. Nigeria relies on crude sales as its main source of hard currency.
“These lines make me hopeful that they are coming around to considering a devaluation in the near term, instead of prevaricating,” said Yvonne Mhango, a sub-Saharan Africa economist at Renaissance Capital.
The advisory group, headed by a former central bank board member, Doyin Salami, recommended the securitization of government debt, a new revenue stabilization program and cutting costs. The council voiced concerns over worsening economic fundamentals reflected by quickening inflation and weak external sector, the statement said.
By Alonso Soto
Bloomberg
The Nigerian government warned the coronavirus pandemic could set off an exchange rate “realignment,” in a rare acknowledgment by an administration that has made a stable currency a key economic pillar.
After meeting with his new Economic Advisory Council, President Muhammadu Buhari said the country needed to prepare to take “tough economic decisions.”
A global recession “could slow down Nigeria’s fragile growth and trigger exchange rate re-alignment,” the presidency said in a statement summarizing discussions.
Last week the central bank denied it had plans to devalue the naira at this time, amid speculation of a mark down. The currency has remained largely stable over the last two years under the management of the central bank.
Crashing oil prices have increased pressure on the naira as foreign reserves in Africa’s top oil producer falls rapidly. Nigeria relies on crude sales as its main source of hard currency.
“These lines make me hopeful that they are coming around to considering a devaluation in the near term, instead of prevaricating,” said Yvonne Mhango, a sub-Saharan Africa economist at Renaissance Capital.
The advisory group, headed by a former central bank board member, Doyin Salami, recommended the securitization of government debt, a new revenue stabilization program and cutting costs. The council voiced concerns over worsening economic fundamentals reflected by quickening inflation and weak external sector, the statement said.
By Alonso Soto
Bloomberg
Nigeria confirms four new positive cases of COVID-19
Nigeria recorded four new cases of the coronavirus in Lagos state bringing the total number of confirmed positive cases in the country to 12, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday.
A statement from the ministry said that the cases were confirmed by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital adding that the patients were in stable condition.
According to the statement, the four are all Nigerians, two of whom recently returned from the United Kingdom and France.
One of the patients is a contact of a case who tested positive Monday while the fourth case has no history of travelling to any of the high-risk countries.
“They are all being treated and clinically stable, including our youngest patient. The government is committed to providing optimal care for all confirmed COVID-19 cases who are currently hospitalized in Lagos and Ekiti state,” the statement read in part.
The ministry added that it is tracing all the people who may have come into contact with the new cases.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire called for calm and collective responsibility, rather than panic, to contain the pandemic.
“Nigeria is experiencing an influx of imported COVID-19 cases by returning Nigerians, emphasising the importance of self-isolation for a minimum of 14 days even if you feel well,” Dr Ehanire tweeted.
On Wednesday, Nigeria’s federal government announced a ban on travelers from 13 countries as a measure of controlling the coronavirus pandemic.
The affected countries include China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
The measure will take effect on Saturday, March 21.
CGTN
A statement from the ministry said that the cases were confirmed by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital adding that the patients were in stable condition.
According to the statement, the four are all Nigerians, two of whom recently returned from the United Kingdom and France.
One of the patients is a contact of a case who tested positive Monday while the fourth case has no history of travelling to any of the high-risk countries.
“They are all being treated and clinically stable, including our youngest patient. The government is committed to providing optimal care for all confirmed COVID-19 cases who are currently hospitalized in Lagos and Ekiti state,” the statement read in part.
The ministry added that it is tracing all the people who may have come into contact with the new cases.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire called for calm and collective responsibility, rather than panic, to contain the pandemic.
“Nigeria is experiencing an influx of imported COVID-19 cases by returning Nigerians, emphasising the importance of self-isolation for a minimum of 14 days even if you feel well,” Dr Ehanire tweeted.
On Wednesday, Nigeria’s federal government announced a ban on travelers from 13 countries as a measure of controlling the coronavirus pandemic.
The affected countries include China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
The measure will take effect on Saturday, March 21.
CGTN
Lagos is trying to shut down to beat coronavirus - that’s easier said than done
Some of the most striking imagery of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak have been photos of empty streets and tourist hotspots in the world’s biggest cities.
As part of attempts to limit the spread of Covid-19, governments have instituted lock-down measures and banned public gatherings. Lagos, Africa’s largest city with 21 million people, is attempting to do the same. With 11 confirmed cases, by far the most in Nigeria, the state government has asked schools to shut down and banned public gatherings of more than 50 people, particularly religious congregations.
In the event of more cases, tougher measures will likely follow. Given Lagos’ standing as Nigeria’s economic nerve center, the threat of a highly contagious viral outbreak in a state where 20 million people are squeezed into land mass that’s about the size of Indianapolis (population: 870,000), is grim.
But shutting down Lagos on any scale will likely be an uphill task for the government.
The city is defined by non-stop activity and a hustle and bustle spirit that perennially draws thousands of Nigerians from other states in search of better economic opportunities. It’s a city of ingenuity and chutzpah which most people need to be able to survive in an overwhelmed urban system. This means Lagos is often defined by lawlessness as people seek solutions for their daily life.
For example, it’s not an uncommon to see Lagosians drive on the wrong side of the road to beat the city’s notorious traffic jams. Neither is having roads blocked by tents for parties with hundreds of partygoers. Rather than being seen as breaking the law, in Lagos, these are thought of as being smart.
One long-standing government policy illustrates this point. For more than two decades, Thursday mornings have been set aside for “environmental” clean-ups. But for the last five years at least, the policy has existed only on paper and is now being enforced sparingly by rent-seeking government officials who punish shop owners for opening for businesses before the prescribed 10 am mark.
Beyond cultural and behavioral nuances, the government will also be up against the might of religion—Nigeria’s Christian population is the largest in Africa and is projected to double by 2060. Lagos itself is home to some of the countries most well-attended mega-churches with hundreds of branches that welcome millions in congregation every Sunday.
