Her Royal Majesty Obi Martha Dunkwu is the reigning omu of the Anioma people of Nigeria’s Delta State. An omu, or queen mother, is a leader of women, custodian of the market, a spiritual guide to the community and the traditional ruler – a role that goes back more than 820 years and one that was greatly reduced by colonial rule. This important institution, with its ceremonial practices, comes with its own challenges but remains a significant part of holding communities together. Chisom Ifeakandu is a Nigerian filmmaker who has worked on several film and TV productions. In 2016, she was one of 20 young African filmmakers to be sponsored by the Africa International Film Festival and the Ford Foundation to study at the Cinefabrique Film School in Lyon, France. She convened The African Way event to showcase young African theatre talent.
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Video - Documentary on the Omu of Delta State
Video - Fuel prices in Nigeria nearly double after oil subsidy's end
Many countries are scrapping oil subsidies and raising taxes to help generate revenue. Nigeria's fuel subsidy kept prices below half the real cost since the 1970s. And now, consumers are being forced to pay up as the government tries to recover those losses.
Building collapeses in Abuja, leaving several people trapped
Several people are feared trapped under the debris after a multi-story building under construction in the Nigerian capital collapsed, local authorities said Tuesday.
The building in downtown Abuja collapsed on Monday afternoon. "The search and rescue continues. Nine of them have been rescued, six were discharged from the hospital and three are still in the hospital receiving treatment. Their condition is stable and everything is going on well," said Amiola Adebayo, head of operations at the fire service in Abuja.
According to local media, the building was approved for three floors, but the developer violated the building codes. An unspecific number of people were still trapped under the debris.
Cases of building collapses are not uncommon in Nigeria, and local experts lay the blame on aging structures, non-compliance with building planning and regulations, and the use of substandard materials during construction.
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
Video - 24-hour curfew declared in Nigeria's Taraba state, Karim town
The Governor of #Taraba State in #Nigeria imposed a 24-hour #curfew as a result of communal #clashes in some parts of the area which have reportedly led to the death of dozens of people.
Nigeria projected to save $28 Billion after ending fuel subsidies
Nigeria will save more than 21 trillion naira ($28 billion) in two years after scrapping gasoline subsidies and allowing its currency to weaken, according to the World Bank.
The savings will help President Bola Tinubu’s government cut its record fiscal deficit and a debt-service burden that surpassed revenue in 2022, the Washington-based lender said in a report. The budget shortfall will narrow to 3.9% of gross domestic product by 2025 from 5.1% this year, according to the report.
Scrapping the fuel cap will enable Nigeria’s state oil company to export crude instead of setting it aside to pay for the subsidies. Easing foreign-exchange controls will help the government convert overseas earnings at market prices rather than at “overvalued” rates, the bank said.
It forecast Africa’s biggest economy will expand 4% from 2024 should it implement urgently required reforms. The continent’s most populous nation has for years resisted calls by the World Bank to do away with its costly gasoline subsidies and myriad exchange rates that have stymied growth.
Africa’s largest crude producer should take further steps to increase non-oil revenue, lower inflation and expand the social safety net to protect the poor and most vulnerable, the World Bank said.
“The government could propose a compact with Nigerian citizens that directly links the phased-out subsidy to compensatory cash transfers,” it said.
More from the report:
. Inflation will accelerate to an average of 25% this year, compared with 18.8% in 2022
. Debt service as a proportion of federal government revenue will drop to 76% by 2025 from 121% this year.
By Anthony Osae-Brown, Bloomberg