Thursday, December 3, 2015
Video - Nigeria taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
As the world meets in France for the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, Africa's role continues to be significant In Nigeria, CCTV's Sophia Adengo reports about efforts taken by the country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Video - Documentary on Nigeria's baby farmers
It is understandable why a desperate childless couple might do anything to have a baby, but those who exploit their unhappiness for profit are not so easy to forgive.In this deeply disturbing episode of Africa Investigates, Ghana's undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and investigative reporter Rosemary Nwaebuni team up to identify and expose some of those those behind Nigeria's heart-breaking baby trade.It is a scam that exploits couples desperate for a baby and young pregnant single mothers - often stigmatised in a country where abortion is illegal except in the most dire medical emergency. It is also a trade that international NGOs have identified as sinister and out of control.Filming undercover, the team find bogus doctors and clinics offering spurious fertility treatments in return for large amounts of money. In their guise as a childless couple, Anas and Rosemary are falsely diagnosed by one dodgy clinician as being unable to conceive children.When the footage is reviewed by an official from Nigeria's Ministry of Health, he is appalled at the way vulnerable people are being conned. "You should not allow these people access to the public," he says.But worse is to come. The team go on to uncover orphanages and clinics that act as brokers for illegal baby sales, by which naive, greedy or simply desperate young mothers are "persuaded" to hand over their newborn children for cash.
Nigeria reduces MTN fine from $5.2 billion to $3.4 billion
Africa's largest mobile operator, MTN, has succeeded in its bid to reduce a $5.2bn £3.4bn) fine imposed by Nigerian authorities for failing to cut off unregistered users.
Nigeria wants mobile phone companies to verify the identity of their customers.
The government says it is concerned unregistered Sim cards are being used by criminal gangs.
The South African company has been in talks with authorities since October when the original fine was imposed.
It said on Thursday it had succeeded in reducing the fine by a third.
The original fine amounted to double MTN's annual profits last year.
Since it was imposed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), MTN has made a number of senior managerial changes, which included the resignation of the chief executive of its Nigerian unit, Sifiso Dabengwa.
"After further engagements with the Nigerian authorities, the NCC has reduced the imposed fine," MTN said in a statement. It added the fine was now $3.4bn.
Admired and valued
MTN has 231 million subscribers in 22 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. However, Nigeria is its biggest market.
In September, the company was named as most admired brand in Africa in the Brand Africa 100 awards, beating Samsung, while it was also awarded the continent's most valuable brand, worth $4.6bn (£3bn).
MTN was South Africa's second mobile operator when it was set up in 1994 after the end of apartheid.
It began its expansion across Africa four years later with operations in Rwanda, Uganda and Swaziland.
BBC
Nigeria wants mobile phone companies to verify the identity of their customers.
The government says it is concerned unregistered Sim cards are being used by criminal gangs.
The South African company has been in talks with authorities since October when the original fine was imposed.
It said on Thursday it had succeeded in reducing the fine by a third.
The original fine amounted to double MTN's annual profits last year.
Since it was imposed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), MTN has made a number of senior managerial changes, which included the resignation of the chief executive of its Nigerian unit, Sifiso Dabengwa.
"After further engagements with the Nigerian authorities, the NCC has reduced the imposed fine," MTN said in a statement. It added the fine was now $3.4bn.
Admired and valued
MTN has 231 million subscribers in 22 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. However, Nigeria is its biggest market.
In September, the company was named as most admired brand in Africa in the Brand Africa 100 awards, beating Samsung, while it was also awarded the continent's most valuable brand, worth $4.6bn (£3bn).
MTN was South Africa's second mobile operator when it was set up in 1994 after the end of apartheid.
It began its expansion across Africa four years later with operations in Rwanda, Uganda and Swaziland.
BBC
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Video - Nigeria's spicy cuisine
A typical Nigerian meal is an inferno in your mouth, at least for first time visitors. Nigerians love their meals laced with blended pepper sauce.
Former minister Sambo Dasuki arrested over $2 billion fraud
Nigeria's former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has been arrested for allegedly stealing $2bn (£1.3bn), his representatives say.Mr Dasuki is accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy 12 helicopters, four fighter jets and ammunition. He denies the allegations.
The equipment was meant for the fight against Boko Haram Islamist militants.
Mr Dasuki was picked up early in the morning by security agents, a PR firm representing him said.
Two weeks ago, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered Mr Dasuki's arrest after he was indicted by a panel investigating the procurement of arms under the last administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
PRNigeria said he was picked up by intelligence agents from his home in the capital, Abuja, where he was already under house arrest facing separate charges.
His arrest follows those of some of his associates by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday.
The anti-corruption body said they included former Minister of State for Finance Bashir Yuguda and the sons of some prominent politicians of the former ruling party over allegations of impropriety in relation to the arms deal.
Earlier, Mr Dasuki said he had not been given a chance to defend himself before the investigative panel and described its recommendation as "politically motivated".
The former army colonel is already facing a trial for allegedly possessing illegal firearms.
He is the first senior official of the former government to be charged under the rule of President Muhammadu Buhari, who took in office in May.
Boko Haram has killed thousands in north-eastern Nigeria in its six-year campaign to create an Islamic state.
BBC
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