As such, attempting to enforce a ban on religious gatherings likely puts the state government at odds with powerful religious leaders whose co-operation is fundamental given their influence. Yet, there are already signs of potential conflict between the government and influential clergymen: the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says a ban on religious gatherings is not necessary. “We believe we will never get to the point of having to ban all services and churches will be grounded,” CAN’s Lagos chairman has said.
These issues will also apply to Lagos’ vast Muslim population (Nigeria has the fifth largest Muslim population globally) when it comes to attending large mosques for customary prayer services on Friday.
One way governments across the globe have ensured that lockdowns are effective has been to assuage the effects of lost income on citizens with social benefits like suspending particular taxes and bills as well as offering cash payments. But even those measures are unlikely to work in Lagos.
Inefficient data capturing methods and agencies mean the Lagos government does not really know how many people live in its sprawling city as its suburbs keep growing out into neighboring states.
And there’s also the practical matter of being able to afford such palliative measures for 21 million people as recent events suggest otherwise: after a tragic gas explosion in the Lagos suburb of Abule Ado last week, the state government launched a relief fund asking citizens to donate to pay off medical bills and relocation costs of those affected.
By Yomi Kazeem
Quartz
As part of attempts to limit the spread of Covid-19, governments have instituted lock-down measures and banned public gatherings. Lagos, Africa’s largest city with 21 million people, is attempting to do the same. With 11 confirmed cases, by far the most in Nigeria, the state government has asked schools to shut down and banned public gatherings of more than 50 people, particularly religious congregations.
In the event of more cases, tougher measures will likely follow. Given Lagos’ standing as Nigeria’s economic nerve center, the threat of a highly contagious viral outbreak in a state where 20 million people are squeezed into land mass that’s about the size of Indianapolis (population: 870,000), is grim.
But shutting down Lagos on any scale will likely be an uphill task for the government.
The city is defined by non-stop activity and a hustle and bustle spirit that perennially draws thousands of Nigerians from other states in search of better economic opportunities. It’s a city of ingenuity and chutzpah which most people need to be able to survive in an overwhelmed urban system. This means Lagos is often defined by lawlessness as people seek solutions for their daily life.
For example, it’s not an uncommon to see Lagosians drive on the wrong side of the road to beat the city’s notorious traffic jams. Neither is having roads blocked by tents for parties with hundreds of partygoers. Rather than being seen as breaking the law, in Lagos, these are thought of as being smart.
One long-standing government policy illustrates this point. For more than two decades, Thursday mornings have been set aside for “environmental” clean-ups. But for the last five years at least, the policy has existed only on paper and is now being enforced sparingly by rent-seeking government officials who punish shop owners for opening for businesses before the prescribed 10 am mark.
Beyond cultural and behavioral nuances, the government will also be up against the might of religion—Nigeria’s Christian population is the largest in Africa and is projected to double by 2060. Lagos itself is home to some of the countries most well-attended mega-churches with hundreds of branches that welcome millions in congregation every Sunday.
As such, attempting to enforce a ban on religious gatherings likely puts the state government at odds with powerful religious leaders whose co-operation is fundamental given their influence. Yet, there are already signs of potential conflict between the government and influential clergymen: the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says a ban on religious gatherings is not necessary. “We believe we will never get to the point of having to ban all services and churches will be grounded,” CAN’s Lagos chairman has said.
These issues will also apply to Lagos’ vast Muslim population (Nigeria has the fifth largest Muslim population globally) when it comes to attending large mosques for customary prayer services on Friday.
One way governments across the globe have ensured that lockdowns are effective has been to assuage the effects of lost income on citizens with social benefits like suspending particular taxes and bills as well as offering cash payments. But even those measures are unlikely to work in Lagos.
Inefficient data capturing methods and agencies mean the Lagos government does not really know how many people live in its sprawling city as its suburbs keep growing out into neighboring states.
And there’s also the practical matter of being able to afford such palliative measures for 21 million people as recent events suggest otherwise: after a tragic gas explosion in the Lagos suburb of Abule Ado last week, the state government launched a relief fund asking citizens to donate to pay off medical bills and relocation costs of those affected.
By Yomi Kazeem
Quartz
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Video - Nigeria presses on with Tokyo 2020 Olympics preparations
Nigeria is still preparing its team to take part in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but with the coronavirus outbreak, there is an air of uncertainty over its full participation in the summer games. Deji Badmus reports.
Former Nigeria star John Obi Mikel leaves Trabzonspor over coronavirus fears
The Super Lig team confirmed in a statement that the Nigerian, who joined them last year and had a contract until May 2021, had left by mutual consent.
"There is more to life than football," he wrote on Instagram on Saturday. I do not feel comfortable and don't want to play football in this situation.
"Everyone should be home with their families and loved ones in this critical time. [The] season should be cancelled as the world is facing such turbulent times."
The big five leagues in Europe -- England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France -- as well as the Champions League and Europa League, have all been suspended, but Turkish league games are going ahead without fans present.
The outbreak, which has infected over 190,000 people and killed more than 7,500 around the world, has also forced the postponement of the European Championship and Copa America. It has also affected a host of other international events.
ESPN
Nigeria announces five new cases of coronavirus
THE federal government has announced five new cases of coronavirus disease in the country, in addition to the existing three cases.
With the development, Nigeria now has eight confirmed cases of the disease.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, in an ongoing press conference in Abuja, on the update of the disease in the country, said all the new five cases had a travel history to and from the United Kingdom, UK and the United States of America, USA.
“We urge Nigerians to remain calm as public health response activities are intensified across the country,” he said.
The centre also wrote on Twitter that “A Detailed travel history of each case is being compiled & contact tracing has begun Our National Emergency Operations Centre is supporting response in the states The Federal Government through @Fmohnigeria is conducting risk assessment to initiate other relevant measures “@Fmohnigeria through NCDC will continue to provide accurate updates & take the necessary measures to protect the health of Nigerians We ask that the public refrain from spreading false information while we all engage in proper hand & respiratory hygiene to #PreventCOVID19Spread“
By Joseph Erunke and David Royal
Vanguard
With the development, Nigeria now has eight confirmed cases of the disease.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, in an ongoing press conference in Abuja, on the update of the disease in the country, said all the new five cases had a travel history to and from the United Kingdom, UK and the United States of America, USA.
“We urge Nigerians to remain calm as public health response activities are intensified across the country,” he said.
The centre also wrote on Twitter that “A Detailed travel history of each case is being compiled & contact tracing has begun Our National Emergency Operations Centre is supporting response in the states The Federal Government through @Fmohnigeria is conducting risk assessment to initiate other relevant measures “@Fmohnigeria through NCDC will continue to provide accurate updates & take the necessary measures to protect the health of Nigerians We ask that the public refrain from spreading false information while we all engage in proper hand & respiratory hygiene to #PreventCOVID19Spread“
By Joseph Erunke and David Royal
Vanguard
Nigeria bans entry for travellers from 13 countries as it announces five new cases of coronavirus
Nigeria is restricting entry into the country for travelers from 13 countries including the US and UK, as it announced five new cases Wednesday.
The restriction will apply to travelers from countries with more than 1,000 cases. They include China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, the United States, Norway, UK, Netherlands and Switzerland, the country's National Centre for Disease Control said on its Twitter account.
"The Federal Government of Nigeria has also suspended the issuance of visa on arrival to travelers from these countries. All travelers returning from these countries prior to the restriction will be in supervised self-isolation, monitored by the NCDC and Port Health Services," - the tweet read.
The restriction will take effect starting on March 20 and will be in place until further notice.
Health officials also announced an additional five cases of the virus in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to eight. One of them is a recovered patient who came in contact with the index case to Nigeria, an Italian man on a business trip to the country, authorities said.
In an earlier statement on Tuesday, the NCDC said a 30-year-old woman, who came into the country after a short visit to the UK tested positive to coronavirus after she developed symptoms including coughing and a fever on her return.
She had self-isolated in her home when she arrived in the country on March 13 and called the agency when she developed symptoms, the NCDC said, adding that it had begun tracing those who had come in contact with her.
"We expect the number to be small because of her sensible decision to go into self-isolation from the time of her arrival," the statement read.
Africa shutting its doors
Nigeria joins other African countries that are shutting their airports and land borders to keep out people from countries that have a high number of coronavirus cases.
Tunisia on Monday suspended all international flights and closed the country's land borders in an attempt to contain the outbreak. It also banned gathering in markets and other places and introduced a nighttime curfew from 6 p.m to 6 a.m from Wednesday.
Sudan also sealed off all sea ports, land crossings and airports, a spokesman for Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, Mohamed Al-Faki Suleiman, said in a press statement.
Hundreds of international flights have been canceled, schools have closed and travelers from coronavirus-hit countries have been restricted or, in some cases, banned from visiting some countries in Africa.
Egypt, with the highest number of coronavirus cases in Africa, announced it was suspending flights from all its airports starting Thursday to stop the spread of the virus, Ahram Online reported.
Some countries such as Djibouti are yet to record a single case, but it has suspended all international flights to the country, the US Embassy in Djibouti said in a statement.
There is widespread support on the continent for governments to impose travel bans. One Twitter user noted that Western countries would have acted swiftly to place travel sanctions on travelers if the outbreak originated in Africa.
"I hope African countries close up their borders to all these majorly affected countries because we all know the west would ban travel had Coronavirus started in Africa," they said.
Advice against restrictions
The travel bans and restrictions goes against the advice of the WHO, which has urged countries to not apply blind travel restrictions in a way that would impact trade and travel.
WHO Africa's Dr. Mary Stephen told CNN that many African countries, which were initially screening passengers from countries with outbreaks and also placing travelers from virus-hit countries on quarantine, may now be making travel ban decisions based on panic.
"The outbreak is evolving. It used to be China and now it is Italy and other countries are following after it. So we must be careful because we have seen an increasing number of countries imposing travel restrictions, and that means their perception of risks have changed. But have they done a risk assessment to their countries or are they just implementing those measures based on their perception?" she said.
Stephen, who is with the organization's emergencies team, said African countries need to enhance their capacities to detect early, isolate and track all patients' contacts and effectively manage the sick to curb the spread of coronavirus.
She added that airport screening and a robust surveillance system were effective ways to detect cases from travelers without symptoms.
"WHO continues to advise countries not to impose travel restrictions but countries also have their sovereignty," she said.
'A ban on foreign nationals'
South Africa has declared a "national state of disaster," and put in place a number of travel restrictions on foreign nationals in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.
"We are imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from high-risk countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China as from 18 March 2020,"
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his address to the nation on Sunday.
Ramaphosa said the country was seeing an internal transmission of the virus that was first detected in a group that traveled to Italy.
He said the government will take "urgent and drastic measures'' to protect the citizens and its economy.
Visas issued to nationals from affected countries before the travel ban have also been revoked, the president said.
Ramaphosa said foreigners who have visited these countries in the last 20 days would also be denied a visa to travel to the country.
He announced the closure of half of the county's land ports and schools and banned public gatherings of more than 100 people across the nation.
In Kenya, the government raised the stakes by imposing a travel ban on foreigners from all countries that have reported any case of coronavirus.
The directive came into effect on Tuesday and will remain for a month, the government said in a statement on Sunday.
Morocco has suspended all international flights to and from its territory "until further notice" as part of measures to tackle the coronavirus, the country's foreign ministry said in a statement Sunday. It had previously banned flights to and from Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Belgium.
Schools shut down, social distancing
Ghana announced similar travel restrictions on Sunday and warned airlines not to board foreigners from countries that have recorded more than 200 cases of coronavirus in the last two weeks.
"All travel to Ghana is strongly discouraged at this point in time," Ghana's Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said in a video posted on Facebook on Sunday.
Uganda imposed travel restrictions last week on 16 countries it said had high cases of coronavirus, including the US and the UK, becoming the first in the pack to enforce such stringent travel advisory for foreign nationals.
Health authorities in the East African nation warned foreign nationals and Ugandan citizens in the affected countries to stay away or pay for their self-quarantine.
Clamor for border closure
People in Cameroon are calling on the government to close airports and borders into the West African nation after the country confirmed its fifth case of coronavirus on Monday. A French citizen was the first to test positive for the virus in the country.
Health Minister Dr. Manaouda Malachie, who announced the case on Twitter, did not name the nationality of the infected patient but that has not stopped citizens demanding that a travel ban be imposed on foreigners coming into the country.
"Listen to the plea of the people of Cameroon and close the border and quarantine everyone coming into the country. Countries that heavily depend on tourism have done so," Chapafac Christwadle tweeted.
CNN
The restriction will apply to travelers from countries with more than 1,000 cases. They include China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, the United States, Norway, UK, Netherlands and Switzerland, the country's National Centre for Disease Control said on its Twitter account.
"The Federal Government of Nigeria has also suspended the issuance of visa on arrival to travelers from these countries. All travelers returning from these countries prior to the restriction will be in supervised self-isolation, monitored by the NCDC and Port Health Services," - the tweet read.
The restriction will take effect starting on March 20 and will be in place until further notice.
Health officials also announced an additional five cases of the virus in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to eight. One of them is a recovered patient who came in contact with the index case to Nigeria, an Italian man on a business trip to the country, authorities said.
In an earlier statement on Tuesday, the NCDC said a 30-year-old woman, who came into the country after a short visit to the UK tested positive to coronavirus after she developed symptoms including coughing and a fever on her return.
She had self-isolated in her home when she arrived in the country on March 13 and called the agency when she developed symptoms, the NCDC said, adding that it had begun tracing those who had come in contact with her.
"We expect the number to be small because of her sensible decision to go into self-isolation from the time of her arrival," the statement read.
Africa shutting its doors
Nigeria joins other African countries that are shutting their airports and land borders to keep out people from countries that have a high number of coronavirus cases.
Tunisia on Monday suspended all international flights and closed the country's land borders in an attempt to contain the outbreak. It also banned gathering in markets and other places and introduced a nighttime curfew from 6 p.m to 6 a.m from Wednesday.
Sudan also sealed off all sea ports, land crossings and airports, a spokesman for Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, Mohamed Al-Faki Suleiman, said in a press statement.
Hundreds of international flights have been canceled, schools have closed and travelers from coronavirus-hit countries have been restricted or, in some cases, banned from visiting some countries in Africa.
Egypt, with the highest number of coronavirus cases in Africa, announced it was suspending flights from all its airports starting Thursday to stop the spread of the virus, Ahram Online reported.
Some countries such as Djibouti are yet to record a single case, but it has suspended all international flights to the country, the US Embassy in Djibouti said in a statement.
There is widespread support on the continent for governments to impose travel bans. One Twitter user noted that Western countries would have acted swiftly to place travel sanctions on travelers if the outbreak originated in Africa.
"I hope African countries close up their borders to all these majorly affected countries because we all know the west would ban travel had Coronavirus started in Africa," they said.
Advice against restrictions
The travel bans and restrictions goes against the advice of the WHO, which has urged countries to not apply blind travel restrictions in a way that would impact trade and travel.
WHO Africa's Dr. Mary Stephen told CNN that many African countries, which were initially screening passengers from countries with outbreaks and also placing travelers from virus-hit countries on quarantine, may now be making travel ban decisions based on panic.
"The outbreak is evolving. It used to be China and now it is Italy and other countries are following after it. So we must be careful because we have seen an increasing number of countries imposing travel restrictions, and that means their perception of risks have changed. But have they done a risk assessment to their countries or are they just implementing those measures based on their perception?" she said.
Stephen, who is with the organization's emergencies team, said African countries need to enhance their capacities to detect early, isolate and track all patients' contacts and effectively manage the sick to curb the spread of coronavirus.
She added that airport screening and a robust surveillance system were effective ways to detect cases from travelers without symptoms.
"WHO continues to advise countries not to impose travel restrictions but countries also have their sovereignty," she said.
'A ban on foreign nationals'
South Africa has declared a "national state of disaster," and put in place a number of travel restrictions on foreign nationals in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.
"We are imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from high-risk countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China as from 18 March 2020,"
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his address to the nation on Sunday.
Ramaphosa said the country was seeing an internal transmission of the virus that was first detected in a group that traveled to Italy.
He said the government will take "urgent and drastic measures'' to protect the citizens and its economy.
Visas issued to nationals from affected countries before the travel ban have also been revoked, the president said.
Ramaphosa said foreigners who have visited these countries in the last 20 days would also be denied a visa to travel to the country.
He announced the closure of half of the county's land ports and schools and banned public gatherings of more than 100 people across the nation.
In Kenya, the government raised the stakes by imposing a travel ban on foreigners from all countries that have reported any case of coronavirus.
The directive came into effect on Tuesday and will remain for a month, the government said in a statement on Sunday.
Morocco has suspended all international flights to and from its territory "until further notice" as part of measures to tackle the coronavirus, the country's foreign ministry said in a statement Sunday. It had previously banned flights to and from Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Belgium.
Schools shut down, social distancing
Ghana announced similar travel restrictions on Sunday and warned airlines not to board foreigners from countries that have recorded more than 200 cases of coronavirus in the last two weeks.
"All travel to Ghana is strongly discouraged at this point in time," Ghana's Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said in a video posted on Facebook on Sunday.
Uganda imposed travel restrictions last week on 16 countries it said had high cases of coronavirus, including the US and the UK, becoming the first in the pack to enforce such stringent travel advisory for foreign nationals.
Health authorities in the East African nation warned foreign nationals and Ugandan citizens in the affected countries to stay away or pay for their self-quarantine.
Clamor for border closure
People in Cameroon are calling on the government to close airports and borders into the West African nation after the country confirmed its fifth case of coronavirus on Monday. A French citizen was the first to test positive for the virus in the country.
Health Minister Dr. Manaouda Malachie, who announced the case on Twitter, did not name the nationality of the infected patient but that has not stopped citizens demanding that a travel ban be imposed on foreigners coming into the country.
"Listen to the plea of the people of Cameroon and close the border and quarantine everyone coming into the country. Countries that heavily depend on tourism have done so," Chapafac Christwadle tweeted.
CNN
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Nigeria announces $136M to help businesses during pandemic
Nigeria's central bank announced Monday a credit relief of $136.6M to businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele said households, small and medium-sized enterprises, airline service providers, hotels, health care merchants will benefit from the funds.
"The CBN hereby establishes a facility through for households and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have been particularly hard hit by Covid-19," he said at a news conference.
He noted the pandemic has "significant adverse consequences" for the global and Nigerian economies, including crude oil supplies, stock, sporting events, financial markets, entertainment and hospitality industries.
Other interventions announced by the bank include reduction of interest rates for the loan from 9% to 5% retroactively to March 1.
Nigeria has recorded two cases of the virus known as COVID-19 including an index case of an Italian businessman.
But the national disease control center warned Monday against complacency.
It said the outbreak could be devastating in a country of 200 million people if it fails to take serious hygiene measures.
AA
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele said households, small and medium-sized enterprises, airline service providers, hotels, health care merchants will benefit from the funds.
"The CBN hereby establishes a facility through for households and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have been particularly hard hit by Covid-19," he said at a news conference.
He noted the pandemic has "significant adverse consequences" for the global and Nigerian economies, including crude oil supplies, stock, sporting events, financial markets, entertainment and hospitality industries.
Other interventions announced by the bank include reduction of interest rates for the loan from 9% to 5% retroactively to March 1.
Nigeria has recorded two cases of the virus known as COVID-19 including an index case of an Italian businessman.
But the national disease control center warned Monday against complacency.
It said the outbreak could be devastating in a country of 200 million people if it fails to take serious hygiene measures.
AA
Monday, March 16, 2020
Nigeria gas explosion: 17 dead, rescue efforts under way
Rescue efforts are ongoing in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, after a gas pipeline exploded on Sunday, resulting in the death of at least 17 people.
A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, said more than 100 houses had caught fire and many people were wounded. Lorries, cars and motorbikes were also destroyed by the blast.
Farinloye said the explosion was triggered when a truck hit gas bottles stacked up in a gas processing plant near a pipeline in Abule-Ado area of Lagos.
"We are recovering dead bodies as we speak and putting them in bags," said local Red Cross official Adebola Kolawale. "We have a school here, and it's a residential area. And we have a trade fair here as well.
As a crowd looked on, rescue workers sought to remove rubble from a girls boarding school attended by more than 250 pupils.
The school headmaster was killed in the explosion, as were a couple and their two sons who lived nearby.
The explosion's impact was so strong it led to "the collapse of nearby houses and damage to a pipeline", according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement on Sunday, described the incident as a national tragedy. He sent condolences to the families of the victims and Lagos state.
Petrol tanker and pipeline blasts are common in Nigeria where, despite the country's multibillion-dollar oil and gas industry, most people live in poverty.
Fires and explosions often occur as people try to siphon fuel from pipelines and as a result of accidents involving fuel tankers on poorly maintained roads.
In July, at least 45 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in central Nigeria when a crashed petrol tanker exploded as people gathered around to siphon fuel from it.
The truck overturned close to shops as it was travelling through the village of Ahumbe in Benue state.
Al Jazeera
A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, said more than 100 houses had caught fire and many people were wounded. Lorries, cars and motorbikes were also destroyed by the blast.
Farinloye said the explosion was triggered when a truck hit gas bottles stacked up in a gas processing plant near a pipeline in Abule-Ado area of Lagos.
"We are recovering dead bodies as we speak and putting them in bags," said local Red Cross official Adebola Kolawale. "We have a school here, and it's a residential area. And we have a trade fair here as well.
As a crowd looked on, rescue workers sought to remove rubble from a girls boarding school attended by more than 250 pupils.
The school headmaster was killed in the explosion, as were a couple and their two sons who lived nearby.
The explosion's impact was so strong it led to "the collapse of nearby houses and damage to a pipeline", according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement on Sunday, described the incident as a national tragedy. He sent condolences to the families of the victims and Lagos state.
Petrol tanker and pipeline blasts are common in Nigeria where, despite the country's multibillion-dollar oil and gas industry, most people live in poverty.
Fires and explosions often occur as people try to siphon fuel from pipelines and as a result of accidents involving fuel tankers on poorly maintained roads.
In July, at least 45 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in central Nigeria when a crashed petrol tanker exploded as people gathered around to siphon fuel from it.
The truck overturned close to shops as it was travelling through the village of Ahumbe in Benue state.
Al Jazeera
Friday, March 13, 2020
Video - Coronavirus outbreak may delay completion of major project in Nigeria
The Nigerian government says one of the most important rail projects in the country could suffer delays as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The project is being carried out by Chinese engineering firms. The head of the country's railway corporation says the completion date may be delayed.
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Doctor by day and Artist by night, that is the story of one young Nigerian who is both a medical doctor and a visual artist. Adefemi Gbadamosi popularly known by his art signature, Fola David uses his art to instill self-love and self-confidence in people with different types of skin conditions making them see the beauty in what they may consider flaws.
Video - Nigerians raise awareness on preventing kidney failure
The World Health Organisation says an estimated 5 to 10 million people die annually from kidney disease across the world. In Nigeria, the country's Association of Nephrology said most people who suffer kidney failure cannot afford transplant or treatment. Health advocates are using this year's World Kidney Day to sensitize people on kidney disease and prevention.
Nigerian found dead in his Italy home after high fever
A 64-year-old Nigerian, Okunuga Olumide Saraju, has been found dead in his home in Modena, Italy, where he lived alone. Okunuga, a native of Ikenne in Ogun State and the president of Egbe Omo Yoruba in Emilia Romagna region, was found dead at about 11:00a.m. on Tuesday at his home. There are suspicions that he may have died of corona virus infection, a disease that has ravaged Italy in the past few weeks.
Saraju was well-known in the circles of associations and voluntary workers from Modena. He had lived in Modena for 30 years. A friend had raised the alarm. Upon entry, there were no signs of violence or break-ins in the house, nor traces of blood, according to Modena local media.
According to the information gathered, he had been suffering from high fever for some days but was not subjected to isolation because he had a previous complex health condition. He was being helped by friends. However, a friend raised the alarm when he was no longer answering his calls.
The city of Modena activated the antivirus procedure for the recovery of a body for the first time on Tuesday when removing his body from the apartment. As a precautionary measure, his body was brought to the street closed by a municipal police cordon, with the necrophores completely protected by overalls and masks, a gesture the neighborhood applauded.
The city said it is impossible to ascertain the cause of death for now because the deceased was suffering from a congenital disease, but the coroner will perform an autopsy and swab to check if he contracted Coronavirus. The last word belongs to the coroner who will perform the autopsy and the swab to check for any positivity to covid-19.
Saraju is an employee of an important Modena company, former vice president of the Foreigners Council of Modena, volunteer and former CGIL delegate. He was an Italian citizen in all respects and for 15 years he lived on the first floor of the building where he died. He lived alone since he separated from his wife.
And since he had been sick, his friends had decided to take the necessary things in turn, leaving him on the window at home; that windowsill became his last contact with the world outside the home. It happened in fact that last Thursday he started to feel bad. He suffered from exhaustion and a severe fever. He called the family doctor who went to his house to visit him. The doctor thought it was a normal flu: as friends reported yesterday, he took his leave advising him to stay indoors.
Mohamed Lasry, known as Il Sarto, his friend and neighbour, said: “The last phone call was on Monday evening. He told me he was very sick, he couldn’t take it anymore. Then I passed by yesterday morning. He didn’t answer. Then I raised the alarm. The municipal police arrived on the spot followed by the firefighters. After a few unsuccessful attempts at the intercom, the door was forced and the macabre discovery took place.
“The 64-year-old’s lifeless body was lying on the ground. He had evidently fallen suddenly without getting up again. Olumide was a citizen of the world open to others, to solidarity, always smiling and jovial. A man of the Fim, a man of the CISL as there are few. Never a word out of place and never a controversy.”
“Olumide was a friend, as well as our delegate of reference in Annovi Reverberi,”adds the secretary of the Fim Cisl Emilia Centrale, Giorgio Uriti. “He was one who certainly did not send her, a Fimmino doc of the old guard. He knew how to tame “comrades” well, so he called them those of Fiom.
“Always polite and every time I went to the company to hold meetings, he always brought me the bottle of water and gave me a smile, to show his happiness to see Fim there in the company with him. Fim loses a great person, a respectable delegate always on the front line and on the side of the weakest. All of us who have had the honor and fortune to know him, will always carry his smile and kindness in their hearts. We will miss you, rest in peace, brother Olumide,”concludes Uriti, announcing that, as soon as possible, the metalworkers CISL of Modena and Reggio will honor Okunuga as it deserves.
The Guardian
Saraju was well-known in the circles of associations and voluntary workers from Modena. He had lived in Modena for 30 years. A friend had raised the alarm. Upon entry, there were no signs of violence or break-ins in the house, nor traces of blood, according to Modena local media.
According to the information gathered, he had been suffering from high fever for some days but was not subjected to isolation because he had a previous complex health condition. He was being helped by friends. However, a friend raised the alarm when he was no longer answering his calls.
The city of Modena activated the antivirus procedure for the recovery of a body for the first time on Tuesday when removing his body from the apartment. As a precautionary measure, his body was brought to the street closed by a municipal police cordon, with the necrophores completely protected by overalls and masks, a gesture the neighborhood applauded.
The city said it is impossible to ascertain the cause of death for now because the deceased was suffering from a congenital disease, but the coroner will perform an autopsy and swab to check if he contracted Coronavirus. The last word belongs to the coroner who will perform the autopsy and the swab to check for any positivity to covid-19.
Saraju is an employee of an important Modena company, former vice president of the Foreigners Council of Modena, volunteer and former CGIL delegate. He was an Italian citizen in all respects and for 15 years he lived on the first floor of the building where he died. He lived alone since he separated from his wife.
And since he had been sick, his friends had decided to take the necessary things in turn, leaving him on the window at home; that windowsill became his last contact with the world outside the home. It happened in fact that last Thursday he started to feel bad. He suffered from exhaustion and a severe fever. He called the family doctor who went to his house to visit him. The doctor thought it was a normal flu: as friends reported yesterday, he took his leave advising him to stay indoors.
Mohamed Lasry, known as Il Sarto, his friend and neighbour, said: “The last phone call was on Monday evening. He told me he was very sick, he couldn’t take it anymore. Then I passed by yesterday morning. He didn’t answer. Then I raised the alarm. The municipal police arrived on the spot followed by the firefighters. After a few unsuccessful attempts at the intercom, the door was forced and the macabre discovery took place.
“The 64-year-old’s lifeless body was lying on the ground. He had evidently fallen suddenly without getting up again. Olumide was a citizen of the world open to others, to solidarity, always smiling and jovial. A man of the Fim, a man of the CISL as there are few. Never a word out of place and never a controversy.”
“Olumide was a friend, as well as our delegate of reference in Annovi Reverberi,”adds the secretary of the Fim Cisl Emilia Centrale, Giorgio Uriti. “He was one who certainly did not send her, a Fimmino doc of the old guard. He knew how to tame “comrades” well, so he called them those of Fiom.
“Always polite and every time I went to the company to hold meetings, he always brought me the bottle of water and gave me a smile, to show his happiness to see Fim there in the company with him. Fim loses a great person, a respectable delegate always on the front line and on the side of the weakest. All of us who have had the honor and fortune to know him, will always carry his smile and kindness in their hearts. We will miss you, rest in peace, brother Olumide,”concludes Uriti, announcing that, as soon as possible, the metalworkers CISL of Modena and Reggio will honor Okunuga as it deserves.
The Guardian
Nigeria likely to record more positive cases of COVID-19
Experts are worried that there could be more cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria in the next two weeks, insisting that it is inevitable because the country has been identified as one of the 13 countries in Africa at a high risk of being overwhelmed by the virus due to weak health sector.
Also, the index case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Nigeria, a 44-year-old Italian, yesterday completed the 14-day isolation recommended by the World Heath Organisation (WHO).
Although the viral load of the 44-year-old Italian citizen is reducing, he would not yet be discharged from the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba, Lagos, as he was not yet totally free from the virus.
The assertion was made by Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu; WHO Consultant on COVID-19 in Nigeria and Team Leader, Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Dr. Fiona Braka and Director, Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health and Incident Manager COVID-19 Outbreak Lagos State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Dr. Ismail Abdul-Salam, who spoke with journalists at a roundtable in Lagos yesterday.
They said contrary to some media reports, the Italian was visiting Nigeria for the first time as a consultant to a company in Ogun State, just as it was learnt that the Italian’s wife and brother have also tested positive to the virus in Italy.
“We are worried that we may have explosion of cases of coronavirus in our country. This is why we are given special attention on passengers coming from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan,” Ihekweazu said.
Braka said the WHO declaration that COVID-19 was now a pandemic meant that all countries, especially those at high risk such as Nigeria needed to redouble their efforts to prevent a situation where they would be overwhelmed by the virus.
Abdul-Salam pointed out that Lagos has prepared for the worst case scenario in which many people may be infected with the virus, adding, “At the beginning, even before the country confirmed the first case, with the help of the WHO we have prepared for the worst case scenario.”
Ihekweazu said as at March 11, 2020, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and apart from the index case, a total of 40 people have been screened for COVID-19 (seven new) in five States (Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Federal Capital Territory, FCT/Abuja and Kano) of which 39 tested negative and have been ruled out, while one confirmed positive which is a contact of index case with no death.
The Guardian
Also, the index case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Nigeria, a 44-year-old Italian, yesterday completed the 14-day isolation recommended by the World Heath Organisation (WHO).
Although the viral load of the 44-year-old Italian citizen is reducing, he would not yet be discharged from the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba, Lagos, as he was not yet totally free from the virus.
The assertion was made by Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu; WHO Consultant on COVID-19 in Nigeria and Team Leader, Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Dr. Fiona Braka and Director, Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health and Incident Manager COVID-19 Outbreak Lagos State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Dr. Ismail Abdul-Salam, who spoke with journalists at a roundtable in Lagos yesterday.
They said contrary to some media reports, the Italian was visiting Nigeria for the first time as a consultant to a company in Ogun State, just as it was learnt that the Italian’s wife and brother have also tested positive to the virus in Italy.
“We are worried that we may have explosion of cases of coronavirus in our country. This is why we are given special attention on passengers coming from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan,” Ihekweazu said.
Braka said the WHO declaration that COVID-19 was now a pandemic meant that all countries, especially those at high risk such as Nigeria needed to redouble their efforts to prevent a situation where they would be overwhelmed by the virus.
Abdul-Salam pointed out that Lagos has prepared for the worst case scenario in which many people may be infected with the virus, adding, “At the beginning, even before the country confirmed the first case, with the help of the WHO we have prepared for the worst case scenario.”
Ihekweazu said as at March 11, 2020, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and apart from the index case, a total of 40 people have been screened for COVID-19 (seven new) in five States (Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Federal Capital Territory, FCT/Abuja and Kano) of which 39 tested negative and have been ruled out, while one confirmed positive which is a contact of index case with no death.
The Guardian
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Chineme Martins: Nigerian player dies after collapsing on pitch
Nigerian footballer Chineme Martins, 22, died after collapsing during a game for his club Nasarawa United.
Martins fell unconscious, unopposed, during the second half of Nasarawa's league match against Katsina United.
"The player was attended to by medics of the two clubs ... and was later rushed to Dalhatu-Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia where he was later pronounced dead," the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) said in a statement.
An autopsy is now being carried out to determine the cause of death.
The NFF says no further matches should be played unless there is a full complement of medical equipment at the stadia and personnel "as provided in the NFF Club Licensing Regulations".
Furthermore, the NFF said all match commissioners and the host FA "are to ensure they inspect all the facilities including carrying out test runs before giving the go-ahead for any match to be played."
Eyewitnesses told BBC Sport there appeared to be a delay in getting Martins to the hospital because of a problem with the ambulance.
Nasarawa United are yet to make any (official) statement about the death of their player who had made four appearances for the northern club so far this season.
Nigeria's sports minister, Sunday Dare, described Martins' death as "regrettably avoidable" and said the "ministry will immediately work with the NPFL to role out mandatory conditions before any match is played".
It is the second time fans in Lafia have witnessed a tragedy. In December 2018, Kano Pillars star Dominic Dukudod collapsed while warming up in a friendly against Nasarawa United themselves.
Questions have previously been raised about the state of medical care and players' welfare in the NPFL, but Nigeria's League Management Company says it mandates the clubs to ensure all players present a medical passport - signed and authorised by a certified doctor - declaring them fit to play.
BBC
Oil Drop May Force Nigeria to Devalue Naira as Reserves Sink
The plunge in oil prices is piling pressure on Nigeria to devalue the naira as dwindling export revenue depletes foreign-exchange reserves, curbing the central bank’s ability to support the currency.
The central bank’s reserves have decreased by 20% in the past two years to the lowest since November 2017, and may soon reach the $30 billionthreshold set by Governor Godwin Emefiele for the country to consider a devaluation, Jason Daw and Phoenix Kalen, strategists at Paris-based Societe Generale SA, wrote in note on Monday. The central bank may start adjusting currency policy before it reaches that point, they said.
Naira fundamentals are on an unsustainable trajectory and under current external conditions, especially lower oil prices, the risk of a devaluation is “very elevated,” the SocGen strategists wrote. “The combination of a current-account deficit -- previously due to strong imports but now being compounded by weak exports -- portfolio outflows and lower oil prices will continue to deplete FX reserves and pressure the naira.”
The the naira extended a decline in offshore trading on Tuesday, slipping 0.4% to 366.99 per dollar, the weakest level on a closing basis in more than two years.Yields on Nigeria’s 2049 Eurobonds climbed 149 basis points to 10.24% on Monday, the highest on record. The country’s benchmark stock index slumped to the lowest level in almost three years.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed the country’s 10.6 trillion naira ($29 billion) spending plan into law this year based on a crude price projection of $57 a barrel and targeted oil earnings of 2.64 trillion naira. Brent crude prices have plummeted about 45% this year to around $36 a barrel.
Africa’s largest oil producer relies on earnings from the black commodity for more than 90% of its export revenues. The International Monetary Fund slashed the West African nation’s economic growth projection to 2% from 2.5% because of a decline in oil prices.
Under Emefiele, who was appointed in 2014, Nigeria has tightened capital controls and closely managed the naira’s value. The governor has consistently said this is the best way to curb inflation and boost manufacturing by discouraging imports.
“An initial attempt at a managed depreciation is more likely than a one-offlarge devaluation (like in the past), but it might be challenging to maintain over the medium term unless bolder policy action is taken,” Daw and Kalen wrote.
The central bank could also consider tightening liquidity in the interbank market or by tightening policy, while a planned Eurobond sale could help rebuild currency reserves, they said.
Bloomberg
The central bank’s reserves have decreased by 20% in the past two years to the lowest since November 2017, and may soon reach the $30 billionthreshold set by Governor Godwin Emefiele for the country to consider a devaluation, Jason Daw and Phoenix Kalen, strategists at Paris-based Societe Generale SA, wrote in note on Monday. The central bank may start adjusting currency policy before it reaches that point, they said.
Naira fundamentals are on an unsustainable trajectory and under current external conditions, especially lower oil prices, the risk of a devaluation is “very elevated,” the SocGen strategists wrote. “The combination of a current-account deficit -- previously due to strong imports but now being compounded by weak exports -- portfolio outflows and lower oil prices will continue to deplete FX reserves and pressure the naira.”
The the naira extended a decline in offshore trading on Tuesday, slipping 0.4% to 366.99 per dollar, the weakest level on a closing basis in more than two years.Yields on Nigeria’s 2049 Eurobonds climbed 149 basis points to 10.24% on Monday, the highest on record. The country’s benchmark stock index slumped to the lowest level in almost three years.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed the country’s 10.6 trillion naira ($29 billion) spending plan into law this year based on a crude price projection of $57 a barrel and targeted oil earnings of 2.64 trillion naira. Brent crude prices have plummeted about 45% this year to around $36 a barrel.
Africa’s largest oil producer relies on earnings from the black commodity for more than 90% of its export revenues. The International Monetary Fund slashed the West African nation’s economic growth projection to 2% from 2.5% because of a decline in oil prices.
Under Emefiele, who was appointed in 2014, Nigeria has tightened capital controls and closely managed the naira’s value. The governor has consistently said this is the best way to curb inflation and boost manufacturing by discouraging imports.
“An initial attempt at a managed depreciation is more likely than a one-offlarge devaluation (like in the past), but it might be challenging to maintain over the medium term unless bolder policy action is taken,” Daw and Kalen wrote.
The central bank could also consider tightening liquidity in the interbank market or by tightening policy, while a planned Eurobond sale could help rebuild currency reserves, they said.
Bloomberg
Nigeria's emir of Kano dethroned for 'disrespect'
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, one of Nigeria's most influential Muslim traditional leaders, has been removed from his throne.He was deposed for showing "insubordination'' to the authorities in the northern state of Kano.
Mr Sanusi, an ex-central bank chief, has had frosty relations with Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje since 2017.
His supporters believe he was sacked for opposing Mr Ganduje's re-election last year.
Traditional leaders in Nigeria hold few constitutional powers but are able to exert significant influence as they are seen as custodians of both religion and tradition.
Mr Sanusi was seen as a reformist and had been critical of some government policies - a stance that frequently put him at loggerheads with ruling politicians, reports the BBC's Nigeria reporter Ishaq Khalid.
The emir has been removed from the palace in the city of Kano by security forces. It is not clear where he has been taken, but by tradition he will be expected to live in exile outside the emirate for the rest of his life, our reporter says.
Aminu Ado Bayero, the son of Mr Sanusi's predecessor who ruled Kano for more than half a century until his death in 2014, has been chosen as the new emir by the local authorities.
Why was he sacked?
The government said he was removed "in order to safeguard the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion and prestige of the Kano emirate", accusing the emir of "total disrespect" of institutions and the governor's office.
Since the emir and governor fell out, Mr Sanusi has not attended state functions and official meetings, which the government said amounted to "total insubordination".
The emir's refusal to appear before a panel investigating allegations of corruption against him also did not go down well with the government.
He is accused of selling property and mismanaging emirati funds but he secured a court order stopping the probe.
After last year's election, Mr Ganduje, who is a powerful figure within Nigeria's governing All Progressives Congress (APC) party, split the Kano emirate into five and appointed four more emirs - to weaken Mr Sanusi's influence.
Mr Sanusi is not shy about voicing his opinions, which some say is a break with the tradition that an emir be seen and not heard.
Last month, he said fathers who sent their children out to beg for alms should be arrested.
In the past he criticised what he described as the "ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam" in some parts of northern Nigeria that has discouraged the education of girls, family planning and other progressive policies.
Who is Mr Sanusi?
Born into the Fulani royal family, Lamido Sanusi became the 14th Emir of Kano in 2014 after the death of Ado Bayero.
He described the post, which carries enormous weight among Nigeria's northern Muslims, as a life-long ambition.
In the mid-1990s he quit a well-paid job as banking risk manager to deepen his knowledge of Arabic and Islamic studies by going to study in Sudan.
Long before he became emir, he opposed the adoption of Islamic law in some northern states, arguing that there were more pressing issues that needed to be dealt with.
But it was as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria that he gained notoriety.
His whistle-blowing over $20bn (£12bn) allegedly missing from the state oil company caused a storm that led to his suspension by then President Goodluck Jonathan. The government denied that any money was missing.
Mr Sanusi challenged the suspension in court but was still sacked from the role. He later withdrew the court case.
Critics say he has a holier-than-thou attitude and have wondered why he refused to appear before the panel investigating corruption allegations against him.
BBC
Related story: Former Nigeria Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi comments on audit that proves missing $18.5 billion
Video - Sanusi Lamido's TEDx speech - Overcoming the fear of vested interest
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